Star Albury recruit Anthony Miles has vowed to be a player first, coach second on match day.
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The former AFL on-baller signed a three-year deal with the Tigers last September and will co-coach with Luke Daly.
While Miles' record of 88 AFL games over nine seasons virtually guarantees he will be an elite player in the resurgent O and M, many first-year mentors have struggled with the balance between coaching and playing.
"The advice I have been given is to do all your preparation before the game and worry about playing on the weekend," he offered.
"I'm really fortunate to be co-coaching with Luke Daly and you've got such a great network around as well, (in former coaches) Shaun Daly, Tom McGrath and some great guys on the bench who have been at Albury for a long time."
The league's greatest recent example of coaching and playing well is reigning Morris medallist Jarrod Hodgkin.
The advice ... is to do all your preparation before the game and (then) worry about playing.
- Anthony Miles
The Wodonga Raiders' mentor maintained the club's finals streak on debut in 2019, while producing a standout season and three-vote win.
"I probably dipped my toes into coaching a bit last year when I was injured (Miles tore a pectoral muscle in the gym last February) at the (Gold Coast) Suns, I sat on the bench and had direct access to (coach) 'Stuy' Dew, which gave me a great insight into the AFL," he revealed.
Miles, who tuns 29 next month, was quizzed what was the most valuable coaching lesson.
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"Probably just how level-headed he (Dew) was, when he spoke to players he didn't let the emotions of the game get in the way of his messaging," he explained.
"It's about cooling yourself down before you speak to a player, if you're angry on the phone that generally transfers on to the player."
