With finals approaching we have ranked all the coaches based on the 2020 season.
2020 has been a challenging year for everyone and our coaches have felt the pressure more than ever before.
Hub life has been good for some, whereas others have struggled. With five clubs having new coaches start this year, we expected the season to be a rollercoaster.
Coaches are the backbone of all 18 football clubs and ranking their performances of the 2020 season was was no easy task.
The pressure come from all angles for some coaches. In Ken Hinkley’s case, it existed because of the status of his contract, while Alastair Clarkson placed huge pressure on himself to deliver year after year.
For Nathan Buckley and Leon Cameron’s world, making the most of a quality list while in the premiership window was the immediate and real pressure.
Some coaches have surprised us while others have made us question their ability to coach and whether or not their careers at their clubs have expired.
Rankings were based off wins and losses, tactics made in games, the ability to handle the season's bizarre circumstances, expectation vs. performance, team selection and how they have improved the club.
Do you agree with our rankings?
18. Rhyce Shaw – North Melbourne
In May 2019 Shaw was appointed interim head coach of North Melbourne Football Club for the rest on the 2019 season. His success as interim coach saw him sign a senior coach contract.
But his first full season as senior coach has not gone to plan. Shaw hasn’t been able to replicate his wining coaching performances in 2019. The Kangaroos sitting second last on the ladder with three wins and 13 losses and a percentage of 71.3%.
17. Matthew Nicks – Adelaide Crows
Nicks is in his first year at the club as senior coach and his inexperience is showing.
Having been a senior assistant coach at GWS, Nicks came with recent finals experience and understood what it takes to get a team there.
Yet to find his feet at the Crows, Nicks seemly looks out of his depth and the problems he’s faced at the Crows are worst than he thought.
In his first press conference as coach he said “he planned to enhance some of the team's work around contested ball and the team would embrace the challenge of competing with those at the top end of the competition.”
The Crows went on a 13-game losing streak before managing to win their last three games against Hawthorn, GWS and Carlton.
Adelaide are still sitting last on the ladder but only 5.5% behind 17th place North Melbourne.
16. John Worsfold – Essendon
Woosha now seems like a coach who doesn’t really care. He knows his time will be up at season's end when Ben Rutten takes over.
His attitude towards the game is reflective of how the Bombers are playing. Inconsistently and with zero hunger to push harder.
The Bombers have won only one game out of their past six matches.
"The first two years (I was) at the club was about ... keeping the club alive really," Worsfold told reporters on Friday.
"It was under a lot of pressure. We had a lot of players we had to support through pretty drastic times.
"And it's the first year of a new game plan coached by (assistants) Ben Rutten and Blake Caracella."
15. Alastair Clarkson – Hawthorn
Some may be in shock Clarkson is so low considering he is a four-time premiership coach. However, Hawthorn has the oldest list in the competition yet that experienced never showed in 2020.
When things went dire, Clarko took too long to expose younger players to senior level.
Many have questioned whether he is the right man to take the Hawks to the next premiership or if he is better suited elsewhere.
Clarkson is yet to say that the Hawks are rebuilding but has silenced his critics by blooding young players in recent weeks due to injury. With only four wins on the board, the Hawks are set to get an early first-round draft pick for the second time in 10 years.
Club president Jeff Kennett has come out in support of Clarkson and knows he will get this club back in the premiership window it was once in.
looks on during the round 14 AFL match between the Sydney Swans and the Hawthorn Hawks at the Sydney Cricket Ground on June 21, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
14. Leon Cameron – Greater Western Sydney
No surprise really. After the club made its first AFL grand final appearance last year, the Giants 2020 season has gone from bad to worst.
Like the grand final the Giants haven’t been consistent week-to-week and are yet to find the form they had heading into last year's finals series.
Cameron's side has looks confused and at times not hungry enough to push through. Currently sitting 10th on the ladder, the Giants have won eight games and lost the other eight.
Only sitting one game outside the eight, Cameron will need a big win on Friday against the seventh-placed Saints to give them a chance to feature in the finals.
13. John Longmire – Sydney Swans
The Swans have blooded a lot of young talent throughout this year but haven’t managed to get many wins on the board.
They sit in 15th position with one of the biggest injury lists. However, the Swan' young talent under Longmire's guidance shows a promising future.
12. Simon Goodwin – Melbourne
Similar to Leon Cameron, Goodwin has had another tremulous year. A good bounce back from their disastrous 2019 campaign, however Goodwin's game plan has been questioned and isn't always clear.
Goodwin has come out and said he’s had “nothing but support” from club president Glen Bartlett but admits he’s on notice after scathing public comments in recent months.
“I was employed to lead this footy club with a clear strategy to lead us to our next premiership and I’m still very confident we will be able to do that.”
Melbourne are only a game outside the eight and their finals hopes rest on the last round with a win and other results going their way.
11. David Teague – Carlton
The Teague train continues to roll on. The Blues have surprised many in 2020 and played their football for each other in 2020, looking as unified as they have in years.
After finishing 16th in 2019, a team many thought would show small improvement this year found themselves fighting for a finals place as recently as last round.
This young side has a lot of learning and have come a long way from those years at the bottom of the ladder.
The Blues are out of finals calculations but could finish as high as ninth if other results go their way and they find a way to knock off the Lions in Kade Simpson's last game for the club.
