Former Hawthorn and Fremantle coach Chris Connolly has graded all 18 head honchos based on their 2017 performance.
Connolly has broken the coaches into six different tiers, from outstanding to poor.
OUTSTANDING: Don Pyke (Adelaide), Damien Hardwick (Richmond), John Worsfold (Essendon)
"The Adelaide football club has just been fantastic, and they have positioned themselves to finish on top of the ladder."
"Damien Hardwick has done an outstanding job, considering the pressure he was under. He brought a new coaching group together and they’ve really delivered."
"John Worsfold, we didn’t think Essendon would be super competitive considering the lack of chemistry. The Essendon coaching staff have really done an incredible job."
EXCELLENT: Chris Scott (Geelong), Simon Goodwin (Melbourne), Ken Hinkley (Port Adelaide)
"I think Scott has done a wonderful job with the way he has positioned Geelong to become a top two team."
"Simon Goodwin, Melbourne has done some pretty special things. They’ll probably finish in the top four."
"Ken Hinkley was under more pressure than anyone coming into the season. They’ve played some pretty good footy and been special. The Port coaching staff has done an excellent job."
GOOD: John Longmire (Sydney), Leon Cameron (GWS), Alastair Clarkson (Hawthorn)
“Sydney were the premiership favourites and got off to a dreadful start, so I have Longmire in the good category with Leon Cameron and Alastair Clarkson.”
AVERAGE: Brad Scott (North Melbourne), Chris Fagan (Brisbane), Brendon Bolton (Carlton)
"These are the rebuilding coaches, so it is very difficult to judge their performance. I put them there because they’re playing a very straight bat, exposing their kids and trying to get the fundamentals right."
FAIR: Adam Simpson (West Coast), Luke Beveridge (Western Bulldogs), Ross Lyon (Fremantle)
"Adam Simpson recruits Sam Mitchell and Drew Petrie, they come into the year hoping to be in premiership contention, and now they’re in danger of missing the eight."
"It was impossible for Luke Beveridge to get this team up and going after last season. I think they will miss the finals."
"Ross Lyon…I look at the percentage, they have the second worst percentage in the AFL. This is a guy who built his framework on defence. I don’t think he has achieved what he would have planned to this season."
POOR: Nathan Buckley (Collingwood), Rodney Eade (Gold Coast), Alan Richardson (St Kilda)
"Buckley and Eade…those clubs are going through reviews, which means you haven’t performed to expectation. Their jobs are under threat."
"St Kilda have shown glimpses but at the end of the day we haven’t seen a consistency in the competitiveness of the team. We haven’t seen enough of their young players jump up into the exciting bracket."