By Russell Bennett
‘WE’RE not good enough … yet.’
It’s the mantra that Carlton senior coach Brendon Bolton took to the club when he was first appointed in his role, and it’s the same mantra that Scott Gowans has taken into his.
The former Berwick assistant and Longwarry senior coach has been appointed as the midfield and senior assistant coach at the Blues for their first season in the AFL’s national women’s league – which kicks off in just a few months.
It’s been one hell of a ride recently for Gowans, and the whirlwind is only set to continue in the next 12 months.
“It’s still surreal, to be honest,” he said.
“Eight weeks ago I was sitting at Longwarry in the social rooms and talking with the boys about team selection, and now I’m at Carlton with Andrew McKay and Brendan Bolton. It’s the same processes, but on a different level.”
Gowans left his role at Longwarry mid-season with the full blessing of the Crows in order to pursue his AFL women’s coaching dream.
He was in the running for roles at the Western Bulldogs and Collingwood as well as Carlton, but he is super confident that the Blues are the best placed moving forward.
“The Carlton opportunity is amazing,” he said, having spent his first day at Blues headquarters just a couple of weeks ago.
In addition to his role with the Blues’ AFL women’s side, he also has the opportunity to learn from the likes of Bolton and John Barker in the senior men’s set-up.
“The first thing they said to me is that they’re not kidding around with this,” he said.
“If you’re in this space and you’re wearing a Carlton uniform, we’re all in this together.”
Gowans, who was also the Dandenong Stingrays’ Youth Girls Academy coach and Vic Country Youth Girls coach in 2016, will be working under senior women’s coach Damien Keeping at the Blues.
The Carlton role also includes the position as coach of the Diamond Valley side in the VWFL.
It really is a dream come true for Gowans, who one day wants to be in the position to mentor other coaches.
“We’ve interviewed players and (Carlton list manager) Stephen Silvagni came in and did a talk and he introduced what they do with the recruiting in the men’s space, and that will be followed into the girls’ space,” Gowans said, having already well and truly got his teeth stuck into scouting for the Blues’ women’s side.
“The players have the same key attributes, and the same questions are asked of them.
“It’s a learning environment, and everyone is there to learn.”
And what a learning curve it is for Gowans.
