Sunday Shout: Brian Cook on his life in footy, handing over Carlton CEO role to Graham Wright

Brian Cook’s contract at Carlton ends in October, but the CEO admits if the time is right he could hand the reins to Graham Wright earlier, with change on the horizon at the Blues.

Brian Cook, AM, retires this year as the longest serving chief executive in AFL/VFL history, one who has overseen five premierships in his 35 full seasons.

Cook, 70, began as a CEO with West Coast in 1990, was then at Geelong (1998-2021) and more recently Carlton.

JON ANDERSON: My first memory of you was in a Peter Ward picture in The Sun 50 years ago with the Cooke brothers at Hawthorn

BRIAN COOK: I still have it in my study after Michael Cooke sent it to me a couple of years ago. Michael kicked four goals in a final for Hawthorn and Robert Cooke could really play, but I’m not sure what happened to him.

JA: You worked with four coaches before you joined Carlton – Mick Malthouse, Gary Ayres, Mark Thompson and Chris Scott.

BC: All good men. Coaches need to stick to their strengths because learning new skills at ages 35-40 is not that easy when you aren’t given a long time to change your skills.

Brian Cook has seen plenty of winning in his time in footy.

JA: Why did you stick with Mark Thompson after a poor 2006 season?

BC: It was obvious, and player leadership feedback agreed with this, that he was a very good coach when he wanted to coach, rather than straying into other areas like medical, administration, list management, operations. He didn’t need to do that.

JA: What are the essential ingredients to be a successful coach?

BC: It might sound obvious but you need to be a good leader who does what he says he’s going to do, someone who’s willing to learn off lots of people but doesn’t imitate anyone. The cultural aspects are really important in terms of how you get the players to connect with each other and how you get group outcomes.

JA: What has made Chris Scott such a revered coach?

BC: He is always curious, has emotional intelligence, can focus on issues quickly and has serious anticipation in identifying momentum in a game. His relationship with senior players is first class. He allows them to try to coach some of the younger ones.

JA: Hard question given the talent involved, but who are the best you’ve seen?

BC: At the clubs I have been involved with, Gary Ablett Jr and Peter Matera might be the best two in terms of sheer talent. But they don’t necessarily become the most valuable players. Those two might be John Worsfold and Joel Selwood, because of what they brought to the entire club. Both very special men.

JA: As a football traditionalist I imagine you are a Tasmanian supporter?

BC: I think Tasmania deserves its own team given what they have given the AFL industry. I am concerned with the finances regarding both building and ongoing operations. I think it’s difficult to make it work with a stadium that holds only 23,000.

JA: Does the stadium have to have a roof?

BC: The AFL says it does. But I’m not sure. I’m assuming given the weather it would be more desirable to have a roof.

JA: Was introducing Greater Western Sydney and Gold Coast the right call?

BC: Yes, but we are another generation from getting a result with clarity. The investment has been a lot more than initially expected and that has ruffled feathers, but I think that will continue for another generation, particularly in western Sydney.

JA: AFL academies?

BC: There will also be objections to them but they are a really good mechanism for developing younger players and I think it makes a lot of sense for clubs like GWS and Gold Coast.

JA: You were twice close to being named AFL CEO. How would you have gone in that role?

BC: (laughter) I don’t know, I really don’t know. I made some commentary around those times that upset a few commissioners and was probably too ambitious.

JA: What might you have done differently?

BC: I might have focused on some internal development within the AFL and tried to develop leadership to go down more levels, provide more depth because I think’s it’s always been a little bit top heavy.

JA: You have worked during the time of five AFL CEOs. How do you think Andrew Dillon is going?

BC: I think very well. He’s certainly very trusting which helps. He’s talented, experienced, a qualified lawyer which gives him a methodical way of making decisions. He isn’t as decisive as Gillon (McLachlan) was but probably more thorough. He’s trying to be as inclusive as he can be in terms of getting input before making decisions.

Cook will soon hand the Carlton CEO reins to Graham Wright. Picture: Carlton FC

JA: What are his challenges?

BC: Getting the executive he wants, but he has reshaped that. He has great values but is not an entertainer like Gill or Andrew Demetriou could be, but I don’t mind that.

JA: What is the biggest single issue the game faces?

BC: It’s probably concussion because it might go under the surface for a while but it keeps emerging.

JA: What happens to Brian Cook when you retire?

BC: I’m not completely sure. My wife Claire and I were both born in Scotland so we’ll go there for a little while. Maybe a couple of boards, because I don’t want to do nothing.

JA: Carlton?

BC: I’m contracted until October, but if the time is right I could hand over to Graham Wright sooner.

JA: The natives are restless, Brian?

BC: The supporters have gone through this threshold of intolerance and their impatience is obvious. That is the healthy Carlton DNA, but at times extreme reactions can arise. The club has good people and has a state of readiness for change. We just need to win games.

FOOTY FANS SEE RED

Taking the fear of sponsor money rubbing off on footy to new heights, new sponsor paint has had footy fans seeing orange in the past two weeks.

Literally from the first bounce on Thursday night, the yellow Sherrin took on a darker hue, after it was bounced on top of a centre circle painted to hawk AFL sponsor, insurer AAMI.

The dark red paint in the dead centre of Marvel Stadium rubbed off onto the yellow ball, causing fans watching to see it as duller and more orange looking than other night footies.

The same issue occurred a week earlier, when Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs played, the first game at Marvel Stadium with the AAMI paint in the middle.

The yellow sherrin looked a bit different on Thursday night. Picture: Graham Denholm/Getty Images

The most recent game played at the roofed venue before that Hawks-Dogs clash was in round 11, and as part of Doug Nicholls Round, the centre circle was not painted for a sponsor, and no ball colour issues occurred.

The tan on the leather for night footies has remained unchanged and a classically luminous bright yellow, at least until the sponsors rub off on it.

WHAT’S GOING ON, ROSS?

Interesting to note St Kilda’s record since president Andrew Bassat made the cutthroat 2022 decision to axe coach Brett Ratten.

Ratten ended 33-33 in terms of win-loss, winning one of two finals in his first full season in 2020. In 59 games since, Ross Lyon has gone 29-30, losing one final in his first full season of 2023. So not much has changed.

WHO’S MISSING FROM THE HALL OF FAME?

For every great player inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame, some get lost.

B: John James, Dustin Fletcher, Alastair Lynch

HB: Bill Picken, David McKay, Gary Hardeman

C: Darren Millane, Geoff Raines, John Greening

HF: Gary Buckenara, Roger Merrett, David Clarke

F: Thorold Merrett, John Dugdale, Max Papley

R: Scott Wynd, Brent Crosswell, Rod Ashman

HOT

NICK RIEWOLDT

Commentates like he played, without fear or favour.

RUBY SCHLEICHER

Her commentary style is as raw as a Texas steak but has genuine earthy appeal.

NOT

ROWING

Such a proud Australian Olympic tradition, yet sadly far removed from those glory days.

CAMERON SMITH

Had the golf world in the palm of his hand, then threw it away for the cash.