Former Geelong star Garry Hocking ready — and eager — to lead Panthers’ flag hunt
BACK in the colours that made him an AFL great, new South Adelaide coach Garry Hocking is ready to build on the fine base laid for him by predecessor and friend Brad Gotch. Warren Partland reports.
RECENTLY appointed South Adelaide coach Garry Hocking looked comfortable in the navy blue polo shirt as he settled back into his chair for a chat.
That’s not surprising — the colour should be familiar considering he made 274 appearances in the navy-and-white jumper during his illustrious career at Geelong.
Then again, the shirt could have been red, blue, white, pink or purple. That does not matter to Hocking, what matters is building on the terrific platform established by former coach and good mate Bradley Gotch.
Gotch ended his tenure at the Noarlunga club last month after three highly productive years, constructing a fiercely competitive Panthers outfit and providing the blueprint for a premiership challenge.
The experienced mentor’s decision to return to Victoria despite a year remaining on his contract was no shock. He wanted to be back with his family, who had not relocated to Adelaide, and had found work back in the AFL system at Collingwood.
Gotch had treated the Panthers well and the club never considered blocking his path home, not for a second. There was too much mutual respect.
He and Hocking had a history from their coaching days in Victoria. But their friendship and professional bond strengthened significantly when they worked at Port Adelaide as assistant coaches.
The pair often wandered the golf course, discussing football and life. So it was not surprising that Gotch promoted the Hocking name during discussions with the Panthers on his future.
“Brad has been a great mentor and great friend,” Hocking said. “I owe a lot to him over the past seven or eight years, just being able to grace the golf greens and fairways and have a chat about footy and life.
“He has been fantastic. Gotchy has left this place (South Adelaide) with everything set to go.”
Immediately after voicing his appreciation for Gotch’s influence, Hocking mentioned his wife Melina and lauded her acceptance of his passion for the game and the odd hours required to make the job a success.
Then again, family means the world to Hocking.
Ask him about his life away from football and the words flow.
Daughter Tayla has just completed her first year studying medical science at Flinders University, and her sister Chelsea is thinking physiotherapy after completing her schooling this year. Son Lochlan will move in to Year 12 next year.
“You have to be able to switch off (when you get home), invest in the family,” Hocking said. “You talk about how their lives have been, what they did for the day. All the things I am sure a dad would do.
“Football is only a game in the end. Family is most important and you have to go home and switch off.
“Lochlan is playing football at Flinders Park, he has a kick there, has mates there. He is trying to improve his footy every day and is training hard to get better as a player.
“Those times when you bring your work home, after a game you come in and there might be something happening and you say ‘hey Lochie, come and have a look at this. What would you do here?’
“You throw scenarios at him. He is actually quite a good decision maker and a good kid, I spend a lot of time with him. When the girls were playing netball on a cold night at Mile End, we would make up games, have a kick and a bit of fun — it was time for us to be father and son.”
There is a side of Hocking many will never see.
How would his children describe him?
“Funny, the dad jokes,” Hocking responds. “Very caring, a very caring father.”
Those not close to Hocking would describe him as intense. Even Hocking admits he wants to win, irrelevant of the game involved. It could be golf or cards, he says he will find a way to try to win.
“I live to win, that came about from a playing point of view,” Hocking said. “You work extremely hard over pre-season for a long period of time so you want to try and win everything.”
Hocking played his junior football in Cobram in north east Victoria and was only 16 when he entered the senior side in 1985 as a hard half-back flanker.
The following year he joined older brother and current Geelong general manager of football Steven, at the Cats, where his teammates included Michael Turner, Andrew Bews, Mark Jackson and Darren Flanigan.
By his own admission, he failed to make much of an impression in the first two years with the Cats. He was sent home, a move which fuelled his desire to play in the AFL and turn his lot around on the back of hard work.
He retired from the Cats after the 2001 season with a highly impressive resume including four best and fairest awards, four All-Australian selections and a place in the Australian Football Hall of Fame and Geelong team of the year.
At Geelong he played with some legendary figures.
“Gary Ablett senior, one of the greats of the game,” Hocking said. “A fantastic bloke, awesome player and sometimes he would just captivate you with some of the things he could do, some of the freakish things.
“
He could beat two or three blokes, he was just powerful, very humble and spent a lot of time and effort going to hospitals and seeing sick kids, helping families.
“Paul Couch was a Brownlow Medallist and a ripping guy, Mark Bairstow was an amazing captain and Malcolm Blight, who coached us, was attacking and a great teacher of the game. There were some wonderful experiences.”
The chance to work with the Panthers was ideal for Hocking, who needed a job after his contract with Port Adelaide was not renewed following seven years as an assistant.
Two of those years were also as coach of the Power team in the SANFL. There was even the final four games of the 2012 season as head coach of the Power after Matthew Primus was sacked.
“Seven years is a great stint,” Hocking said. “I could have fallen out of that system earlier with Matthew and Choco (Mark Williams) going, but I was able to hang in there through Kenny’s (Hinkley) period as well.
“It is a great environment (at Alberton). They have had two not-great years but the players understand, they learn quickly, and understand what needs to be done.
“There are great people there and I have great relationships, I had a great time.
“Over the past 14 or 15 years, I’ve been very fortunate to have a lot of experience in coaching scenarios, development coach, interim coach at Port Adelaide for four weeks, Magpies coach.
“Now I really get an opportunity to grab hold of the steering wheel and have my thoughts about where the club (South) needs to go.”
GARRY HOCKING
Age: 48
Playing career
GEELONG
Games: 274
Best and fairest: 1991, 93, 94, 96
Team of the Century
VICTORIA
1992, 94-96, 98-99
All Australian: 1991, 93, 94, 96
Australian Football Hall of Fame
Coaching
2002: North Ballarat (VFL) assistant coach
2003: Western Jets (TAC)
2004-05: Peel Thunder (WAFL)
2006-09: Geelong Falcons (TAC)
2010-16: Port Adelaide assistant coach
2012: Power caretaker head coach 4 games
2014-15: Port Adelaide SANFL coach