If the rise of West Coast and the Western Bulldogs this year has taught us anything, it’s that an Alastair Clarkson apprenticeship is the best in the business.
As such, Carlton simply cannot overlook Brendon Bolton for the senior coaching position at the club for 2016.
The Blues need only look to the success of the Clarkson alumni.
Adam Simpson and Luke Beveridge are arguably the front-runners for coach of the year, despite Ross Lyon’s Fremantle sitting two games clear of the pack.
Why? Fremantle has been building for years. The Bulldogs and Eagles, however, have taken us all by surprise.
The former was a basket-case in the off-season. The Dogs lost their captain and their coach in the same week, sparking talk of disharmony among the playing group. And their chief executive, Simon Garlick, didn’t waste much time in following Brendan McCartney and Ryan Griffen out the door.
While the Eagles’ off-season was less tumultuous, few punters considered them a realistic finals prospect after they finished ninth in 2014. This sentiment was compounded early on in the season, after a string of season-ending injuries decimated their back-line.
But with finals just over a month away, both teams from their respective ‘wests’ are not only in the finals hunt, but loom as dark horses for the premiership.
So how have two supposedly mediocre teams not only taken the competition by storm, but now look like certainties to bat deep into September?
The common denominator is Alastair Clarkson.
Clarkson is currently producing as much talent as the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy.
Is it any wonder Brendon Bolton was so seamlessly able to replace his mentor at the helm when Clarkson fell ill last year? Bolton’s ability to lead Hawthorn at such short notice was symptomatic of the Clarkson philosophy of one man in, one man out.
For Clarkson, personnel is important, but over-reliance on one person is not.
That’s one reason West Coast, in the absence of best and fairest winner Eric MacKenzie and fellow defender Mitch Brown, has been so successful this year. And they’re not alone.
The Western Bulldogs, too, have shown they are more than capable of taking on the Clarkson blueprint. The spread of goal-kickers at the Dogs over the fortnight has shown up even that of Hawthorn.
Apprentice turned master? Perhaps not yet, but Beverdige has certainly stamped his own authority on the Clarkson game plan.
It would be folly for Carlton to rush into a decision on hiring their new coach. But it would be worse to overlook Bolton, a ready-made coach who has attended the best coaching academy of the last decade.
Clarkson’s success has bred success, manifested in the rise of the Eagles and the Western Bulldogs this year. We only need look at the recent Clarkson alumni to see why.
Macca
Guest
Mattyb - When was the last time you posted anything on sport and not on me - time to get over it mate!
mattyb
Guest
The ban was in the past,ancient history,so there you go,right up Meccas ally.Mecca the man = Liam Jones the footballer.
Shaw
Roar Rookie
Don't let Bolton get the Gig! He is such a happy little camper, we don't want to see him go all beyond blue. misery deserves company, give the job to Eric Abbets or Alan Jones (they are both immune to reality and if they can survive as themselves they can survive being the coach of Carlton)
mattyb
Guest
I can stand you abusing people constantly Mecca,but hold back on the language.And don't play childish,a couple of dots was to get past moderation,you still made sure everyone knew the word you meant,pretty ordinary stuff that.
jax
Guest
"So how have two supposedly mediocre teams not only taken the competition by storm, but now look like certainties to bat deep into September?" WC weren't the ones with mediocrity problems. The journalists, experts and fans that underrated them were mediocre with their predictions. The list was talented. deep, versatile and committed and the game plan and coaches were exceptional. Woosha told the world that WC had a great list and that it just needed time to develop before it would bear fruit, few believed him (even though he never lies) and he has been proven to be correct in his assessment. WC had massive injuries in 2013 and 2014 but the 'experts' didn't take that into consideration when predicting WC's 2015 season or that Nic has completed his first pre-season as an example. From the outside Bolton looks to be an excellent candidate.
Macca
Guest
"You were talking about them. We (the rest of us) were talking about real stuff…now stuff." I didn't start the conversation Don - I responded to you, to you claiming that Croad & Headland were good trades - now that that is shown to be a ridiculous statement you try to switch the topic like you were our PM trotting out national security after yet another bungle. "For about 4 weeks, I chose to not respond to anything you said" Was that the same 4 weeks you were banned? Now that was a golden period for intelligent discussion on this site.
Don Freo
Guest
YOU were talking about them. I was talking about speculative trades. We (the rest of us) were talking about real stuff...now stuff. You and WiG disappear into the past whenever you talk about Freo as if Freo then has anything to do with Freo now. For about 4 weeks, I chose to not respond to anything you said...because it's all so silly (apart from stuff about Carlton. You are passionate and hopeful then ). I think you need to be ignored again with anything about Freo. You just don't seem to want to admit there is a now and go back to sometime when Freo didn't look as good. Can't you see that has nothing to do with now?
