Ascendant the Great Matthew Lloyd believes that the early release of GWS coach Leon Cameron will give a “head start” to rival clubs in the race to secure the giants’ most desired replacement in the market: four-time Premiership-winning coach Alastair Clarkson.
Talking to 3AW Afternoon with DDLloyd said that after parting ways with Cameron in the middle of the season, the Giants will now have the first crack at enticing Clarkson, who took a one-year break after completing his 17-year term at Hawthorne last year.
“A guy named Alistair Clarkson is waiting and I think it gives the Giants a head start in starting their interview process that they have parted ways with Leon Cameron,” he said.
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“I don’t think Clarco will talk to any type of club when they still have a coach to pave the way for the Giants to start now.”
According to Lloyd, the sudden resignation puts pressure on other Flanders clubs to consider their options if they want to make a play for Clarkson.
“I think there will be a lot of changes in coaching, there always will be, and there are a lot of low-performing teams right now and especially if Alastair is available, it could be a bit of a jump,” he said.
Clarkson has repeatedly joined the AFL’s other expansion team, the Gold Coast Sons.
With Cameron’s sudden departure leaving a team like the Gold Coast to speed up their coach Stuart Duke, Lloyd doesn’t believe any club will respond to the Giants’ move, helping their cause.
“I don’t think anyone will jump into another club for at least the next four or five weeks so it gives them a chance to get in the front row,” he said.
Cameron will coach GWS for the last time this weekend against Carlton at the Giants Stadium, before his long-time assistant Mark McVeigh reigns for the rest of the season.
After spending 34 consecutive years in the game as both a player and a coach, Cameron said it was time to take a break but did not rule out returning to elite coaching in the future.
“You never say,” he said. “I love coaching and love to do what I do, but who knows where it will be in the coming months.”
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