Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes believes Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir’s move to the bench was a “poor” coaching decision that won’t last.
Speaking on Nine’s AFL Sunday Footy Show, Cornes said Longmuir’s switch to coaching from the bench during his side’s 49-point loss to the Bulldogs on Friday was pointless.
Cornes pointed to the value of Collingwood coach Craig McRae’s relationship-based coaching from the bench but was wary of other coaches adopting the practice for the sake of it.
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“I’m sick of the game where everyone copies everyone,” Cornes said.
“Just because it works for Craig McRae on the bench, doesn’t mean it’s going to work for Longmuir on the bench.
“He has always been a tactical coach, so to go and make the move downstairs means you are ineffective on game day, there is nothing you can do tactically from the bench.
“If you are on the bench, you are there to motivate your players, to put an arm around your players, to encourage, to inspire – there was none of that [from Longmuir].
‘So, get back up to the box where you can actually see the game, where you can have an influence, where you can make moves because he’s not a motivating coach, he’s a tactical coach.
“It was a poor decision to go to the bench and I reckon it will last one week.
“He’ll be back upstairs next week.”
Cornes has previously claimed that the best seat in the house is the most elevated one – allowing coaches to better spot trends and moves in a match.
Last season, at least half of the 18 AFL coaches led from ground level in a shift away from the aerial advantage of the coaches’ boxes.
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