Former Sydney colleagues John Longmire and Ross Lyon to go head-to-head in coaches’ box

JOHN Longmire and Ross Lyon enjoyed great success while assistant coaches at Sydney under Paul Roos and have since gone on to individual coaching success at their clubs. On Saturday night they go head-to-head once more. Who is Roos backing?

Ross Lyon and John Longmire jog back to the coaches’ box during the 2005 Grand Final when they were assistants to Sydney coach Paul Roos. Picture: Michael Dodge

PAUL Roos describes his former assistants Ross Lyon and John Longmire as “no tricks” coaches.

They are the type who achieve success through culture and commitment and not by flashy moves with the magnetic board.

When they teamed up in 2005 they were like a great band who applied the same theory to make a solitary album and watch it go platinum.

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In their two years together they were an overnight success breaking the Swans 72-year premiership drought and going within a point of back-to-back glory when West Coast squeaked home in 2006.

Lyon left the following year to coach St Kilda and went within a dodgy bounce (away from Stephen Milne in the 2010 Grand Final) of the Saints’ first premiership since 1966. After three grand finals with no success he controversially moved to Fremantle in 2012 and took them to a grand final in 2013.

Ross Lyon and John Longmire jog back to the coaches’ box during the 2005 Grand Final when they were assistants to Sydney coach Paul Roos. Picture: Michael Dodge

Longmire stayed with the Swans and succeeded Roos in 2011 and snared a flag in just his second season as a senior coach and has been to two more grand finals since — in 2014 and 2016 — losing both to Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs respectively.

Lyon has had his hands full this season with a sexual harassment complaint by a Fremantle staff member, which has been a running story for most of this season. But he has still managed to get keep his improving team on track and within touch of the top eight with a 4-4 record.

On Saturday night at the SCG Lyon and Longmire will meet for the 11th time.

The Swans coach has his nose in front with a five-win, one draw and four losses head-to-head record against his former colleague.

Jongmire has coached Sydney to five wins and one draw against his former colleague Ross Lyon. Picture: Getty

Their former boss has tipped the Swans to win, which is of little surprise with Lance Franklin and Dan Hannebery swinging the game in Sydney’s favour.

While Buddy’s return is a shock to many, Roos isn’t expecting trickery from either coaches’ box.

“Ross and John both drill down into what makes a good team week in and week out and not getting caught up in tricks,” Roos said

“We used to talk about trick coaches and how they don’t last long in AFL footy. It’s about being able to do things over and over again. That’s why they’ve both lasted.”

While the head-to-head record favours Longmire, Lyon has sustained success over a long period of time with 150 wins over 12 years at a 60.8 per cent success rate. Longmire has 112 wins over 8 years at 69.5 %.

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Originally published as Former Sydney colleagues John Longmire and Ross Lyon to go head-to-head in coaches’ box