Lynden Dunn opens up on his career ahead of coaching debut

Lynden Dunn will coach his first game of local footy this weekend for the Caulfield Bears. He opens up on his love of local footy and the special moments in his AFL career.

Lynden Dunn has always had an attraction to local footy.

His 198-game AFL career included some of football’s biggest battles, with Anzac Day and Queen’s Birthday regularly on his calendar.

But throughout an eventful career at the top level, the suburban remained a chapter unwritten.

Dunn embarks on his maiden coaching role in 2023 with Southern league club Caulfield Bears and with no regrets from his 16-year stint with the Dees and Pies.

“I played 198 more games than most, so I consider myself pretty lucky,” he said.

“I played for a long time with two great clubs, I certainly don’t have any regrets – yeah it would’ve been nice to get over the 200 mark but at the end of the day it’s more about the journey than the destination.

“I wanted to play for as long as I could and for as long as I can remember I wanted to play league footy, I was drafted a week out of high school and played for 16 years.

“I was lucky that I was able to call my own time on my career, there’s not many that get to do that, I squeezed every bit of talent and energy out.”

Lynden Dunn during his Magpies day. (Photo by Matt Turner/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Despite having played in front of the MCG at capacity countless times before, Dunn waited 31 years to walk onto the hallowed turf in all its glory on grand final day.

It unfortunately came with a catch, as a season-ending knee injury in Round 15 steered Dunn to the coaching box for Collingwood’s clash with West Coast.

He learned a lot from that day, including a message he will pass on to his Bears if they are to compete in a grand final of their own.

“I was injury free for a very long time, I was very lucky,” he said.

“(it happened) In the middle of 2018 when we were starting to string together a few games and build a bit of form and connection.

“I had never been to a grand final, 2018 was the first time I had seen it with my own eyes.

“To be able to be helping out in the box with Justin Longmuir as the defensive coach and to be out on the ground at three-quarter time.

“I remember, it was just Bucks (Nathan Buckley), myself and the 22 that were playing – it was pretty special.

“It didn’t go our way; they’re bloody hard to get into and harder to win, that’s something I will never forget.”

Lynden Dunn at the 2018 grand final. Pic: Michael Klein

After going down with another knee injury in 2019, Dunn called time on his AFL career at the end of 2020 and quickly returned to local footy.

He joined West Coburg in 2021 to learn the landscape of local football, wary of rushing into a coaching role straight away.

“I love local footy, whenever I have had a chance to go down on the weekend when I was playing league footy to go and watch my mates, I would,” he said.

“My best mate was coaching at West Coburg, he was at Strathmore, which is near where I grew up, for a long time so I thought I would go there.

“I didn’t want to take a senior job straight out playing because footy at local level is a whole different game, I didn’t want to come out of league footy and think I knew everything.

“I had a great time at West Coburg, I have made friends for life there but the chance to come to the Bears this year was too good.

“For our footy club, to have 18s, seniors and reserves in a grand final (last year), it was a great day but like I said before, they’re hard to get in and harder to win.”

Lynden Dunn at West Coburg. Picture: Hamish Blair

After two seasons at grassroots level as a player, Dunn was quick to jump at the offer from the Bears.

He lives across the road from one of the Bears’ two grounds, leaving him a short kick from where he plans to make a profound impact.

“Well, locality,” he joked about what lured him to take on the role.

“And then the boys played in a prelim last year and have been competitive for a long time.

“They haven’t won a senior premiership since 1992, I haven’t come to Caulfield to make up numbers.

“The offer was too good with location, personnel and I have seen the footy club from afar and I wanted to be a part of that.”

Dunn with decorated coach Paul Roos. Picture: Nicole Garmston

In addition to the mantra “they’re hard to get into and harder to win”, Dunn plans to reflect on the different approaches he has heard from his coaches over the years to complete his quest for a premiership.

“I have certainly been lucky that having been in the system for so long you know some great people,” he said.

“You see things along the way from your own journey; what worked, what didn’t work.

“I played under some good coaches, I probably had more AFL coaches than most, unfortunately.

“I think I had seven or eight including interims… had I been drafted to Hawthorn I would’ve had Clarko (Alastair Clarkson) my whole career.

“I got the other end of the stick and I think it’s a part of the journey and showed me who I am and the coach I want to be.”

Dunn’s coaching journey begins this Saturday when his Caulfield Bears host Skye.