Geelong premiership player and new Crows defensive coach Darren Milburn chats to afc.com.au content producer Katrina Gill ...

KG: It’s been a few months since you joined the Club as an assistant coach. How are you settling in?

DM: It’s going along well. It’s taken a little bit of time to adjust, having just come out of the game and there are a few things that are different. Obviously, I don’t have to worry about all the running - I don’t miss that part. Being in an office is a bit of a change to being out on the ground all the time as player, but I’m enjoying it so far.

KG: As you mentioned, you only retired as a player last October. When did you decide you wanted to pursue coaching?

DM: I didn’t get too long to think about it in the end. Geelong was still playing finals when ‘Sando’ was appointed and I wasn’t quite sure where I was at in terms of what I wanted to do. Sando and I got talking after the season had finished. He was pretty keen to get me here, and the Club was going back to training at the start of November, so I had to give him an answer pretty much straight away. I was at a mate from Geelong’s wedding in Port Douglas, so I sat up there and thought about. In the end, I decided it was a great opportunity and one that I might never get again. I thought why not give it a go?

KG: You would’ve come to know Sando pretty well during your time at Geelong. Was that relationship part of the attraction of joining the Crows?

DM: Yeah, I guess so. I know Sando quite well and am comfortable with him. Not knowing too many other people here, it was good to know the head coach! We were teammates at Geelong and then he coached me as well, so we’ve been through a bit of a journey together. Hopefully, there are a few more years to come and we can help Adelaide go the same way as the Cats.

KG: You’re a pretty quiet guy. What is your coaching style?

DM: Well, I don’t think I’ll be one of those raving lunatic-type coaches. I’d just like to pass on the knowledge I’ve picked up over the years and help the guys to play the way the coaching group is asking them to. I look after the defence, but it doesn’t matter if they’re backline players, midfielders or forwards, if they need some help and I can pass on some of my experiences I’m more than happy to.

KG: Sando has spoken several times about players seeking you out for advice. How are your relationships with the players progressing?

DM: Not knowing many of the years, it was a bit daunting at first but I’m starting to get to know them as players and also as people. They’re starting to pick up on the way I handle things too. It’ll take a while for me to develop a really strong relationship with the players, but it’s going well so far.

KG: It’s a pretty young backline with the exception of Ben Rutten, Michael Doughty and Graham Johncock. What are some of the key things you’re trying to achieve with the defenders?

DM: There are some young blokes coming through, but we do have some experience in the backline with players you mentioned and that will help those younger boys, who are only just starting out. I want to help the defenders grow together and play enough footy with one another, so that hopefully in a few years from now they’ll know each other’s games inside and out.

KG: Ben Rutten had foot surgery last week and will miss the next six weeks, including possibly all of the NAB Cup. Which players will you be looking at to fill that role in his absence?

DM: Daniel Talia had an interrupted start to the pre-season because of an Achilles injury, but he’s one player who could definitely take that role at full-back. Sam Shaw, Lewis Johnston and Luke Thompson are three other taller-type players, who we’ll probably have a look at in the NAB Cup too. Andy Otten hurt his knee a few weeks ago, but he should be back shortly and he’s another player, who can play on taller opponents, so we’ve got some options there.

KG: What are you hoping to get out of the NAB Cup from a defence perspective?

DM: We’ve got a few numbers, who can push into defence, so we’ll try a few things with players in different roles. It might not be for four premiership points, but the NAB Cup is an ideal time to test players out and see how they handle the pressure against opposition. We want to see how they handle team structures and how they go about beating their opponents.

KG: Who are some of the players our members and supporters haven’t seen much of that might get an opportunity in the NAB Cup?

DM: Brodie Martin hasn’t played a lot of AFL footy, but he’s had a good pre-season. Luke Brown and Mitch Grigg also stand out a little bit. There are probably a couple of others, who I haven’t mentioned, but those three are the types of players who are putting their hand up for selection in round one of the NAB Cup. Truck and ‘Otto’ have been injured recently, but the list is pretty healthy at the moment, so there are a number of players putting their hands up and making it tough for us to pick a team at this stage.

KG: What has stood out to you about the assistant coaching role so far?

DM: Previously, at this time of year I’ve been focused on what I have to do for the team. Now, I have to focus on what I have to demand of the players. I’ve been told the hours are a lot longer as a coach. I knew exactly what I had to do as a player, but coaching is a whole new ball game for me. I’m picking it up along the way.

KG: Do you see yourself as a career coach?

DM: I haven’t looked too far ahead. I’ve signed for two years, so we’ll see how that goes first. I don’t want to put too much pressure on in terms of if I want to stay here for 10-15 years. I didn’t think I’d play for as long as I did, so I’ll approach coaching in a similar way. I’m enjoying it so far and hopefully in 10 years’ time I’m saying the same thing with a couple more premierships.