10. Luke Beveridge – Western Bulldogs
The Western Bulldogs are yet to win against anyone above them but have been hitting their straps in recent times with some strong performances.
Their two-point win over the Eagles shows they have capacity to match it with the best.
Beveridge has backed in some of his young talent and they have shown some real promise of the future.
The Gogs know what it takes to win a premiership against the odds after winning one from seven position back in 2016.
Like many coaches, Beveridge has questioned the rules and how they are being used.
9. Nathan Buckley – Collingwood
Buckley is having an okay year. The Pies are nowhere near their Grand Final form with injuries mounting and other off-field distractions earlier in the season.
With superstars Adam Treloar, Jordan De Goey, Steele Sidebottom and Jeremy Howe going in and out of the side with various injuries the side has been unsettled.
The Collingwood ball movement is not what expected it to be this season. Their efficiency with ball in hand has dropped and they haven't been able to make a big impact on the scoreboard. This is on Buckley.
Some of the Pies young guns have stepped up which would be pleasing for Bucks as they prepare for their third-straight finals campaign.
8. Stuart Dew – Gold Coast
The Gold Coast continues to take steps forward in improving and some day may be in the finals contention. Despite promising signs early, a post-season appearance wasn't to be this year.
But with young stars improving game by game they are building something up north. With so much first-round talent in the side the Suns are going places.
A team most predicted would claim the wooden spoon and some even thought would go winless, their performance this season can be considered a major tick.
7. Adam Simpson – West Coast Eagles
The Eagles had a poor start to the 2020 season without getting a win in the Queensland hub. Simpson avoided blaming the hub as a result of the Eagles' poor start but it definitely was a factor.
Once the Eagles returned home they went on to win every game since.
“It’s hard to measure how different environment affects players and individuals and staff, but I really don’t want to use it as an excuse. I think we came up here to win, so otherwise what is the point of coming here? That has been our attitude and we just haven’t delivered," he said after the loss to Brisbane.
Concerning for the Eagles is the fact that all finals past week one are set to be played in Queensland. After their recent form playing at the Gabba their finals campaign could end sooner than the hope.
Simpson is a great coach no doubt and injuries have mounted at the wrong time, but his side has not handled this season's adverse conditions well.
6. Justin Longmuir – Fremantle
You may be shocked at how high we have Justin Longmuir, but he deserves props for the Dockers' immense improvement in 2020.
Another team many thought would dwindle in the bottom four find themselves in striking distance of the eight.
The new coach has clearly implemented his blueprint from the start and you can see the different style of football they are playing.
Fremantle finished the 2019 season in 13th position and are currently 11th this season but with a new coach it takes time. Finals could be right around the corner. Heck, they weren't far off the mark at all this year.
5. Brett Ratten – St Kilda
The Saints had a very busy trade period in 2019 and they recruited very well. Bringing in Ratten along with senior experience in the playing group has helped the rising Saints this season.
Their run and carry and forward structure has everyone excited for this team and what they could do.
Ratten's connection with his players in the hub life shows and as a team they seem united more than ever.
With impressive wins over Port Adelaide and Richmond throughout the season the Saints can match it with the best.
4. Damian Hardwick – Richmond
The dual premiership coach at times this season hasn’t done himself any favours. He's made some questionable comments to reporters, but it's all part of the parcel with Dimma.
His team had a poor start to the season, struggled in hub life with several injuries.
They currently sit third with 11 wins, four losses and a draw, and with players slowly coming back from injury the Tigers are starting to hit their stride at the right time.
There's no denying that Hardwick has handled and managed his team as well as any in 2020 while maintaining their trademark tough game plan.
3. Chris Fagan – Brisbane Lions
Fagan has been a masterstroke that has saved football in Brisbane. Last year everyone was surprised at how well the Lions went after making the finals.
There was a lot of pressure on Fagan to re-create last year's success, and his Lions currently sits second on the ladder and look very dangerous with finals approaching.
Queensland has been given the finals and the Grand Final will be played at the Gabba, with the the Lions being one of the favourites to win it.
Props to Fagan for leading the Lions to another top four, and potentially top two finish in 2020.
2. Chris Scott – Geelong
Many thought the Cats would take a step backwards this year after being one of the most successful sides of the last decade. Or just scrape into the eight.
But this team just keeps on keeping on and Chris Scott has reenergised this team without leaning or relying on Patrick Dangerfield, Joel Selwood and Gary Ablett Jr.
It's the spread of contributions that would excite Cats fans so much and the emergence of several stars, currently sitting fourth on the ladder.
"It seems to me when you take a step back to be a more even midfield than we've had in the past, but we've been working away at that for a long period of time, it hasn't just happened," Scott said.
All of this having played just four games at GMHBA Stadium, the supposed only place this team can win. Not bad Chris.
1. Ken Hinkley – Port Adelaide
Port grabbed the hub life challenge and surprised the footy world in 2020.
Behind their leaders Charlie Dixon, Travis Boak and Tom Jonas and the development of their next wave of players, Port find themselves on top of the ladder with a round to play.
Let's not forget this is a team not many even thought would make the eight.
Hinkley has had the pressure on him for many years and critics said this potentially could’ve been his last year, but with how Port is currently travelling could he be the man to take them all the way.
