Buckley a chance to grab honours
Win today might wrap up Coach of the Year award
NATHAN Buckley can improve his Coach of the Year chances today if Collingwood pulls off an upset against Richmond at the MCG.
But coaching legends have backed West Coast’s Adam Simpson to win the coveted honour, ahead of the resurgent Buckley. Four premiership coaches with a combined 10 flags were polled 3-2-1 with Essendon legend Kevin Sheedy the only man to award Buckley top votes.
“Because he was sacked 8000 times,” Sheedy said yesterday.
“I’ve never known a bloke to be persecuted by everybody. Buckley has overcome a truckload of problems. He’s had his team injured and it’s now knocking on the door.”
Simpson has steered the 13-4 Eagles to second on the ladder despite losing Josh Kennedy for six games, Jack Darling for four games and Nic Naitanui (knee) for the rest of the season.
“I always look at teams that overachieve,” inaugural Coach of the Year winner Paul Roos said.
“From that point of view it’d be Adam Simpson. He’s my clear choice with where they sit, losing Naitanui, beating Collingwood.”
Mick Malthouse gave Buckley, his Collingwood successor, two votes and said GWS’s fightback should have Leon Cameron in the mix.
“I had [Collingwood] between sixth and ninth, and they’re third on the ladder. With Leon, I had them finishing on top,” the 2010 winner said. “But they were hit so hard with injury and suspension that there was a period where they looked like they might not even make it. They’re not out of the woods, but he’s done a marvellous job to get them back.”
The Giants have won six of their past seven games.
Roos gave North’s Brad Scott two votes, partly because he made “some really good moves” in the off-season.
“Again, I think everyone had them bottom four,” Roos said.
“He’s done a fantastic job with [Billy] Hartung in, [Ben] Jacobs is a big loss at the moment, but he talked [Scott] Thompson into playing on. I factor in all those sorts of things.”
Sheedy said Buckley, Simpson and Damien Hardwick were skilled before taking on the job. “All three have done a proper apprenticeship to be a top coach,” he said. “This is where the AFL has failed coaches in the past.”