IS IT the coach who makes a team or the team that makes a coach?
In other words, when apportioning the credit for a team's success who should we look to first?
The coach who's developed the game plan and the players that have taken the team up the ladder, or the recruiters who assembled the raw talent in the first place?
The recruiters might argue they assembled a list so talented all the coach had to do was apply the finishing touches.
Like any chicken-and-the-egg debate, there's no definitive answer.
But football clubs' pay scales betray their thoughts on the matter. Senior coaches have long been among the best, if not the best, paid staff at clubs, while recruiting staff have been placed much lower on the food chain.
But former Western Bulldogs and Richmond coach Terry Wallace says clubs have got this the wrong way round.
Wallace told the Herald Sun talent identification and list management was the key to success in football and, hence, clubs should spend more in this area than coaching.
"They are the ones who make or break football clubs," Wallace said.
For proof, Wallace contrasted Essendon and his former club, Richmond.
While he acknowledged the impact James Hird and his new Bombers coaching team have had this season, Wallace said Essendon's recent early draft picks Patrick Ryder, Michael Hurley and Dyson Heppell had been just as important.
In contrast, Wallace said the 2004 and 2005 NAB AFL Drafts were still hurting Richmond.
With a combined seven selections in the top 25 across those drafts, just one player, Brett Deledio, remains with the club.
It's hard to argue with Wallace on this front. But, doubtless, many will see this as an attempt by Wallace to shift the blame for the Tigers' lack of success during his reign.
One thing seems sure, though. Whether recruiters overtake coaches on club pay scales or not, with all clubs looking for an edge on their opposition, they can expect some hefty pay hikes in the future.
The Majak man speaks
We defy anyone to watch Majak Daw's running goal in the VFL last Saturday and not come away excited.
Playing for Werribee against Collingwood at Victoria Park, the 195cm Sudanese rookie took off from half-back, burnt off some much smaller opponents in a three-bounce run, then bombed a goal from outside 50m.
It was a bright note for North supporters on an otherwise disappointing weekend for the club.
But as exciting as Daw's goal and overall performance was, North coach Brad Scott moved quickly to douse calls for his elevation to North's senior list.
At his press conference after North's loss to Fremantle and, again, at Aegis Park on Wednesday, Scott said Daw had improved dramatically but a senior call-up was still some way off.
In The Age on Thursday, we got to hear from the Daw himself.
The rookie said it was hard not to listen to the growing calls for his senior elevation, but agreed with his coach that he was not yet ready.
That said, 12 months ago Daw doubted he would make it as AFL player. Now he believes if he keeps working hard he can.
Daw told The Age he had only played about 60-70 games of football in his life.
Not surprisingly then, one of the areas he is still working closely on is his ability to read the game.
"Just knowing where to run after a contest, how to get the ball back when I haven't got it, things like that," Daw said.
Daw has also had to get used to being recognised on the street, something that's happening with increasing regularity.
North supporters will be hoping that's something Daw is going to have to put up with for a long time.
A day with Murdoch and the gang
The relationship between the media and AFL players has been strained of late.
So much so, last weekend, Collingwood captain Nick Maxwell described the relationship as "a bit of a war, (an) us-versus-them type thing".
This week, however, Maxwell moved to clarify his thoughts on the issue, saying for the relationship to work players had to let more of their personalities come through in interviews.
It all comes down to mutual understanding, so it was interesting to read in The Age that six of Melbourne's most promising youngsters spent Tuesday and Wednesday in Sydney meeting with media heavyweights Lachlan Murdoch and Foxtel chief Kim Williams.
At Channel 10's offices, Murdoch told the players - Tom Scully, Jack Trengove, Jack Grimes, Jack Watts, James Frawley and Cale Morton - how they fitted into the television industry, while they also spent time with Ten's head of sport David Barham and head of sports sales Adam Hilton.
The players also attended a dinner with AFL commissioner Sam Mostyn and Sydney banker Stuart Grimshaw, where they were briefed on TV advertising.
Melbourne chief executive Cameron Schwab told The Age the visit had changed the players' view of television and the media.
Melbourne should be congratulated for this initiative. It’s a positive sign the club - and let's face it, clubs these days control the media's access to players - is prepared to meet the media halfway.
Harvey king of mind games
It's been interesting to follow Mark Harvey's press conferences in recent weeks.
Listening to the Fremantle coach it's become apparent he's not adverse to the odd mind game with his opposition coaches.
Ahead of Freo's game against North Melbourne last Sunday, he said North's media ban on its players in the lead-up to that game was a sign it would come out firing. North coach Brad Scott subsequently denied any such ban existed.
After Fremantle's win in that game, Harvey turned his attention to his side's clash with the Western Bulldogs this Sunday night. He said the match would be the third in a row Freo had played against a side coming off the bye, suggesting playing Adelaide and North sides refreshed by a week off had increased his players' fatigue levels.
But Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade has called Harvey's bluff, telling The West Australian Harvey was "just throwing darts".
Eade pointed out that Freo had won both of those games and suggested it might be a "bonus" to play sides coming off a bye. He also noted Fremantle had an eight-day break before Sunday night's game.
Media Watch does not raise Harvey's antics to criticise him. There's nothing wrong with a bit of pre-match theatre.
And, frankly, we'd be disappointed if Kevin Sheedy's longest-serving disciple hadn't picked up some of the master spruiker's tricks.
In short
Geelong midfield star Jimmy Bartel is likely to sign a four-year contract extension with the Cats, though some details of the deal are yet to be finalised, The Age reports.
Dale Thomas told The Footy Show he hopes to have finalised a new contract with Collingwood by mid-season but said he expected his manager, Paul Connors, would field offers from other clubs such as GWS.
Former Collingwood midfielder Scott Russell was announced as the retrospective 1996 Anzac medallist in the Herald Sun for his 26-possession game against Essendon. The selection panel of Jon Anderson, Danny Frawley and Luke Darcy, voting on a 3-2-1 basis, awarded Russell seven votes, two ahead of second-placed Paul Williams.
An Anzac Medal should be awarded to the most courageous player in each AFL game during Anzac Round, Adelaide chief executive Steven Trigg told The Advertiser.
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL
