Ando’s Shout: Collingwood seriously considering Don Pyke to take senior coaching job
Collingwood has a big decision to make in the wake of Nathan Buckley’s departure. And the noise around an ex-coach is growing louder.
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One name who is seriously in the frame for the Collingwood coaching job is dual West Coast premiership player and former Adelaide coach Don Pyke.
His work as an assistant coach with Sydney since leaving the Crows (when he had two years left on his contract) has won extremely positive reviews.
Now it’s up for the Magpies to decide if they want to go with an experienced 50-plus leader like Chris Fagan at the Lions and North Melbourne coach David Noble (Pyke is 52) or a younger first-time coach for the list to grow with.
History shows that Pyke was a largely successful coach at the Crows. He had with a winning percentage of 60.8 per cent from 93 games in charge including three wins from five finals, plus a grand final appearance in 2017.
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BOOMER SET FOR CRAZY 550 GAME MILESTONE
Once his dodgy hammy comes good, Brent “Boomer” Harvey will notch up another unique milestone when he plays his 550th game of football.
It works like this, with the 43-year-old having played 432 for North Melbourne from 1996-2016 (five best and fairests, four All-Australian selections) 44 night/pre-season matches with the Kangaroos, two interstate games with Victoria (E.J. Whitten medallist in 1999), 10 for Australia in International Rules (Jim Stynes Medal winner in 2003) and 61 for North Heidelberg in the Northern Football League.
JA: You look fit enough to go around for North next week?
BH: I’ve done my first ever hammy, can you believe it? I’ve never had a soft tissue injury before. I did want to play another year with North and I could have, but after that you don’t know. There is no bad blood on my behalf and I focus on the 21 years I played, not the one I didn’t. And I work for the club.
JA: Who was your hero as a kid?
BH: I was a mad Geelong supporter so Gary Ablett Snr. Plus Garry Hocking who I got to play under in a state game.
JA: Did any opponent have a good record against you?
BH: Yeah, Shaun Hart. He was really quick, super fit and really disciplined. I can’t remember playing a really good game against him.
JA: Could Brad Scott coach again in the AFL?
BH: Tactically he was a very good coach, and yes, he could coach in the AFL again. He probably got stale towards the end at North, but if refreshed, he could.
JA: Who wins this year?
BH: I really like the game style of the Western Bulldogs, plus the Brisbane Lions and Geelong. Richmond is the best team in the competition but I would like to see another team win it.
JA: David Noble as a coach?
BH: I think he is a very, very, very good coach. He has an excellent balance. The improvement this year has been so obvious. As runner I deliver his messages and I can tell you he will be a long-term coach for North, plus a very successful one.
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