A 2023 Alastair Clarkson Destination Betting Market

Last updated: Apr 11, 2022, 3:09AM | Published: Apr 11, 2022, 2:47AM

Alastair Clarkson will be coaching again in 2023. That’s a certainty. However the chaotic start to the 2022 season means the landscape keeps shifting in regards to what opportunities could become available to the 4-time premiership winning coach once the music stops.

While the Australian sports betting universe lacks a quite a bit of adventurism and imagination when it comes to futures markets, we’ve decided to pick up the slack and make one of our own.

Let's get to it.

Hawthorn- $1000

They’ve moved on. He’s moved on. Let’s do the same.

Collingwood $750

They opted to look beyond Clarkson last off-season, while the Craig McRae appointment looks like an inspired one with Collingwood the league’s sole undefeated team after four rounds if we were going off expected scores.

Brisbane $750

Chris Fagan has ushered in a very Hawthorn-like model in Brisbane, even if it hasn’t quite reaped Hawthorn-like results just yet. Regardless, an excellent coaching system is finally in place at the Lions the likes of which has the club on course for yet another top 4 appearance and whom are second favourites for this year’s premiership.

Melbourne $750

The Dees have created a monster borrowing many of the hard-nosed territory obsessed principals from Damien Hardwick which the Tiger coach borrowed from Clarkson. While a Clarko to Melbourne scenario was once remotely on the horizon, that door has most certainly been slammed shut now.

Sydney $500

Fun fact: Alastair Clarkson actually has more wins (14) against John Longmire than any other individual he’s coached against. With that said, Longmire is one of the best in the business and Sydney are once again in the premiership window. If Clarko is coaching in NSW next season, it won’t be with the Swans.

Geelong $500

For a coach who quite literally has the best home and away record in history among anyone with at least 100 games, Chris Scott sure cops a heap of ridicule. Unless there’s a scenario where Scott vacates his office and gives the keys to Clarkson on the eve of finals each year, this is a move that ain’t happening.

Carlton $500

It looks like the Blues got it right when they opted to go with Michael Voss last September, ignoring the lure of Clarkson. They only reason this isn’t a $2000 proposition is that anything’s possible at Princes Park when it comes to its coaches.

Fremantle $250

One of the best things the Dockers have done in recent years is sack Ross Lyon and install Justin Longmuir as their new coach. In season three of this regime the team is humming, out to a 3-1 start and sitting 3rd on the ladder- the highest position they’ve occupied since the tail-end of 2015. They’d be rapt with where they’re at.

Richmond $250

Believe it or not but Clarko actually has a losing record against Hardwick (6-8) over the journey while it’d almost unthinkable for Richmond to even contemplate the prospect of tossing their brilliant coach aside and replacing him with one of his best mates.

Western Bulldogs $100

It wouldn’t be the first time a Hawthorn premiership coach has taken over at Whitten oval with Allan Joyce joining the club in 1994. Historical tidbits aside, Luke Beveridge is one of the most iconic figures at the dogs and while the start to 2022 has been frustrating, their brilliant coach is renowned for re-invention and adaptability. He’s also contracted to the end of 2023, so unless the Dogs completely implode, don’t expect Clarko to be making Highpoint his local shopping centre.

Adelaide $33

The Crows have lost 35 of their last 46 games and don’t have the kind of list that would have Clarkson drooling about the prospect of moving all of his shit to Adelaide. We’re also still not entirely sure just how to assess Matthew Nicks with the former Swan taking over a basket case of a list, and during the first outbreak of Covid no less. The only way Clarkson ends up with the Crows is if things get absolutely desperate for both parties over the next six months.

West Coast $21

What would work in Clarkson’s favour is that the Eagles are on the slide and could look to move on from Adam Simpson- despite the 2018 premiership coach being contracted to the end of 2024.

