Guiding Sydney to Saturday’s AFL grand final has made John Longmire the coach of the year, according to his peers.
Second-year coach Longmire, whose Swans will meet Hawthorn in the decider, was given the honour, voted on by all coaches, at Tuesday night’s AFL coaches association (AFLCA) awards night in Melbourne.
Richmond’s Trent Cotchin was presented with the AFLCA player of the year award, although his win had already been announced three weeks ago.
Cotchin and Hawthorn’s Sam Mitchell were joint runners-up to Essendon’s Jobe Watson in Monday night’s Brownlow Medal count.
But the coaches made Cotchin a clear winner, with Collingwood’s Dayne Beams runner-up, Gold Coast’s Gary Ablett third and Watson down in sixth place.
In other awards handed out, the coaches voted second-year Bomber Dyson Heppell the best young player.
David Parkin, who coached Hawthorn to a premiership in 1978, then guided Carlton to three flags in 1981, 1982 and 1995 was named a coaching legend.
He joined John Kennedy Sr, Ron Barassi and Tom Hafey, the previous recipients of that honour, with three-time Hawks premiership coach Kennedy presenting the award.
Fremantle’s Peter Sumich was named best assistant coach and long-time St Kilda recruiter John Beveridge was given a lifetime achievement award.