Here’s a long-range prediction for you that hopefully I’ll be able to drag up in a few years’ time and make myself look smart: someday, Alastair Clarkson will coach an AFL club that isn’t Hawthorn.
On Monday former Hawthorn player Ben Dixon said he believed Clarkson would quit his position at the Hawks at the end of the year to take up a $2 million offer from Carlton.
This prompted Clarkson to deny – for what must be at least the fourth time this season – that he has any intention of coaching elsewhere next year.
Tom Scully, a recent recruit to the club, said Clarkson told his players on Tuesday that Dixon’s story was bogus.
“Clarko made a little reference to it this morning,” Scully said.
“He just said, ‘I’ll address the elephant in the room. I’m not going to Carlton’.
“As far as I’m concerned, Clarko’s the coach and until he says otherwise, there’s nothing really to see.”
It’s not the first time and won’t be the last. Over the years Clarkson has been linked to senior coaching vacancies time and time again, as well demonstrated by this tweet.
It’s the kind of story that inevitably leaves fans frustrated and disillusioned with the footy media. You can only spread the same rumour so many times before it becomes a bit tired.
But does that mean this is all smoke and no fire? Not a chance.
If you want some factual pointing to this prediction, here it is: sooner or later, every premiership coach does it.
Since 1990, all but one of the AFL’s premiership coaches has gone on to coach at another AFL club – or already been at their second club, or is still coaching their first.
Leigh Matthews won the flag with Collingwood in 1990 and went on for three more at Brisbane. Alan Joyce took on Footscray.
Mick Malthouse moved on to Collingwood and then Carlton. Kevin Sheedy coached GWS. David Parkin was at his third club (and his second stint at Carlton).
Dennis Pagan went to Carlton. Malcolm Blight enjoyed a brief 15 games at St Kilda. Paul Roos took over at Melbourne. Mark Thompson and John Worsfold both coached Essendon.
The only exception to the rule is 2004 Port Adelaide premiership coach Mark Williams, and that’s not for lack of trying. He pushed hard to be Kevin Sheedy’s successor at GWS, and left the club with a year on his contract when Leon Cameron was picked instead.
1990 is just an arbitrary starting point for that statistic. This is a trend that extends back well into the decades beforehand, when senior coaching roles were more fluid, and to coach multiple clubs over a career was more common.
Clarkson is no different from any of them, expect for one thing: he’s not just a premiership coach, he’s a four-time premiership coach (okay, okay – that doesn’t make him any different from Kevin Sheedy).
In fact every premiership in the last six years has been won either by Clarkson himself, or one of Clarkson’s proteges – Luke Beveridge in 2016, Damien Hardwick in 2017, and Adam Simpson last year.
Three teams in this year’s top eight are run by coaches who formerly assisted Clarkson, and a fourth, Don Pyke, was ‘grandfathered’ by him – a protege of his protege, having worked under Simpson at West Coast.
I’m not saying it will be next year – I’m confident it won’t. Clarkson has been asked time and time again in 2019 and every time he has been completely unambiguous. He is committed to his contract at Hawthorn, and that’s not about to change.
But, someday, it will. Someday for one reason or another Clarkson will be on the market and when that happens, half the clubs in the league will be sounding him out (and that’s a conservative estimate).
The only question then left will be this: does he want it?
And even if it comes after taking a year or more away from the game, for me there’s no doubt. He’ll want another challenge, wherever it might be. Lock it in.
Eddie from Elwood
Roar Rookie
True, but he has 4 flags and Lyon..... ..squat!!!!!!!
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Saints of 2008-2011 for one,
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Good comment Trevor. I agree. If Clarko took on the Blues, plus some slight off season tweaking of the list, I’d say they would be 8-10 in 2020.
Parkside Darren
Roar Rookie
Ah that’s where we disagree
shifty
Roar Rookie
And how much in match direct feedback did those same sides have in the lead up to the 3 peat yrs
Brian
Guest
Except Hawthorn is skillful, experienced and well-drilled. Problem is they are also slow, small, down on confidence and lack KPP.
Parkside Darren
Roar Rookie
Also Brian your comment on Clarko’s match day brilliance (given he doesn’t play and is an external influence on proceedings) is not inconsistent with my view.
Parkside Darren
Roar Rookie
RoryStorm - at the start of each quarter and after a goal is scored, 6 players must be in the fwd 50 and defensive 50 for each team. 2 players in the middle of the ground outside the centre square and 4 in the centre square The final part is that one fwd and one defensive player from each team must start in the respective goal squares. Once the ball is bounced players movement is unrestricted.
Parkside Darren
Roar Rookie
Not necessarily. There are a lot of factors that impact a game, the 6-6-6 and no runner rules are just a part.
Birdman
Roar Rookie
Clarko's next club? Melbourne Victory - you heard it here first ;)
Brian
Guest
That's a silly comment if that were true the ladder would be more skewed then in previous years, its not
Simoc
Guest
I don't reckon Clarkson wants or needs another team. Every other team wants or needs him (except Brisbane, we have Clarko 2). I think he has been the outstanding coach of his generation and doesn't need any more adulation or critics, But I wonder why Mark Williams didn't get the GWS gig. He would have had them a couple of flags by now. Nothing against Cameron but Williams was outstanding with Port Adelaide where he overachieved early on. Cameron has had all the best weapons available and may get there this year.
HedleyLamarr
Roar Rookie
Cunners commits till the end of 2022 and Brady Rawlings too head footy dept. Good day all round for the Shinboners!
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
666 is evil!
RoryStorm
Guest
As I'm only a casual observer of AFL would someone be kind enough to explain the 666 rule please. Thank you in advance.
BillPosters
Roar Rookie
If he's not coaching the Hawks in the AFL, he'll be the coach of the Box Hill Hawks in the VFL. That or a Tasmania expansion team perhaps?
anon
Roar Pro
Why would he go to Carlton? There are 16 other clubs that would want him with Carlton being one of the worst options.
Raimond
Roar Guru
I’ve been thinking about writing an article on Grand Finals, including 2008.
Jordan Klingsporn
Roar Guru
Clarko might not be as good as we think he is He was gifted with a lot of good players out of the drafts. He's similar to Ross Lyon trying to rebuild Freo.
Slane
Guest
The 666 rule is stopping Clarko from playing the way he wants to play. His success is almost entire predicated on the way he moves players around to create overlap and/or manufacture a free man. The Hawks didn't outscore their opponents because they were more skillful, they outscored them because they were able to consistently kick the ball to one of Breust, Gunston or Puopolo running unnmarked towards goal. Clarko's genius has always been in player movement. The new rules curtail a coaches ability to move his players where he wants.