Favourite son Camporeale is ideal fit to follow Brendon Bolton as coach at Carlton
Why Adelaide assistant coach and former Carlton star Scott Camporeale is the right man to coach the Blues. Plus, this week’s winners and losers.
Kane Cornes
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Adelaide assistant coach Scott Camporeale is ready and willing to be a senior coach, he is the ideal replacement for sacked Carlton boss Brendon Bolton.
The 43-year-old father of three has completed an impressive coaching apprenticeship and is primed to take the reins at his former club where he remains a favourite son.
Camporeale was a skilful but fiery hard-running midfielder who played 233 games at the Blues and was a vital part of the 1995 premiership side.
His competitiveness and desire to never be beaten were fundamental pillars of his successful playing career.
Camporeale’s time at Carlton ended in 2005, he then signed to play for Essendon for two seasons before taking up an assistant coaching role at the Bombers.
He returned to his home state of South Australia at the end of 2010 when replaced Todd
Viney as Adelaide’s midfield coach. During his time in charge of the midfield his coaching philosophies were easily identifiable.
Under the mentorship of Camporeale, the Crows midfield was dominant in contested football, scoring from stoppages and pressure on the opposition. He held this position until taking over as interim coach following the tragic death of Phil Walsh in 2015.
He coached the last 11 games of 2015, including two finals. He recorded seven wins and four losses. But it was so much more than just wins and losses.
He was able to galvanise a devasted football club and vulnerable playing group, who at times were questioning their motivation to play the game.
At the time of taking the toughest job in football Camporeale said: “I tried to just reflect on Phil’s values that he left at this footy club.
“The vision that Phil had nine months ago when I sat down with him was one of really clear messaging as to where we wanted to get to, that won’t change, the players are really behind that, they want to live and breathe what Phil’s put in place.”
What he was able to do for Adelaide in the last half of 2015 should never be undersold.
Camporeale cited family reasons and business commitments as the reasons for not nominating for the senior job at the end of 2015 — he was part owner in a building company at the time. But he stayed on as midfield coach in 2016 under new coach Don Pyke, a position he held until the end of last year.
This season his role has evolved to looking after strategy and game structure.
Camporeale is a savvy media performer, he has an honest, no-nonsense approach and is intelligent, witty and to the point.
In the coaches box on game day, he is said to be very even-tempered and calm, a manner not tempered by the scoreboard.
He is of exceptional character and was brought up by a great family. You’ll find his mum volunteering at the Western Hospital each week and Camporeale himself is not opposed to chipping in at grassroots, coaching his twin sons Ben and Lucas at PHOS Camden.
Camporeale is the underdog. Carlton will firstly try and lure contracted Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson, albeit unsuccessfully.
Fremantle’s Ross Lyon and sacked North Melbourne coach Brad Scott will also be in the mix.
He will also be up against a host of untested rookie coaches such as Hawthorn great Sam Mitchell, Port Adelaide premiership players Brendan Lade, Adam Kingsley and Brett Montgomery and GWS assistant coach Mathews Nicks.
Untried assistant coaches will very rarely apply for senior jobs, believing if they miss out, there will be a stigma over them that they have a deficiency in their coaching acumen.
If Carlton wants Camporeale to apply, they will need to convince him that he has a realistic shot at landing the job.
I’d be shocked if that convincing hasn’t already begun.
WINNERS
SHUFFLING MAGNETS
KEN Hinkley was clearly concerned about his side’s horror starts this year which forced him to shuffle the match-up board against St Kilda. Dan Houston started in the middle and collected a career-high 28 disposals, Robbie Gray started in the midfield and Dougal Howard dominated in his unfamiliar forward role, taking four contested marks and booting two goals.
BRYCE THE BLANKET
ADELAIDE has been crying out for a run with player after been torched by Patrick Dangerfield, Lachie Neale and Luke Shuey this year. Melbourne’s Clayton Oliver ripped Adelaide apart with 16 second quarter disposals before Bryce Gibbs was moved onto him with great success in the second half. He should have got the job on Stephen Coniglio this week. I’m baffled by the decision to drop him.
RIPPER RAZOR
AFL umpire Ray Chamberlain is winning the public over with his insightful an honest interviews each Tuesday on SEN SA. His admission he got a decision wrong during Friday night’s game was so rare and refreshing.
SHARP ARROW
PORT Adelaide’s Xavier Duursma had a day out in Shanghai collecting 23 disposals at 87 per cent efficiency, 10 marks, 11 contested possessions, three score assists, three hardball gets and a goal. The young man is skilful, courageous and possesses the best goal celebration in the AFL.
BRILLIANT BRAD
THANK goodness Brad Crouch was playing for Adelaide in Darwin on Saturday night. The prolific midfielder has had some massive numbers this year but his 29 disposals and career-high three goals against Melbourne were easily his most important.
LOSERS
SLOANEY’S STRING
I WONDER if a new sequence of strength exercises performed away from the club by Adelaide co-captain Rory Sloane contributed to his first ever hamstring injury.
MCDERMOTT MISSED
SOUTH Australian football legend Chris McDermott will have to wait at least another year before being inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame after once again being ignored by the selectors. Astonishing considering his record.
DELUSION
MELBOURNE’S Jordan Lewis suggested on AFL 360 he was capable of playing on into next year but was comfortable if it was to be his last year. He clearly has a warped view of his playing output in the past three seasons.
FOOTY EXPERTS
THERE is an annoying trend creeping into the television broadcast as those tasked with special comments are asking the play-by-play callers questions relating to the game. You’re supposed to be the expert, you tell us.
WINGARD CLIPPED
CHAD Wingard suffered his fourth soft tissue injury this season when he pinged his hamstring against Brisbane. For reference Hawthorn traded Ryan Burton, pick 15 (Xavier Duursma), pick 35 (on-traded) and a future pick swap to get him while paying Wingard $750,000 per year. Hawthorn have been burned by that trade.
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