AFL: North Melbourne coach David Noble goes up against his son John in Saturday’s clash with Collingwood

It might be Mother’s Day on Sunday, but a coach will go up against his son for just the third time in AFL history on Saturday.

Collingwood defender John Noble will stare down his dad, David, who is the North Melbourne coach when the team’s clash on Saturday. Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

A midweek chat was the extent of pre-game contact between North Melbourne coach David Noble and his Collingwood defender son John as the pair create a 30-year AFL first this weekend.

Not since 1989 has a father coached against his son, which has only happened three times in AFL/VFL history. The Kangaroos and Magpies have been involved every time too.

Collingwood coach Bob Rose went against his son Robert, of Footscray, in 1972, then North Melbourne coach John Kennedy Sr had to stare down his son John Jr at Hawthorn eight times throughout the 1980s.

As an assistant coach in Brisbane, Noble was in opposition to his son who has been one of Collingwood’s most improved players this season.

But the Kangaroos mentor said this week he was just another opposition player to prepare for.

“We don’t live together, so that’s made it a bit easier,” Noble laughed on Thursday.

“We caught up yesterday and we’ll probably just down phones from today onwards, that’s probably the fairest thing to do.

“We were doing a little bit of opposition preparation before and it‘s different, there’s no doubt it’s different. But we’ve really got to try and remove a bit of that emotion and just plan around what it is.

“He’s one of the back-end players … and he just becomes another player once you get to this part of the week.”

Coaches vs their sons in V/@AFL games
Bob Rose (WBD) vs Robert (COLL) - 1 game in 1972
John Kennedy snr (NTH) vs John jnr (HAW) - 8 games in 1980s

Coaches vs their daughters in #AFLW games
Nathan Burke (WBD) vs Alice (STK) - 2021 https://t.co/zzUYbDI2Vo

— Swamp (@sirswampthing) May 4, 2021

Former Magpie Jaidyn Stephenson will also face his former team for the first time since his shock trade to North Melbourne during last year’s trade period.

Noble expected their could be heightened emotions from the 22-year-old but said Stephenson had “moved on”.

“There’s probably another emotion that goes in normally, if you’re a little bit nervous or a little bit anxious as a player. That may build with Jaidyn, I don’t know how he feels playing against his old team,” he said.

“But he‘s clearly moved on. He’s playing some really good footy for us. We’ve settled him into a couple of different roles, and we’re looking forward to supporting him playing against his old team.”

Despite heading ladder-leaders Melbourne for more than a half last week, the Kangaroos remain $3.40 outsiders to beat battling Collingwood, who have just one win from seven games this season.

But an opportunity to claim a big scalp, and notch a maiden win for the season, and Noble’s coaching career, isn‘t the driving force this week.

“This is going to sound a little bit strange, but we’re not chasing a win,” Noble said.

“We’re chasing process. We’re hellbent on growing, getting better and getting really consistent in our methodology around what that process looks like. We know if we get the process right, then the outcome delivers itself.

“If that’s that we’re in front at the end of the game, then that’s great. But, for us at the moment, you can easily get caught up in that. We’ve got to have a really clear focus and parameters around what that process looks like, particularly for a younger group.

“It’s not that we’re not saying we want to win. We’re going into every game planning to win the game, but you can easily get caught up in that.”

Defender Aiden Bonar looks set to return after recovering from a corked thigh, while star backman Robbie Tarrant has also returned to training track after having kidney surgery.

FATHER v SON IN AFL/VFL GAMES

1972: Bob Rose (Coach, Collingwood) v Robert Rose (Player, Footscray)

1985-89: John Kennedy Sr (Coach, North Melbourne) v John Kennedy Jr (Player, Hawthorn)

2021: David Noble (Coach, North Melbourne) v John Noble (Player, Collingwood)