For mine, Clarkson is the best coach in the AFL. Not really because of the flags necessarily, but the way the Hawks play the game. The best coach is not the one with the most flags, (although in this case it is) its the one who can most improve the squad at his disposal regardless of talent and get them playing a brand, that when the stars finally align and the recruiters get it right and the age demographic matures, you are left with an outfit that is playing a style that will stand up in the big games.
I always ask myself if Roly had been coaching that Hawks team for a year in 2013 and Clarko had that 2013 Docker team, who would have won the GF? No one knows but my bet is the Dockers would have. Even when we were beating everybody, including Geelong, we could never beat Hawthorn, the coach was too good. It was clear that each match against Hawks we were out coached.
Roly may still be the second best coach in the AFL, for some no - way, others the jury is still out. The problem is its hard to cut him slack when he perservered so long with guys like the Fist when we could have had an A. Pearce, a Luke Ryan or...anybody really.
His delay until now, in getting quality kickers into the side count against him too. His inability to coach a structured forward line that stayed forward of the ball, the way its taken 5 years to learn not to bomb it into the forward line, the way its taken 5 years to learn not to kick backwards (unless certain parameters were met), the way its taken so long to teach the players not to get sucked into the ball, the way Sandi hasnt been coached on what to do after marking a ball, the way Ballas hasnt been coached to stay on his feet or until last two games to stay front and centre..... we all could go on with a hundred one per centers. Stuff we learned in under 10s.
To see the senior players on the weekend panic so much in front of goal, that lack of composure, is an age old problem for Freo. Watch the robotic precision of high percentage play the Hawks do as they approach the goals. Clarkson doesnt allow stupid snaps from the pocket off half a step falling over when you are clear and could take an extra second and centre the ball. Its so frustrating.
The fact that the Dockers look like they addressing these issues now is great in one way but makes it even more frustrating why everything takes so long for Roly to recognise??? Its like we are starting from square one again.
