"It's part of the job."
That's what Chris Fagan, Ken Hinkley and the recently sacked Adam Simpson have said throughout 2024 amid immense criticism from the media and in some instances, its fans.
On Friday, Brisbane's coach Fagan urged the sporting community, and, in particular the AFL, to reassess its treatment of the main men at the helm, especially following the Simpson departure.
West Coast has long been in free-fall since the COVID years until now and the writing was on the wall for Simpson, despite being contracted until the end of 2025.
However, a flurry of crude postings, including from the local paper The West Australian indicating the Eagles' poor form and subsequent dismissal of the North Melbourne premiership player was met with utter distaste among the sporting collective.
The front page of Wednesday's The West Australian. pic.twitter.com/u3cQvXTeHg
— The West Australian (@westaustralian) July 9, 2024
Simpson wasn't the only one to receive a mountain of criticism that can be deemed irrational, prompting a look-in-the-mirror moment surrounding the commentary of coaches.
Merely weeks ago, Hinkley was booed off the Adelaide Oval by Power fans following a 79-point loss to the Lions.
Since then, the club has recorded back-to-back victories and are one win off of second spot.
Fagan lived the same fate when Brisbane was sitting 2-5 after seven games, despite featuring in the 2023 AFL Grand Final seven matches earlier, pleading that "it's not even rational" and suggesting it's too reactionary.
"There's a lot of people covering sport now and you (media) need stories and how coaches are going is one of those subjects," Fagan said on Friday.
"We (the coaches) have little control over it and all we can do is control our reaction to it.
"It's gotten worse. I've been in this industry for 20-odd years and when I first started, I could hardly remember incidents like this but now, if you lose two games, it's coming. The pressure is coming.
"I'd like to see coaches treated better than what they are. They do it because they love the game. And they have more of an interest in those players than just winning, it's about developing great people.
"I'd like it viewed that way instead of headline-grabbing one way or the other. You're either a hero or a villain."
Fremantle was criticised for 'prematurely' extending Justin Longmuir's contract, who now sits third on the ladder. Hawthorn's Sam Mitchell was immensely doubted when the club started 0-5 but has since surged to a finals contending position.
But as Mitchell put it in the wake of Simpson's exit: "It's always someone's turn in this game."
Should it be this way?
Fagan acknowledged that the lives of AFL coaches go well beyond the box, the rooms and the field, with most having families of their own that are impacted by the spotlight being on them.
The Brisbane mentor was shocked by how "fierce" the scrutiny Simpson received across the past month and even the days leading to the end.
"Adam is a friend of mine, worked together at Hawthorn, talk regularly, friends with his family. We must remember that they do have families, these guys. They're not just coaches," Fagan said.
"So everything that gets said and talked about affects the immediate family so I feel for them.
"But what I think we should do more, in particular guys like Simmo, who's been a two-time grand final coach, premiership coach. We should celebrate his career rather than use it as an opportunity to stick the boots in a little bit more."
Brisbane comes up against the Simpson-less Eagles on Sunday, with interim coach Jarrad Schofield given the nod to lead the side.
