Greg Miller, the man who recruited both John Longmire and Alastair Clarkson to North Melbourne, expected great things of the pair post-retirement.
“I’m not surprised to see them being as successful as they are,” the former Kangaroos powerbroker says of the premiership coaches, whose sides Sydney and Hawthorn will square off for the year’s third grand-final rematch on Friday night.
Former teammates Longmire and Clarkson are two of the league’s best coaches, symbolised by a thrilling 2012 grand final considered by some to be among the greatest.
They are both country boys at heart with a passion for family and football.
Longmire was a goal-kicking boy wonder, uprooted from a farm on the border of the NSW Riverina towns of Balldale and Corowa at the age of 16.
Clarkson moved from the western Victorian town of Kaniva to a boarding school in Ballarat at the age of 15, debuting for the `Roos four years later.
Longmire had to overcome two knee reconstructions in a 200-game one-club career, reinventing himself as a back-up ruckman in North Melbourne’s 1999 premiership team.
Clarkson was not a naturally gifted midfielder, but grafted and grinded in 134 games over 11 seasons – often in run-with roles long before taggers were in vogue.
Miller suggests the determination and hard work both men exhibited in their playing days helped lay the platform for their transition to coaching.
A teacher by trade and a great football mind, Miller always thought Clarkson might take to coaching.
But in the case of Longmire, Miller was sure it was the boardroom he’d attack.
“My advice to him was that coaching can be short lived,” Miller recalled of a conversation he had with Longmire towards the end of his playing career.
“Whereas as an administrator he had the potential to be a CEO. He had the intelligence, he had the football acumen.
“He had the ability to converse with all people at all levels, from boardroom down to the grass-roots supporter.
“I thought he had a great future in that area, but I was wrong because he’s showed he can use those qualities as coach.
“Luckily he didn’t take my advice to stay out of coaching.”
Longmire and Clarkson first played together in a game that would provide the most-replayed moment of the latter’s career – the hit which broke the jaw of Carlton’s Ian Aitken in the `Battle Of Britain’ exhibition match in London.
The perception of `Combustible Clarkson’ having serious anger issues has stuck since, enhanced by a series of incidents in his time with the Hawks.
“Alastair gets caught out from time to time with his emotions, but … it’s also an endearing quality to his players,” Miller said.
Indeed, the former North boss rates both as men of principle.
“It’s testament to two great pillars of society,” he said of Longmire and Clarkson’s success.
“They’re competitive, but have got great respect for each other.
“Last year’s grand final was a brilliant battle of tactics … and they’d be two worthy grand final teams again this year. I hope it does get to that.”