All, or nothing at all

According to The Age's chief football writer, "The embarrassing oversight that has seen Alastair Clarkson not once named the AFL's coach of the year has led to a policy change by the games's coaching body."

Why is it embarrassing? Sure, his team has won three AFL Premierships on the trot — a not insignificant achievement — but should a premiership automatically qualify Clarkson to win the award? Should Clarkson get the gong if the Hawks finish ninth this year, as some sort of compensation?

We checked on the AFLCA website and here is the current basis for coaches voting on their peers for this award:

Allan Jeans Senior Coach of the Year AwardThis award is in recognition of the best performed Senior Coach throughout the home and away season, having regard for current season's performance, available resources, player talent and team management.

And here are the winners since the inauguration of the award (with Premiership coaches identified):
2015 - Luke Beveridge (Western Bulldogs)
2014 - John Longmire (Sydney)
2013 - Ken Hinkley (Port Adelaide)
2012 - John Longmire (Sydney)  Premiership
2011 - John Worsfold (West Coast)
2010 - Michael Malthouse (Collingwood)  Premiership
2009 - Ross Lyon (St. Kilda)
2008 - Mark Thompson (Geelong)
2007 - Mark Thompson (Geelong)  Premiership
2006 - John Worsfold (West Coast)
2005 - Neil Craig (Adelaide)
2004 - Mark Williams (Port Adelaide)  Premiership
2003 - Paul Roos (Sydney)

Those last three criteria seem to be quite reasonable for assessing the best coach for the year. If the award is for the best-performed coach of the year, you'd choose the Premiership coach almost every year.

So, on the basis of the season's performance, available resources, player talent and team management, Luke Beveridge was chosen, by his peers, as the Coach of the Year.

It all seems perfectly logical and not even faintly embarrassing to us.