CARLTON coach Brendon Bolton has found a way to give back to the state that launched his coaching career through a work placement program for development coaches.
Bolton, who had a successful playing career in Tasmania before joining the state's coaching ranks in 2003, has a lot of passion for the Apple Isle and wants to help local coaches make the same progression he did.
He has invited Tasmania's state academy coach Adam Sanders to spend a week with the Blues starting on December 7 as part of an AFL Coaches Association program set up in 2014 to help expose TAC Cup coaches to the elite level.
Bolton sought permission from the AFLCA to instead invite Sanders, who has been a key figure in Tasmania's impressive recent record at the NAB AFL Draft.
"He's a developing young coach, I think he'd be 40 now, and he's been in the Tasmanian system for a long time," Bolton told AFL.com.au.
"I played a lot of footy with him as a kid when I was 18-20 so he's a good friend.
"On top of that, he's been in the Tassie Mariners system. They play a few TAC Cup games a year but don't always get exposed to AFL.
"He's someone I know and trust and he really wants to develop, so he'll be coming to have a good look at our program (at Carlton) and hopefully take that back to our home state."
Brendon Bolton takes charge of Carlton training this week. Picture: AFL Media
There were 33 Tasmanian players in the AFL in 2015, and a further four were drafted in last week's NAB AFL Draft, off-setting four delistings at the end of the year.
Bolton, who got his break when he was appointed Box Hill's VFL coach in 2009, said Tasmania was an important AFL state and its coaches needed access to the AFL environment to help get more players drafted.
"I can remember particularly when I was trying to get into the AFL system, it's difficult unless you've got a relationship," he said.
"I have a relationship with Adam so I'll give him the opportunity to come over.
"He can tag along with our coaching staff, see it all, ask a lot of questions, be a fly on the wall and observe.
"I'm sure he'll take lots from that, being involved in the program with us."
Sanders said the Tasmanian under-18 academy, which he coaches, was the equivalent of a TAC Cup team and deserved support from the AFL system.
In 2013, the program had seven players drafted, including the Kolodjashnij twins and Fremantle's Brady Grey and Alex Pearce.
"We've been happy with how we've gone the last few years and we always feel like we're fighting above our weight division," Sanders told AFL.com.au.
"It's a hard market to keep producing AFL players, but Brendon is aware of our program.
"It's great for a Tasmanian coach to get an opportunity and up-skill and give that back."
