Which AFL coach is under the most pressure leading into Round 1?
Host of SEN’s Time On Sam McClure has had his say, and believes it’s possible it’s not one of the two coaches everyone immediately considers.
“As we head toward Round 1, I think there are two Victorian coaches who find themselves the talk of the town when it comes to pressure (Alan Richardson and Brendon Bolton),” McClure told SEN’s Time On.
“I’d put it to you that there’s another coach that usurps both and that alludes to recent years of unrest in the West.
“Ross Lyon, after taking his team to a Grand Final in 2013 and a Prelim in 2015, well it’s been three years in the wilderness since.
“His contract was extended until 2020, it’s a looming deadline and there’s one thing we know in footy, you don’t want to go into your final year of a contract needing drastically good results.
“My hypothesis is, Ross Lyon is under more pressure than his less experienced Victorian counterparts. I think it’s gone under the radar.”
The Dockers kick off their 2019 season with matches against North Melbourne (Perth), Gold Coast, St Kilda (Perth), West Coast, GWS and the Bulldogs (Perth), which could see them get off to a strong start.
They added Jesse Hogan and Rory Lobb in the off-season, attempting to bolster their forward line, but lost two-time best and fairest winner Lachie Neale to Brisbane.