Leon Cameron coached his last game on Sunday. He choked up as he addressed his players beforehand. He told them he had no silverware, but no regrets. “I’ll tell you the same thing I told you on day one,” he said. ‘She’s on.” But when Carlton slammed on four goals in the first 10 minutes, she was over. Afterwards, Cameron limped through a guard of honour of the league chief executive and both teams. He looked relieved. He looked exhausted. He is nearly 50, and has worked full time in football since he was 16. Coaching was “zapping”, he said. It was time to do something else with his life.
The end of coaching tenures aren’t the savage affairs they used to be. They used to come with years of recrimination and bitterness. Wounds would never be healed. Many men were completely lost to football. These days, they’re cleaner. They’re mutual decisions. The coach isn’t sacked, and doesn’t quit. All parties read which way the wind is blowing. The departing press conference is amicable. Brad Scott’s departure at North Melbourne was in many ways the template, and at times almost felt like a job application.
