Kane Cornes: Coaching from the box is a far better approach then riding the bench, as Justin Longmuir knows

It is remarkable that in 2000 the AFL’s newest stadium — the first with a roof — would have coaches’ boxes built as an after thought.

They are, as St Kilda assistant coach Brendon Lade knows so well from counting them, some 200 stair steps from ground level.

Each one of those steps offers a better and better view of the game, a critical need for today’s coaching panels.

We are approaching the 50th anniversary of Ron Barassi coming off the boundary at the MCG as Carlton’s premiership-winning coach to sit in the grandstands with a two-way radio.

Barassi inspired fellow coaches to get away from the bench.

In Adelaide, at the same time during the 1970s, the legendary Neil Kerley had a glass box built above the players’ dugout.

The elevated perch gave “Knuckles” a grander view of the game — and a strong position when staring down at players he had dragged through the interchange gate.

This year’s AFL top-eight final series will pit men who are sitting high over the game — and rivals turning back the clock by sitting on the bench.

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin last year won the argument for those coaches who have returned to ground level. But lightning does not strike twice.

Phil Walsh had a very strong thought on where coaches should sit during a game. He was a football genius.

During his interview for the vacant Adelaide job at the end of the 2014 season, Walsh was utterly off-script and unconventional.

Rather than produce a powerpoint presentation with a slide show answering a bunch of questions, Walsh opted to download a recent Adelaide-North Melbourne game in which the Crows had been completely outplayed — and out-coached. He analysed the vision as if he was watching the game “live” rather than on replay.

The Adelaide sub-committee watched in awe while Walsh made his moves and explained his strategies and coaching philosophies in real time.

By the time the show was over, the Crows knew they had their man.

Walsh could never understand why some senior AFL coaches would want to leave the elevated seat in the coach’s box to sit on the boundary.

“Coaching from the bench would be like coaching with a blindfold. You can’t even see the full oval from there,” Walsh would say sternly.

So why has this ploy become so popular among today’s coaches? Are the coaches at ground level at a disadvantage during this year’s finals series?

Sydney premiership coach Paul Roos made the move fashionable again in 2009 when he opted to view some games from ground level.

“I think more as an industry that we’ve probably concluded now you need better contact with your players on match day,” Roos explained.

This season, at least half of the 18 AFL coaches followed Roos to ground level. Five coaches of the eight finalists will spend at least some of the game coaching from the bench. Walsh would be bemused.

One advantage of bench coaching is the chance to interact with the players and sense their moods. However, this role could be performed by any member of the coaching panel.

Brisbane coach Chris Fagan chooses to coach from the bench. He often stands in the corner of the dug-out looking frustrated. His presence would be counter-intuitive and distracting for his players, especially when the momentum is against his Lions.

Some AFL coaches earn more than $1 million a season and should not be handing tactical responsibility to less-experienced coaches sitting upstairs on game day.

A millionaire coach on the bench is no more than a glorified back-slapper — at a high price.

Those coaching from the ground level must have extreme confidence in their assistant coaches who have an elevated view and access to game replays. Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin certainly did while he coached from the bench during last year’s premiership run.

Goodwin relied on his deputies Adam Yze and Troy Chaplin to spot the game’s trends and opposition tactics. They moved their team’s magnets accordingly on Goodwin’s behalf.

The view of an experienced coach in today’s AFL is that a coach on the bench is tactically weaker. He counts on a massive tactical advantage when matched up against such a coach.

On Saturday night, Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir will resume his customary seat in the Optus Stadium coaches box.

His counterpart at the Western Bulldogs, Luke Beveridge, will sit next to his players in the middle of the interchange bench. Advantage Longmuir.

Fremantle’s selected 22 is far less talented than the Western Bulldogs line-up. Without Nat Fyfe and Matt Taberner, the Dockers’ forward six are the weakest among the eight finalists.

This said, Longmuir has developed a solid defensive system with Fremantle conceding the third least points in the home-and-away season.

The Dockers will be able to control time in possession. The Dogs are poor defensively and allow the opposition to take massive numbers of uncontested marks.

Fremantle’s ability to adjust mid-game to restrict the Western Bulldogs’ ball movement will be the key to the result.

It will be a low-scoring final, and Longmuir will be first to see the vital moves that need to be made. Beveridge will be oblivious to these while staying on the bench.

The same applies in Saturday’s qualifying final at the MCG between Collingwood and Geelong. Cats coach Chris Scott is the most brilliant coach in the game and will be positioned in the elevated coaches box. First-year Collingwood coach Craig McRae will work from the bench.

Scott will be on top during and after the game.

Sydney premiership coach John Longmire splits his game time between box and bench. Former Adelaide coach Don Pyke has a high football IQ and will make the moves when Longmuir is at ground level.

Unlike Fagan and Beveridge, Longmire takes an active role on the bench and communicates with his players effectively when needed.

In a season this even, it might be the slightest advantage that is the difference in the race to the premiership.

Longmuir, Scott, Longmire and Richmond premiership master Damien Hardwick hold a significant edge for this finals series from their view upstairs.