COMMENT
There is one thing everyone will comfortably say about Sydney coach John Longmire: He’s been fantastic for the club since taking his place in the hot seat at the start of the 2011 season. That is undeniable.
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But here’s a quick question: Do you know who Jock McHale is?
Most footy fans will say, ‘Of course’. Even casual fans may have heard of the legendary figure, that’s because there is a medal in his name that is handed to the premiership-winning coach each season.
McHale was a long-term mentor for Collingwood, dating way back to 1912 when he was captain-coach. He was also the man in charge of Collingwood’s famous Machine Team, the team that won four premierships in a row from 1927-1930.
Those four consecutive flags still remain a record, hence the McHale name forever etched in history, never to be forgotten.
But here’s another quick question: Have you ever heard of a bloke called Jack Bisset?
Certainly, some studious fans of the game might know the name … but for most average supporters Bisset has been erased from history.
So why am I talking about this Bisset? Good question.
Well, like McHale, Bisset coached in the 1930s, and like McHale, Bisset took his team to four grand finals in a row.
Bisset’s team also had a snazzy nickname, they called it ‘the Foreign Legion’.
But the difference is that South Melbourne, under Bisset, could only manage one flag from four attempts between 1933-36, with McHale’s Collingwood beating South in both the ‘35 and ‘36 grand finals.
Apologies for the history lesson, but this brings us to John Longmire … and the cold, hard truth that no one really wants to say.
While Swans fans and players want to win on Saturday, Longmire needs this victory.
History is a brutal, heartless judge and if we fast forward 90 years to the 22nd century, most of us mere mortals are simply erased from the memory.
Sure, some people become footnotes on pages, or leave a faint digital footprint, but, as sad as its sounds, that doesn’t help much when no one gets to the bottom of the page … or even bothers searching your name.
The problem for Bisset … and (as we stand) Longmire … is the only thing that really matters when it comes to an AFL coach’s legacy is the number of cups they put in the cabinet.
Coaches come and go, but the ones who etch their name in stone are the ones who win multiple flags (with the exception to those who break longstanding droughts such as Paul Roos).
Norm Smith, Ron Barassi, McHale are the immortals, but others such as Leigh Matthews, Kevin Sheedy and Alastair Clarkson have all assured there place in history.
As harsh as it sounds, no one in 90 years time really cares if you take your team to the big dance, and walk away empty handed.
In fact, even with recency bias, only a few weeks ago former St Kilda great Nick Riewoldt named his coach of the century, and he landed on Chris Scott.
Longmire and Scott have been coaching for the same period of time and Longmire has taken his Sydney team to five grand finals now, compared to Scott’s three … but Scott has two shiny cups in the cabinet, compared to Longmire’s one.
Make no mistake, Longmire is a brilliant coach. But history will give him an undeserving yet ice-cold shoulder if he doesn’t bag another flag.
If he does, however, get his hands on that precious second cup, he will be the first coach in Sydney/South Melbourne’s 150-year history to have multiple premierships to his name.