Brendan McCartney perfect man to help drag Melbourne out of trouble despite coaching reshuffle

Geelong legends say Brendon McCartney still has a key role to play at Melbourne despite his relegation from line coach to coaching mentor and has taken aim at current-day players for not being open to tough love.

Brendan McCartney and Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin. Picture: Michael Klein

Cameron Mooney says Brendan McCartney is the perfect coach to help drag Melbourne out of the mire instead of being relegated in the Demons’ coaching reshuffle.

McCartney has lost his responsibilities as a forward coach and will mentor the club’s VFL and AFL coaches.

The Demons have denied tension between him and coach Simon Goodwin amid speculation his direct style was too confronting for players and coaches.

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But Mooney said he believed Cats assistant McCartney should have been harder in his time at the Western Bulldogs, adamant modern-day players were too resistant to tough love.

He and premiership captain Cameron Ling said one of his strengths was knowing who to challenge and who to cuddle.

Mooney labelled McCartney one of footy’s great teachers after he was instrumental in Geelong’s premiership run.

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Brendan McCartney and Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin. Picture: Michael Klein

“Put it this way, if I ever became senior coach the three people I would headhunt would be Brian Cook, Neil Balme and Brendan McCartney,” he said.

“I think some of these kids today need a big bag of cement and to harden up. He is an old-school person but at the Bulldogs when Scarlo and I were there (as assistants) we didn’t think he was tough enough and he got booted from there.

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“His development work was extraordinary. The time and effort he put into (Matthew) Scarlett, ‘Boris’ (Corey Enright) and ‘Dasher’ (Darren Milburn) turned the backline into one of the great backlines of all-time.

“He turned Mummy (Shane Mumford) into an AFL ruckman. No one else thought he had a chance. And he moved into the midfield and helped turn Joel Corey, Jimmy Bartel and Joel Selwood. As far as knowing the game and teaching it there is no better.

McCartney with ex-Cats Joel Corey, Cameron Mooney and Matthew Scarlett during their time at the Bulldogs. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

“If you were doing a great job he would pat you on the back, if you needed a clip you got one but it was always with the players’ best interests at heart.”

As part of Melbourne’s changes Max Rooke will go back to development and the Demons will fast-track a raft of medical and coaching changes.

Ling says one of McCartney’s strengths was his mix of tough love and support.

“My memories of the bloke are terrific. He is a passionate football person and sometimes he tells it the way it is but he loves seeing young men turn into good footballers,” he said.

“Even in our group he had an understanding of which players you could push more and which ones you had to push back on a touch. He knew who he could be blunt with and who to explain things to.”