Rhyce Shaw’s decision to take leave from North Melbourne should be an AFL wake-up call
The fine line between success and failure has never been so close and the recent decision by North Melbourne’s Rhyce Shaw to take extended leave has highlighted why coaches need more support.
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Don Pyke once walked away from a narrow loss as Adelaide Crows coach, toggling through his music playlist to note: “There is a fine line between pleasure and pain.”
Pleasure finishes with just one AFL coach each season. The pain is increasing – and with greater consequence than just a contract being torn up (with just a six-month payout now).
For several weeks, many have known North Melbourne coach Rhyce Shaw has been troubled. Sadly, the level of responsibility between those in traditional media and those on social media are wide apart.
Inevitably, North Melbourne chairman Ben Buckley was forced to deal with the private issue in a public environment by releasing a disturbing memo to his club’s members and, by extension, to the football world.
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“We have been acutely aware of speculation regarding our head coach, but we have not been in a position to say anything as we are respecting the wishes of Rhyce and his family. Rhyce has asked for some time and space away from football and we have provided him support during this period,” Buckley said.
The outpouring of support and well wishes from within the AFL industry towards Shaw since his situation was made public has been overwhelming.
Shaw’s issues are becoming more common among AFL senior and assistant coaches as they struggle with the work-life balance and media scrutiny.
Four-time Hawthorn premiership coach Alastair Clarkson expressed his fears for his colleagues.
“I’m a bit concerned for our profession... Hirdy (James Hird), Bomber (Mark Thompson), Bails (Dean Bailey), Walshy (Phil Walsh), Laids (Dean Laidley), Spud (Danny Frawley), Pykey (Don Pyke), now Rhyce Shaw... I’m concerned and I think the game should be concerned because it’s an enormous burden to carry,” Clarkson said.
“We need to be doing something.”
Clarkson is not alone among AFL coaches, past and present, to raise alarms about the toll coaching can have on the highly-scrutinised job.
Pyke was disenchanted with the game when he made his exit from West Lakes 12 months ago.
He took issue with the 24/7 media spotlight he lived under – with total reluctance to embrace the attention or public profile – that comes with a job that has more attention than State Premier Steve Marshall.
When the Crows crumbled under the fallout from the 2017 grand final loss to Richmond, Pyke struggled both as a coach and as an individual.
“I hope in the future we can find a better balance in how we view the game, regardless of the result, otherwise I do fear for the people’s genuine love of the game.” Pkye said.
Prophetic words and the warning is louder today with Shaw’s absence.
It is time we lowered our unrealistic measures of success and the expectations we place on AFL coaches.
We are all guilty.
Only one coach in 18, the premiership coach, is judged to have been ultimately successful.
Club bosses are culpable too of setting the bar too high in terms of success.
Port Adelaide’s mission statement boasts: “We exist to win premierships”, and club president David Koch has publicly declared that any season the side does not make the finals is a failure.
His club’s supporters demand this level of success.
This is a lofty burden for any coach to carry, particularly for a man such as Ken Hinkley, who has consciously traded out experienced stars in favour of youth – a risky strategy that can be detrimental to the immediate on-field results.
The AFL and its players are constantly evolving to become more like their American colleagues each year.
In America’s biggest sport, the NFL, success or failure is judged on winning seasons not on who holds the Super Bowl’s Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Any coach with a win-loss record of 50 per cent or better is seen to have done an admirable job. That measure does not cut it in the AFL.
Two-time Adelaide premiership coach Malcolm Blight was asked on SEN SA on Tuesday if we need to lower our expectations on coaches.
“Yes,” Blight said. “I’ve always said there’s not enough winners in footy. I was happy when the final eight came in and we should make it a final 10, does it matter? Give another couple of teams some pressure off them.”
Blight also made the point too many coaches are afraid to play attacking football and are making the mistake of focusing too heavily on defensive systems.
They coach with a “not to lose” mentality to not lose their jobs.
Brett Ratten overachieved in his first year as St Kilda coach by taking the side from 14th in 2019 to winning a final this season.
Hinkley was rightly rewarded by his peers as the Coach of the Year for his performance in getting his Port Adelaide side into a preliminary final.
But there are other coaches, who did not make the finals, who also did a brilliant job and deserve recognition.
Fremantle may have finished 12th but rookie coach Justin Longmuir had a sensational first year in charge.
He went with youth while also remaining highly competitive. The future looks exceptionally bright at the Dockers.
Sydney were in unfamiliar territory this year, winning only five games and finishing 16th. Despite this, coach John Longmire had an effective year.
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Four out of his best five players missed the majority of the year and the Swans turned to youth and remained hard to beat in most of its games.
Swans forward Tom Papley lauded Longmire and nominated his coaching as the reason why he will stay in Sydney after requesting a trade to Carlton last season.
To ease the weight of pressure and expectations that is overbearing on our coaches we must start to recognise the efforts of more than just winning premierships and finals.
There are pitfalls to any job and AFL coaches certainly are not immune, but it is time to balance the conversation.
WINNERS
GREAT CLUBS
The reaction of the non-selected Geelong and Richmond players was captured on camera when the final sirens sounded on Friday and Saturday night. Those players knew they wouldn’t be playing in the Grand Final but they were just as happy as the players that would be.
LACHIE LAUDED
If you attend any of Brisbane’s training sessions you will notice Brownlow medallist Lachie Neale is always the last player to leave the track. He diligently works on his clearance technique, clean hands and ground balls while most of his teammates are hitting the showers.
FINALS KING
According to Champion Data, Dustin Martin has been best on ground in seven out of his past nine finals. The two-time North Smith Medallist got maximum votes from both coaches again on Friday night and is the game’s best finals performer.
REST UP, EBO
Not many players can retire knowing they maximised every ounce of their ability, however, that’s not the case for Port Adelaide’s Brad Ebert. It was a common occurrence for his teammates to be memorised by his GPS figures from training which were always off the charts. His role in rebuilding Port Adelaide’s damaged culture in 2012 can’t be underestimated, a truly wonderful career.
SCARY CATS
Geelong are playing off in the Grand Final and are set to get even better next season. GWS spearhead Jeremy Cameron and North Melbourne gun Shaun Higgins will join the Cats in the trade period and the club currently holds three first round draft picks.
LOSERS
MIDFIELD MASSACRE
Port Adelaide had the most potent midfield in the competition all season, yet they were mauled when a Grand Final spot was on offer. Richmond won the clearances by 12 and contested possessions by 10 in the all-important final quarter.
BURTON BACKFIRE
Port Adelaide got away with selecting underdone defender Ryan Burton in week one of the finals, however it is often the second week back from a long lay-off when the player is most at risk. The Power were forced to play one short in the second half after Burton once again tore his quad.
RISKY SAINTS
St. Kilda have taken a massive gamble by offering Brad Crouch a bumper five-year contract. They must have supreme confidence its medical team to fix his unreliable body.
YOU’RE FIRED… NOT
In an embarrassing backflip, Adelaide are set to welcome back former midfield coach Mick Godden just weeks after sacking him. Godden will coach the Crows’ SANFL team next year, I wonder if he’ll feel welcome?
PUBLIC VOTES
The mark and goal of the year needs to be awarded by the All Australian selection panel and not a public vote which is currently the case.
Originally published as Rhyce Shaw’s decision to take leave from North Melbourne should be an AFL wake-up call