Forgotten heroes of deciders

PREMIERSHIP players will often talk about the lifelong bond that they have with their premiership teammates. And, yes, that bond is real. But they rarely talk about the bond that they have with the person who held out the strongest guiding hand in the pursuit of that premiership, the coach.

And as the years roll by, that bond will be viewed even more strongly.

I, and many of my teammates, had a bond with Allan Jeans that could only be described as fatherly.

In the nine years since his passing, there has been ample time to work out and understand why so many of us loved him.

And each year, on grand final day, we are reminded of what a glorious position he assumed in our lives.

It is on those, most transparent of days that Jeans would demand of us to, “pay the price, either step up, or step down”.

SEIZE THE MOMENT

I SOMETIMES watch and listen to the remaining and surviving footage of Jeans talking to the camera about stepping up and seizing the moment after you’ve earned the opportunity.

And it is rare that I do not cry when viewing it.

Even though the footage was shot in a studio and made years after he’d retired as a coach, with his delivery, although strong by others’ standards, by his, comparatively tame.

The baritone had lessened in his voice and there is the slightest detectable trace that he is ever so slightly holding back on his charismatic and furious oratory powers.

He had the ability to motivate me, beyond what I thought I was capable of.

I know it can be deemed uncool for an Australian male, let alone an Aussie rules footballer, to say that he loved another man, but that is the effect a great coach can have on a young man’s life and the formation of his personality for the years ahead.

Success breeds success, but it also breeds trust.

LIFE CHANGER

RICHMOND’S core group of players have won two premierships under Damian Hardwick.

Trent Cotchin, Dustin Martin, Shane Edwards and Dylan Grimes would all believe that they are being coached by a man that has changed their lives, even changed their destiny.

And their trust in him and his format is unquestionable.

While they are in the moment, they won’t even think to themselves just how good they have it, how good it is to be a part of a regimen that is on the verge of something exceptional, something approaching greatness, they will just give their best, play football and listen to their coach.

In years to come, they will look back at this era, this time, and they will reminisce with amazement and gratitude.

Perhaps in 30 years’ time they will realise just what their coach has done for them and they will understand that they truly do love him.

THE MOTIVATORS

WE WILL look at the players that are great this weekend and we will write them into the history books for their heroic deeds and the brilliance that they show during this grand final. And so we should.

But one thing that often gets missed is what a brilliant game on the day some coaches have. When it comes to having a truly great day by spiritually motivating players to beyond their expectations on the big day, Allan Jeans had several GFs in which he probably should have won the Norm Smith Medal.

I hope in years to come, that either the Richmond or Geelong players will look back at this grand final and say to themselves that they love their coach for what he did for them.