Alastair Clarkson’s finishing school gives Hawthorn assistant Scott Burns perfect CV for Adelaide Crows coach job
Former Norwood and Collingwood star Scott Burns has wisely enhanced his resume by picking Alastair Clarkson as his latest tutor and looks set to become the Hawthorn mentor’s seventh former assistant in a senior role next season.
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If success follows success — just as money makes more money — the bookmakers are astute to carry Scott Burns as the favourite for the Adelaide Football Club coaching vacancy.
And Burns — after missing out on senior roles at West Coast and the Crows in the past five years — has wisely enhanced his resume by picking Alastair Clarkson as his latest tutor.
For the seventh consecutive year, the AFL flag — and the Jock McHale Medal as the premiership and All-Australian coach — will be won by Clarkson or one of his pupils. “Clarko” not only creates premiership teams, he mentors would-be premiership coaches.
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In 2013, as Hawthorn started its three-peat run of flags to match Brisbane from 2001-2003 under Leigh Matthews’ watch, his eight-man coaching staff included:
LUKE BEVERIDGE. He left the Hawks at the end of the 2014 grand final to take charge of the Western Bulldogs — and coached “Footscray” out of its 62-year premiership drought in 2016.
ADAM SIMPSON. After four seasons under Clarkson’s tutelage, the North Melbourne champion midfielder claimed — ahead of Burns — the West Coast senior coaching role to follow John Worsfold. Simpson guided the Eagles to the Perth-based club’s fourth flag just 12 months ago.
CHRIS FAGAN. This year’s “coach of the year” from his peers’ vote, the long-serving (14 seasons) Hawthorn football department staffer and assistant coach has in just three years converted Brisbane from a major headache for the AFL to a re-emerging powerhouse the league can count on in Queensland.
BRETT RATTEN. After being so harshly treated with a sacking at Carlton at the end of 2012, the former Blues skipper immediately joined Clarkson’s team — and repeatedly was considered a senior coach waiting for a new assignment. Family tragedy, with the death of a son, delayed his willingness to consider jobs. He takes charge of St Kilda next season, after stepping up at the Saints after Alan Richardson’s resignation.
BRENDON BOLTON. After winning five of five consecutive games in 2014 while Clarkson was sidelined with illness, Bolton was eagerly sought by Carlton to replace Michael Malthouse. His sacking at the Blues this year proves every rule has its exception — not every coach could take Clarkson’s Midas touch to another AFL club. Bolton has returned to Hawthorn as the coaching director.
Before this super coaching panel was assembled for Season 2013, Clarkson had worked with Damien Hardwick (2005-2009) and Leon Cameron (2011-2012) as assistant coaches. On Saturday, one of these former Clarkson pupils — now at Richmond and Greater Western Sydney respectively — will face each other in the AFL grand final at the MCG. Clarkson’s gold line on the AFL honour board assured of continuing for the seventh consecutive season.
Hardwick will be seeking his second flag just two seasons after ending the Tigers’ 37-year premiership drought by beating minor premier Adelaide in 2017.
Cameron has put the Giants in their first AFL grand final in the expansion franchise’s eighth season in the big league.
Burns has aligned himself to the perfect finishing school for a prospective AFL senior coach — and would-be premiership winner.
After 264 games — and his last season as captain — at Collingwood, Burns started his coaching apprenticeship with stints at West Coast and the Magpies. He moved to Hawthorn last season, taking on the midfield portfolio — and playing a pivotal role in Tom Mitchell’s rise to the Brownlow Medal roll call. This season, Burns has taken charge of the Hawks’ attack.
Is Burns the next Adelaide coach, putting a South Australian in charge of the Crows for the first time since 2014? Perhaps. The Norwood draftee has certainly made himself more attractive as a senior coaching prospect by having Clarkson’s name on his resume.
The bookmakers who have Burns at $1.10 — and favourite for the Crows job — definitely believe in the Clarkson theme. Will Burns be the seventh former Clarkson assistant coach in a senior role next season?
Originally published as Alastair Clarkson’s finishing school gives Hawthorn assistant Scott Burns perfect CV for Adelaide Crows coach job