The final instalment of a five-part series, Dean Laidley ponders the prospects of a grand final, his coaching staff and what his own future holds.

Is this side ready for a grand final?
Who knows? It’s probably Geelong and the rest, isn’t it? Who would have thought last year … about round 16 or 15 last year, where we were sitting this time this year, Port Adelaide were 10th and made the grand final. You just need a bit of luck. So you’ve just got to keep winning games of footy and keep your best players on the field and who knows what can happen.

I just think it’s really important that our actions with this playing group, when we play as a team, when we’re hard at the footy and we work hard for each other, we’re a pretty good team. But if we don’t, we can look very ordinary. So if we can keep that mix of ingredients, who knows where we could end up.

Are you ready for a grand final?
Well, that’s what you coach for, that’s what you play for. But just because you think about it, thinking about it and actually getting there are poles apart.

The side is making a strong case for fourth, and I guess that’s aided by its efforts against top sides. How much of an improvement do you see there and what about the contrasting efforts against sides on par or below?
Some of our interstate performances were a bit ordinary going through a period of time in that middle part of the year again where we had a terrible run with injuries, we were taking very young sides interstate.

But we’ve probably finished off with two good wins interstate. One against Port Adelaide and the other against Brisbane on the Gold Coast, so I think there has been an improvement in our interstate games and that comes from putting the younger players in those environments – going away, staying in hotels, getting on buses and training at different venues and that sort of stuff.

But our form in Melbourne, I can’t fault it.

How much has Dean Laidley changed since the start of 2007? Do you feel you’re more composed?
You ask your players to improve every training session, every pre-season, every game. So you’d like to think that I’ve learnt a hell of a lot about the job and how to go about it and all the different things that evolve from it. So, have I improved since I walked through the door? Yeah, absolutely I have. Am I going to improve again? I’d like to think so. Do I see myself being a Michael Malthouse or a Kevin Sheedy? Oh, I wouldn’t think so.

What about your coaching staff? Do you expect any additions?
We’re putting the basics together and that sort of stuff now, reviews and previews and putting our things in place for the next few years in the direction of the footy club. Out of that falls what our needs are going forward. Again, it just keeps going back to the players, best preparing the players to play AFL footy and win the club’s next premiership. Certainly for the last two years, that has been a real focus because there’s been a genuine direction from above, about what we’re doing, where we’re going, that sort of stuff. We’ll just keep working hard.

Do you expect to be active in trade week?
I haven’t really given that much thought. I wouldn’t have thought so. Not trading in. Trading out? Gee, when you start getting a group of players together you want to keep them. It’s a funny time of the year.

Darren Crocker is an assistant, you have Corey McKernan and Matt Capuano help out. Are you an advocate of maintaining the involvement of past players?
Yeah, when you look at it now, that’s 20 per cent of the ’96 premiership side. I think it’s good. There is also a balance. I’ve looked at perhaps bringing someone else back, but you’ve got to make sure they’re the right fit for the job. You don’t just give the job because they’re a past player. But I think it’s very important for the culture.

Where do you see Dean Laidley in two years? Five years? Ten years?
I’m not too sure. All I know is right now is I know I’ll be here until the end of next year. After that, who knows? As I say, I enjoy coaching, I love being with the players and teaching them how to play and everything that goes with that. But if it happened to stop at the end of next year, well I’d shake everyone’s hand and say ‘Thanks for the opportunity, it’s been fantastic’.

And I hope the club’s in a great position to push forward. But I also like to think I’ll stay in footy somewhere, somehow, because I enjoy it and that’s what I’ve done for a long period of time. So have I given any thought about two, five years, 10 years? I wouldn’t think I’d be doing it in 10 years. I’d be mad (laughs).

Where do you hope North Melbourne sees you?
Oh, I don’t know. You just keep trying to do the best job that you can do. If the people who employ you think that you’re the right person for the job, you continue. But if you’re not, shake hands and move on. It’s pretty black-and-white for me, particularly at this footy club because I do owe a hell of a lot to it.

It gave me great opportunities as a player coming over from Perth, played here for six years or seven years or whatever it might be, played in a premiership, changed my life. I think I’ve been here since 1993. If you had have said to me when I came here in 1993, I’ll play 100 games, I’ll be a premiership player, I’ll come back, I’ll coach them, I’ll coach over 100 games and to this point make a preliminary final, I wouldn’t have believed anyone.

That’s why when the day comes, the day comes. It’s pretty easy.

Click here to read part one of Laidley Loud and Clear
Click here to read part two of Laidley Loud and Clear
Click here to read part three of Laidley Loud and Clear
Click here to read part four of Laidley Loud and Clear