TOPIC:

There may be some likely types coming out of the AFL assistant coach role having all the latest techniques and game plans which would be useful.

I wonder if the recent departure also of Greg Harding from the club and the early season form of Freo AFLW could now pave the way for Trent Cooper to return to the club. 

I hope not Danger, one good colts season and coaching womens footy doesn’t hold any relevance for me

I assume they would go through a selection process rather than just head hunting someone. I guess we will know more when the club make an official announcement.

and..... just after I wrote this the following email turned up in my inbox from the club
Swan Districts Football Club and the club’s WAFL League Coach Adam Pickering have both acknowledged that it’s time to part ways.
Pickering has been at the helm for the past 5 seasons and has helped the club rebuild its WAFL program.He was appointed as Senior WAFL Coach for the club in 2017 prior to the 2018 WAFL Season. His contract was renewed in 2019 and again in 2021.
He was an integral part of the team responsible for delivering the club’s Football Strategic Plan 2020 – 2024.“We’ve all had a very strong relationship with Adam over the past 5 years. He’s been a dedicated and loyal servant of the club. We wish him the very best in whatever he chooses to do in the future and trust he has fond memories of his time at our club”, says Swans President Peter Hodyl.
“I would like to thank Swans for their unwavering commitment to me and my family. It’s sad to bring this journey to the end and I wish the club every success in the future”, says Pickering.
The club will commence recruiting a new WAFL Senior Coach immediately.

I would assume the club has found the finances to settle Adam Pickering's contract prior to the decision.  I think finances again are going to be a factor to a new coach.  We will need some if we want an experienced coach. I hope the new coach can bring at least one experienced assistant with him that can also coach the Reserves.

I would be interested to see if Heath Younie who was recently relieved of duties at North Melbourne as an assistant would be considered a candidate.
 

Interesting when you look at the age profile/experience of the current WAFL coaches (#2022) and when they began their senior coaching at WAFL level-

WP- Darren Harris (53) 2002-
EF- Bill Monaghan (54) 2009-
CL Ashley Prescott (50) 2004-
SF- Todd Curley (49) 2006-
PT- Geoff Valentine (52) 2019- 

Outside of Rob Wiley at the WCER the other WAFL coaches were far younger and less experienced in the caper.
Valentine who is working for Fremantle had been coaching WAFL Reserves since the mid 2000s when Harris was at his first WP coaching stint so he is now greenhorn in the caper either.
All have quite experienced offsiders in the coaches box with them.

Do we at Swans need to look for a more experienced coach to take on the role with our young group?

Also looking at our scoring this year we do need to look at how we can increase our scoring capacity as we only scored 100 points in 1 game this season and with that we are vulnerable late as we constantly leave our opponents in the game in which they were able to pinch late wins due to not putting them away on the scoreboard despite dominating large parts of the game.

Yes that's pretty telling that the coaches of the top 5 teams all have a lot more experience than the ones of the teams in the bottom part of the ladder. I think there is no point in getting rid of Pickering and replacing him with an inexperienced coach.

Our young group need someone with a bit of authority but who is also able to communicate openly with the players. Also able to respond quickly when a game is getting away, which I think was Pickering's major weakness and also be able to be firm when he needs to be. A tall ask but I think this is probably the most crucial coaching appointment by the club since Todd took over in the late 70's. If we can get the right person and with a bit of targeted recruitment I think we can be in the frame for a flag in the next few years.

Pickering coached Swans 81 times for 33 wins and 48 losses for a 40% record

Harding had 68 wins and 78 losses (46%). His record was spoilt somewhat by a horrendous 2016 season which would have to go down as one of the worst in the clubs history.

Brian Dawson had a winning percentage of 64% in his 3 year stint. Surely he would have coached the club for a decade if his university commitments had allowed him to.

Toddy coached Swans for 18 seasons in 3 stints 1977 - 1987, 1990 -1993 and 1999 - 2001. He would have coached another 2  years in 88- 89 if he had not been at the West Coast Eagles. He had a winning percentage of 53% which was lower because of his first few years where they only won a handful of games and the last stint where he came back to help a struggling club. Take these years out and he was well over 60% As well as this there were 4 premierships and 11 finals appearances.

The other premiership coach Haydn Bunton coached 4 seasons for a winning record of 58%.

On the other scale Swans have had 34 coaches in the 89 years they have been in the WAFL, A few only lasted half a season They have had some good ones and some absolute duds (Stuart Mcgee in 1976 springs to mind as a poor choice)

Pickering is not a dud and I think he can be a good coach at another club, but Swans now need a guy who can take the group to the next level ( consistently making finals and being a realistic challenger for a flag.)
Hopefully our next coach will be a 50% + man 

John Todd had signed a contract to coach Woodville in the SANFL for the 1988 season. He was ready for a new challenge and if it wasnt for Bill Walker contacting Bill Kerr at West Coast, he would have been coaching in the SANFL in 1988.