Who do you think is the best performing AFL coach at this stage of the season?

Question

Former AFL coach Ken Judge, in a newspaper column today, has written that he considers the best performing coaches, so far are....

1. Rodney Eade

2. Alastair Clarkson

3. Paul Roos (equally next with......

3. Neil Craig

5. Leigh Matthews.

My choice is Leigh Matthews, for how he has the Lions travelling, with the playing group he has to work with.

Answer 1

1. Roos - for being too cool for school!!

2. Clarkson- for makin em eat their predictions

3. Freo's coach for stamina and a strong stomach!

Answer 2

Clarko

Catch all the afl action live on http://ltvn.net

Answer 3

Alistair Clarkson! He has the best footy team. (HAWKS!!!)

Kevin Sheedy was the greatest tho, gr8 bloke!

Answer 4

I agree with you, but I also think that Alastair Clarkson is performing very well. He built his team up and has been guiding a fairly young side. I don't know if I would agree with Paul Roos being there though, he already had an experienced and established team coming into this season.

Answer 5

I agree and would have to say Leigh Matthews, the Lions are having the best season they have had since the premiership years.  He has done well to rebuild the team after so many retirements etc and get the current group of young players to where they are today.  There is still room for further improvement, but I believe they will only get better as they get more experience.  GO LIONS!!!!!

Answer 6

Clarkson, because he still has a very young team and to have the win streak they had and then bounce back from their first loss of the season was very good.

Answer 7

Paul Roos

Neil Craig

Leigh Matthews

Answer 8

Paul Roos for sure equal with Leigh Matthews.

They both know what they are on about and spare me the comments re Roos having an experienced team.  He is the coolest coach you could imagine and has earned the respect of the players big time and they do not collapse in a crisis situation and are one of the gutsiest teams going and they are a bit height challenged especially in the backline but tough it out week by week.  Overall they are not the most individually talented team but all "put in" when it counts and never ever give up.  Some of the other teams have done well with top draft picks and some even wanted to stay near the bottom of the ladder to get them - like the Blues for instance.  Roos gets the absolute most out of all of his players and look at the achievements of players like the Essendon reject Richards, Kirk who was rejected by Eade, Jolly who's playing his best footy sort of rejected by Melbourne.  I cannot think of another Coach (except Leigh Matthews) who has his team so focused and going beyond expectations at the beginning of this season.  Dunno about Neil Craig.  I think he has made lots of mistakes in the past like not having his team up to scratch towards season's end - overtraining them in the preseason.  I think that was in 2005.  

It is easier to coach a team full of Champion types like the Hawks have at the moment (I mean who could top Franklin?) and look at Geelong - there is no stopping them with all of their brilliant players and in particular Gary Ablett Junior.

Paul Roos was a great footballer for Fitzroy and has turned himself into a great coach with innovative ideas.  Hey maybe Mick Malthouse (much as I hate to say it) should be included as Collingwood are going great guns and play as a team.

Rocket Eade is also doing a great job with the Bulldogs but they too are loaded with talent.  Also if Terry Wallace had got the coaching job at the Swans instead of Roosy would we have got through and won that 2005 premiership.  Don't think so!!

Just had another thought re Roos v. Matthews and that is that Akermanis and Matthews had unresolved difficulties and the Lions couldn't keep Akka and look how he played against them today practically best on ground so that is one point against Matthews in my book so yep Roos is Best Coach going by a long shot.

Answer 9

I would rate them as:

Clarkson - It wasn't that long ago that he was being voted coach most likely to losae his job by end of season.

Matthews - Lions travelling above expectations considering the playing group

Eade

My next choice would b e mark harvey - for NOT going postal on the Freo Dockers... (or maybe Woosha for the same reason)