With that said, this is the 3rd oldest and 3rd most experienced list in the AFL and who’ve bought in a grand total of 2 first-round picks over the last 5 drafts, one of whom (Jarrod Brander) now plays for the Giants while the other (Campbell Chesser) has a busted ankle and won’t be seen until the second half of 2022 at best. If the Eagles did move on from Simpson this looks like the kind rebuilding project for a much younger individual rather than Clarkson. Then again, and like the Crows, this could come into play if things get desperate.

St Kilda $13

The Saints would have started the season as second or third favourites in the Clarkson sweepstakes but have been super promising so far, winning three in a row while showcasing the league’s most potent attack in the process. It’s early days, and Brett Ratten is coaching for his life, but he does have his team on course for its second final series in three years. The mood does however change by the week at Moorabbin and this is a club that’s desperate to shake its 56-year premiership drought.

GWS Giants $10

Leon Cameron coached his absolute socks off last year, winning over plenty of skeptics along the way. Once again however the Giants have dug a hole for themselves in the early rounds and with Cameron out of contract at season’s end, the club could be ready to see if somebody else could do a better job driving the car. While the midfield is loaded and provides a perfect starting point, this team continues to struggle in attack since Jeremy Cameron skipped town, currently ranking 14th for points scored. There’s other situations which could be potentially more tempting for Clarkson, yet landing with the Giants would seem a top 5 prospect at this stage.

North Melbourne $10

Last week the Lions beat North by 108-points. This week the Roos went to the SCG and nearly knocked off the Swans, and in fact should have according to expected scores. These kind of massive form fluctuations are to be expected by such a young team yet the fact they ran a premiership prospect so close speaks to how much talent there is at Arden Street. With that said, if things do implode and the Roos were to collect a second-straight wooden spoon would they look to move on from David Noble, especially if Clarko were available? Waiting for him would be 10 top-40 picks form the last three drafts including Jason Horne-Francis who appears to be a generational prospect.

Essendon $7

The Bombers ought to be extremely nervous about their standing in the league right now. There’s a heap of talent on this list but they still seem a million miles away from genuine contention.

More than anything this would come down to how the club truly feels about Ben Rutten and whether replacing him with an all time great would make sense for them. While the Bombers did break through and grab a finals spot last year it’s well worth remembering they spent 20 of the 23 rounds outside the 8 while going 1-9 against actual top-8 teams. They’ve stumbled out to a 1-3 start in 2022 and have the league’s leakiest defence. The prospect of a hungry, available and legendary coach doesn’t materialise every day, while for Clarkson, this is an opportunity that he’d jump at. Definitely one to keep an eye on.

Gold Coast Suns $5

The moment Hawthorn and Clarkson announced their conscious uncoupling all eyes immediately gravitated north and to where the league’s perennial under-performer was once again in the corner being bullied by the rest of the league. That said, this list is probably in its best state since Gary Ablett busted his shoulder in 2014 and is being propelled by an emerging juggernaut of a midfield that ranks 3rd for inside 50 differential and which leads the league for total pressure acts. The agony of Ben King’s injury has been softened by him re-signing with the club while they look a genuine top-8 prospect at this early stage of the season. From a list perspective they’d be few opportunities as tantalising for Clarkson, yet if Stuart Dew can continue to grind and keep this team winning, the club probably mightn't feel the need to move on.

Port Adelaide $4

This would have been a 50-1 proposition at the start of the year, yet Port’s jaw-dropping, winless start to 2022 means the spotlight is now firmly on Ken Hinkley who’s largely excellent tenure at Alberton looks to have run its course.

Crucially Port Adelaide could opt to part ways with Ken at a perfect time considering this list is absolutely in win-now mode and would make perfect sense for a coach like Clarkson. What’s desperately needed at Port is a significant tactical pivot, the likes of which Hinkley either doesn’t seem capable of implementing, or which his players aren’t listening to. And there are few more tactically astute coaches than Clarkson who'd immediately get the Power back in premiership contention, and owing to the club introducing 9 top-30 picks over the last five drafts, he'd likely be able to keep them there too.

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James Rosewarne

James is a writer. He likes fiction and music. He is a stingray attack survivor. He lives in Wollongong.