It seems that in every AFL off-season, there are one or two coaching changes.
But this year is different. All 18 coaches kept their jobs... for now at least.
This is not to write off the following five men or even suggest they will get sacked if they're teams fail to produce this season. But these five will face considerable pressure if they're sides go backwards.
Here are the five coaches most under the pump in 2019:ย ย
3. Brendan Bolton
As it currently stands, there is a sense of evenness among the competition. Two seasons ago, the Western Bulldogs reigned supreme, and now Richmond have become the league's team to beat as premiers. The same cannot be said about the navy Blues.
Heightened expectations have resulted on pressure being mounted at Carlton, and you wouldn't begin to blame the diehards at Princes Park if they showed some restlessness. Coach Bolton has pleaded for the fans to show their patience, and has praised them for being the most loyal supporters in the game.
The KPIs for Carlton have not been lofty the past several seasons. In 2016, the side won a handful of games, and at the very least remained competitive in losses - hope and faith was shown among the playing group, providing fans with a sense of passion and belief. That optimism seems a far cry to what's transpired this season; spiritless beltings and a lack of effort have punctuated where the team's at.
A two-win season is not pretty on paper, and Bolton has been front and centre in the questioning of the Blues' entire "rebuild" strategy, and for the first time in his three season, he's been given the "please explain" when fronting the media.
It's uncertain what KPIs lie ahead of Bolton for season 2019; a repeat, however, of his 2017 and 2018 campaigns could very well spell the end of his regime. Granted, the team is young and they are going through a full-scale rebuild - but runs need to appear on the board sooner or later.
