Carlton review: Matthew Pavlich and Geoff Walsh to decide future of coach David Teague
Carlton has decided on the panel that will undertake a review of the club’s football department with a former Fremantle champion to help decide the future of David Teague.
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Former Fremantle champion Matthew Pavlich and recently departed Collingwood football boss Geoff Walsh will decide the future of embattled Carlton coach David Teague.
Pavlich, Walsh and Graham Lowe, who was the Western Bulldogs football manager during its 2016 premiership year, have been appointed by the Blues to undertake an independent review of the club’s football department.
With Collingwood now in the running for a senior coach after Nathan Buckley’s departure, the heat has gone on Carlton to get its ship in order with Teague’s position under scrutiny after another disappointing start to the season.
The irony of Pavlich joining Carlton won’t be lost on Blues fans given the club moved heaven and earth in 2007 to lure him away from Fremantle where he’d just been made captain.
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President Mark LoGiudice announced the panel in an email to members explaining how the review, which had been scheduled for the end of the season, had been brought forward and would be led by board member Luke Sayers, who is taking over the presidency at the end of the year.
Chief executive Cain Liddle would also be involved with no time frame given on when the panel would deliver its findings.
Pavlich played 353 games over 17 years at the Dockers and since his retirement in 2016 he’s become an established media presenter in Perth and has a number of business interests.
The 39-year-old was also a part of the four-person panel that looked into Adelaide’s football operations at the end of 2019.
Walsh is a veteran of the AFL industry having worked at multiple clubs and left Collingwood at the end of last year shortly after the Pies disastrous trade period.
Lowe is a leadership expert from a rugby background who was general manager of football at the Western Bulldogs for several years before leaving at the start of 2017.
He has also worked in high performance for the New Zealand All-Blacks and delivered leadership advice to big business including Ernst & Young, Google and Walt Disney Australia.
Hawthorn legend Jason Dunstall, who also helped with the Crows’ review, is understood to have turned down an approach to do the same at Ikon Park.
In the members letter, LoGiudice urged fans to stay united and supportive through these “challenging times”:
“In what is an important process, the experienced panel members will be afforded the time required to conduct the extensive review and as such there will not be an ongoing commentary of the review,” LoGiudice wrote.
“The panel will provide the necessary recommendations to the Board, to take the football department forward.
“We understand our members and supporters expect more from an on-field performance perspective. As a club, we are fully aware that we exist to win games of football and ultimately win premierships.
“You, together with all our members and supporters can rest assured we remain committed to improve our on-field performance, while also ensuring this football club continues to be relentless in its pursuit of excellence and success.”
Change has already started with long-time assistant coach John Barker departing on Monday. Development coach Luke Power will step up into his midfield coaching role.
Hardwick model could be part of Teague support
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Carlton believes Nathan Buckley parting ways with Collingwood this week is irrelevant to its football review as it considers changes to strengthen David Teague’s program.
But the Blues would have to notify its assistant coaches of any likely changes by August 1 — an industry standard — as the club considers a revamped coaching team.
Carlton’s external review is yet to set its panel and exact terms as president elect Luke Sayers seeks to make a splash upon his elevation to power.
But Carlton would look to bolster Teague’s support crew in a similar fashion to Geelong with Mark Thompson and Richmond for Damien Hardwick when both were struggling.
Carlton announced on Monday it would probe all aspects of its football program after slumping to 4-8 this season.
In the event a review was damning for Teague, change could be made.
Former St Kilda and Fremantle coach Ross Lyon said on Wednesday he would have a coffee with Blues powerbrokers if they approached him.
But the Blues won’t rush the investigations just to kickstart a race for the likes of Lyon or Alastair Clarkson.
President Mark LoGiudice told the News Corp Australia this week the review was not a mandate to replace the club’s senior coach.
Key elements of the Carlton program that are expected to be come under scrutiny during the review include:
* List management — after a number of drafting misfires that include Paddy Dow and Lochie O’Brien;
* Injury management — the durability of the Carlton list is a clear area of concern given the inability to keep the likes of Caleb Marchbank, Charlie Curnow and Mitch McGovern on the park.
* Coaching — the Blues’ methods of defence are not cutting-edge and the club is clearly not maximising its on-field talent.
The Blues will clearly want to make significant changes around Teague if he is retained.
Stoppages coach Jon Barker left this week, and the Blues are considering whether one of their development coaches in Luke Power and Daniel O’Keefe are moved in to help midfield and transition coach Brent Stanton.
Power is considered a rising star in coaching ranks, while Cam Bruce came with huge wraps from Hawthorn.
The Blues have seven weeks to consider these changes as August 1 is the date by which clubs must inform their assistant coaches if they will be retained the following year.
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Carlton’s decision to bring forward a review that was to take place in the post-season under Sayers’ watch will allow it to make decisive decisions in the back-half of the year.
The club had already sounded out former Brisbane senior coach Justin Leppitsch about a role in the football department in anticipation of a bigger football department cap.
The Herald Sun reported last month that a rise in 2021 is expected to be between $200,000-$400,000, which would allow some clubs to put on extra staff.
The Blues believe they can make significant on field gains in the back-half of the year, with Charlie Curnow between 2-4 weeks away from a VFL return.
The Blues believe they have been significantly conservative with his management so are not taking any risk by bringing him back to football after his latest patella issue in November 2020.
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