Voss haunted by recruiting decisions

Lions coach Michael Voss. Picture Jono Searle Source: The Courier-Mail

RECRUITING, or more specifically luring established players, is one of the few tangibles where AFL coaches can be judged.

Unfortunately for Michael Voss, who has guided the Lions to just 36 wins and a draw from 94 games as coach, it's an area that continually haunts him.

Voss was the first of the legendary trio (consisting of James Hird, Nathan Buckley and himself) to coach.

An anointed threesome that combined for 17 All-Australian selections and 16 club best and fairests, their on-field deeds almost forced their former clubs to appoint them coach.

When Voss made the move in 2009, it came after he had rejected offers from Carlton and Gold Coast and reneged on an apprenticeship as an assistant at West Coast.

And after a 14-9 debut season, including a thrilling finals win over Carlton, Voss seemed on track to emulate his playing career.

So he recruited experience, thinking the likes of Amon Buchanan, Xavier Clarke, Brendan Fevola, Matt Maguire, Andrew Raines and Brent Staker could take them deeper into September. They didn't and it helped set Voss and the club back a couple of years.

Hird has been more circumspect in his short time in the job, identifying just Brendon Goddard, while Buckley has overseen the recruitment of Quinten Lynch, Jordan Russell and Clinton Young.

Voss's triple premiership teammate Alastair Lynch said Voss was not someone who will succumb to the pressure.

"As a player, he almost craved pressure and from what I have seen of him as a coach, it won't be the pressure of the situation that gets to him," Lynch said.

"Brisbane hasn't had a good run with its recruiting during Michael's time and ideally any new coach would want to go into the job with an apprenticeship. For 'Vossy' it was just a matter of circumstances coming together for him to coach his old club.

"Getting the best experience around you, such as James Hird has done with Mark Thompson, is also vital and Vossy is trying to do that."

Sadly, for Voss and Brisbane, the next two months aren't going to get any easier with a draw that reads Sydney, West Coast, Essendon, Carlton, Collingwood, Fremantle, Geelong and Hawthorn. Making today's game against Melbourne all the more vital.

As for Buckley and Hird, Lynch says he can't help but admire the pair for the way they have conducted themselves this year.

"Nathan Buckley has done a magnificent job and gets more impressive by the week," Lynch said. "He has been under pressure taking over from Mick Malthouse and he hasn't put a foot wrong.

"James Hird has conducted himself equally as impressively in very different circumstances."

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