There are few people better equipped in Australian sport to lead a group of young athletes, and instill in them the confidence and teach them the cultural expectations required to become a successful team than Lisa Alexander.
As the head coach of the Aussie Diamonds for almost a decade, Alexander reached the pinnacle of world netball, leading the Diamonds to World Cup success in 2015, after claiming Commonwealth gold just a year earlier in Glasgow.
In my few dealings with Alexander over the years, I've always found her incredibly professional, and the care and pride she demonstrates for her players is second to none. Clearly her nous as a netball tactician cannot be faulted; the results speak for themselves. In fact when Netball Australia took the decision not to renew her contract as Diamonds coach earlier this year, it surprised not only those within Australian netball, but those right across the entire Australian sporting landscape. That's how highly regarded Lisa Alexander is.
When it was revealed this week she'd applied and had subsequently been knocked back for the role of senior coach at North Melbourne, the views were vast. From those believing she'd be the perfect candidate as an outsider and given her abundance of experience, to those at the other, more extreme end of the spectrum asking what a woman with no AFL nor AFLW experience was doing putting her hand up to coach an AFL team. And, as tends to be the way with social media, many opinions were disturbing, uneducated and out of touch.
No one can begrudge Alexander for applying for a role she believes she's qualified for. After all, nothing ventured, nothing gained. So, good on her for putting her hand up! Was she aiming high? Absolutely. Could she make a difference at North Melbourne? My word she could. But, is she the right fit for the role of senior coach? No.
Alexander's experience is the issue here. And North Melbourne said as much: "I was told I need to get more experience" she relayed earlier in the week to AAP. For someone of Alexander's stature, that shouldn't equate to more experience as a leader, nor more experience in establishing a winning culture. She's done that, and is at the top of the class. However, where she does lack experience is within the AFL system. Like many who have held high ranking coaching positions in this country, Alexander may follow the game, and love the game, however, is she currently in a position to slide into the senior coaches role, and challenge her would-be assistants about game plans and positional changes? No. And, that's not a "because she's a woman" thing. It's a "lack of experience in the AFL system" thing.
Ange Postecoglou was revered at Melbourne Victory, led Australia to the 2014 World Cup, and ensured we qualified in 2018. Could he slot into an AFL coaching position? No. Darren Cahill is a successful coach at the highest level on the WTA Tour, and he loves the Port Adelaide Football Club. Could he come in as an immediate replacement for Ken Hinkley? Absolutely not. It is incomprehensible for anyone, male or female, to walk in from outside the AFL bubble and be appointed as a senior coach. The requirements of the role mandate AFL level experience as a player, assistant coach, football manager, or similar.
However, and I can't stress this enough, there IS a place for people at club level who haven't been in the AFL system previously. Billy Slater's involvement at St Kilda and Simon Katich at the Giants previously are just two examples of "outsiders" coming into AFL clubland and imparting their knowledge. A person's gender should NOT and must NOT have an impact on them being recruited to a club, especially if their skillset can enhance a team both on and off the field. And, once entering a club what's to say you can't work your way through the system?
Lisa Alexander exhibits many attributes that would be beneficial to a club like North Melbourne, especially given their current position. And, if I was a club with an opening for a high performance/ football culture manager, Alexander would be the first cab off the rank. A smart football club would be sounding her out about what she believes she can offer and subsequently, the areas in which she wants to develop personally. The position doesn't need to exist yet, however, her clear desire to be part of the AFL system and her pedigree is surely worth investing in.
I don't believe North Melbourne, nor any club for that matter, is in a position to appoint a senior coach with no AFL level experience, to the most important and public role at their football club. The risk is simply too great.
What I do believe in though is identifying talent, and developing that talent such that it can succeed and ultimately prove beneficial to both parties. Alexander's want and determination, along with her international level coaching experience, demonstrates why she should be brought into the AFL system. What happens beyond that? Only time will tell.
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