Sam Radford on his path to coaching Casey Demons

He never played AFL, he works as a teacher and he’s tried his hand at stand-up comedy, but who is the man taking the reins as Casey Demons coach? Paul Amy lifts the lid on Sam Radford.

Sam Radford cut his coaching teeth at Parkdale Vultures. Picture: Chris Eastman

“I was a battler, mate,’’ Sam Radford said in reference to his VFL playing career at Sandringham.

He was selling himself short. Over 67 senior and 65 reserves games he was a dependable and determined player, and immensely popular with his teammates.

He left Sandy early in 2004, and in the years since he’s made a good name as a coach.

On Sunday he will make his debut at VFL level, steering the Casey Demons after being called on to replace Jade Rawlings as part of a coaching shuffle at Casey’s VFL alignment partner Melbourne.

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Radford, 41, was told early in the week that changes were in the works and he was asked if he was in a position to coach Casey for the rest of the season should Rawlings assume a greater role with the AFL club.

Radford, a teacher at St Bedes College, regarded it as a “great opportunity’’ and said he would accept it.

The moves were finalised on Wednesday. The Casey players were told an hour or so later before training.

Captain Paul Sullivan and playing coach Sam Radford lift the grand final trophy with Parkdale in 2011.

The way Radford sees it, he’s taken over the VFL Demons at a good time.

“Our best footy is still ahead of us this season,’’ he was saying on Wednesday.

“We had a bit of a tough run in the first part of the year.

“I think Jade’s done an outstanding job and we’re building.

“I’m confident we can improve on where we are (11th on the ladder, with three wins and six losses).’’

Radford has been an assistant with Casey Demons and the Melbourne AFLW team since 2017.

He hooked on to the Melbourne program after six seasons coaching Parkdale Vultures in the amateurs. They produced three grand finals and two premierships, and he left the club with much praise and predictions he was a coach on the rise.

Radford had played for the Sandringham Dragons in the TAC Cup before joining Sandringham.

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He played in the Zebras’ reserves premiership in 2000, the first year of the revamped VFL.

His next move was to Chelsea, linking with former Zebras teammates including Tim Scott-Branagan, Mitch Grant and Lachie Oakley.

Radford said he was pleased at what he achieved as a coach of the Vultures — “they hadn’t had a lot of success and now they’re going well in B grade and the under-19s are in Premier’’ — and he had set out to take his coaching to another level.

“I enjoyed it at local but I think you’re in your own bubble a bit coaching local footy,’’ he said.

“You think what you’re doing is good but you don’t really know until you get out and get challenged.

“I want to learn and improve and I’ve done that in the VFL, first with ‘Plappy’ (Justin Plapp) and then Jade.

Radford in action for Sandringham in 2001: “I was a battler, mate.”

“You learn plenty at local about management and relationships, and now I‘m learning plenty about technical aspects of football and attention to detail. But I’ve still got heaps to learn.’’

Radford makes his VFL coaching debut against Coburg at the Coburg City Oval. Classily, the Burgers put out a tweet saying they would welcome him to Piranha Park.

“Game style, language, that won’t change on Sunday,’’ he said.

“Obviously I’m different to Jade. I’ve had different experiences. I haven’t come from an AFL background. I’ve had VFL experience but I come from a teaching background so I’ll be different. The way it’s delivered will be slightly different but the key messages will be the same.’’

Casey football manager Garry O’Sullivan said Radford had been a “terrific support’’ for Rawlings and the players.

“To me, if Melbourne were going to do something like they’ve done, Sammy is the logical replacement to fill the big shoes of Jade,’’ he said.

Radford was well regarded as a coach in the VAFA.

“We all know it’s an unusual move — you probably associate a mid-season change of coach with a sacking — but it’s not the case with this one. It’s good for Jade’s career and good for Sammy’s and we think it will be seamless from our end.’’

He noted that Radford had a “terrific sense of humour’’ — no surprise given he had a crack at stand-up comedy and was in fact a finalist in Raw Comedy in 2010.

Scott-Branagan has no doubt that Radford’s quick wit and ability to “entertain a group of players’’ has helped with his coaching.

Radford will need no directions to the Coburg ground on Sunday.

“Yeah, I played out there plenty of times,’’ he said.

“They’re a great club and a great part of the VFL. I love the mix of aligned clubs and stand-alone clubs and AFL clubs and there’s plenty of history in the competition.’’

Casey’s coaching set-up has also been tweaked, with Max Rooke coming in to look after the forwards. Former captain Evan Panozza has charge of the backline and Mark Wheatley the forwards. Matty Egan will also be in the box.