Macca
Guest
"just that there is a better vibe on the affirmative side of the world" How the h-ll would you know? And if you say stupid things and I oppose them that isn't being negative that is being accurate. "You are mixing up all kinds of eras here and none of it has to do with Lyon. Hodge and Caracella? What???" Do you have a short term memory issue - we aren't talking about Lyon - we are talking about the trades For Croad & Headland which you defended as being a boon for Freo.
Wilson
Roar Guru
I think Ratten got a bad deal he was doing well just had a few little bump in the road that hurt him. I also think if MM had not been available at the time you would still have seen him most likely there now as head coach
Beau
Guest
Good Article! Also don't forget Damien Hardwick and Leon Cameron are both Clarkson protégé's. Hawthorn over the last 7 years have allowed players and coaches to develop almost to an unheralded state, this club keeps going from strength to strength, on and off the field.
Don Freo
Guest
Nicer? I don't expect what's not in your capacity. I don't care how you choose to advertise yourself...just that there is a better vibe on the affirmative side of the world. You are mixing up all kinds of eras here and none of it has to do with Lyon. Hodge and Caracella? What???
Don Freo
Guest
Croad was excellent at CHB and when he went home we got LMac. That was genius. Headland was very solid. If you don't expect a Brownlow medalist, you'd see it. Good snipe. Try an affirmative comment...anywhere...just once.
Macca
Guest
?The word delusional springs to mind Don - you would be the only person in the world not to think the Croad saga was a disaster, Headland was not much better.
Don Freo
Guest
Nothing wrong with Headland, Croad and Tarrant. Speculative trades are always going to throw up failures. Your list is quite small compared to the poor trades most other clubs have done. For someone obsessed with Freo's past, present and future, you know so little about Freo. Schulz...as if. Why would the competition leaders chase a 30yo whose career is already in decline? You surely know that Brad Lloyd and Chris Bond drive the recruiting...not Ross Lyon. He's the coach.
johno
Guest
If Bolton gets the job he'll join the following senior coaches (not caretakers) who never played in the AFL/VFL Brendan McCarthy John Todd Wayne Brittan Neil Craig John Cahill Cahill, Todd and Craig were legends in their respective state comps when the VFL was a state comp, whereas Brittain and McCarthy never made it to the VFL being Victorian boys. If he gets the gig that'll mean two Tassie boys are in charge of AFl teams, joining Rodney Eade
WhereIsGene
Guest
Most of us would jump at the chance to keep Carlton entrenched at the bottom for $750k PA
WhereIsGene
Guest
Hawthorn has traded for a few duds as well. Cameron Bruce, Kyle Cheney, Rhan Hooper, Wayde Skipper. They seem to have got most of their higher value trades right but I suspect when a club wins a flag everyone suddenly rates all the decisions it makes much higher. Then again there are always clubs like Freo at the other end of the spectrum. Jack Anthony, Colin Sylvia, Scott Gumbleton.. and if we want to go back even further the likes of Des Headland, Trent Croad, Chris Tarrant, trading Andrew McLeod for Chris Groom... and now Ross the Boss is planning on throwing the kitchen sink at Schultz. I hope the poor bloke has read up about the curse and knows what he's signing up for.
WhereIsGene
Guest
Not to mention they've become too Buddy-conscious and regularly go to him when he's being double or triple teamed, Goodes is now a borderline deadweight and Tippett has been forced to ruck more and his degenerative knees are probably giving him issues. But I agree that their midfield isn't running both ways as hard as it used to and they are getting fewer goals out of their mids. That's probably down to other sides tightening up on midfield pressure, something the Swans used to be head & shoulders above most teams at. Ditto tackling another area where other clubs have caught up and the Swans have gone backwards. But yes, Longmire is scared to risk turnovers in the corridor when he knows his backline is collectively cooked, and they miss Jetta's presence up forward because he's had to cover for Malceski. Too many negative stoppers in defense, not enough creative elite kickers or line breakers who can set up play. Biggest difference though is teams have wised up to defending against the slingshot. Once upon a time the Swans would just plonk the entire team behind the ball and then sprint the other way when the opposition turned it over. Back the mids to run harder than their opponents and it usually worked. Now other sides are onto it and keep a couple of defenders back.
Penster
Guest
$750,000 might convince him (I'd be more than happy to fock it up for half the money)
Gecko
Guest
Interesting that we may only get one or two change-overs in coaches at the end of 2015. But for Carlton, Essendon and Adelaide, a few ex-coaches whose results were mediocre might still be worth a look-in. For example, Ratten, McKenna, Vos and Mark Harvey all did okay originally and all have more experience now. Simpson is a rare case of a coach succeeding without a broad CV. Most coaches take time to learn.