Jon Ralph ranks the coaches

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-premiership/herald-sun-football-expert-jon-ralph-rates-every-afl-coach-in-season-2014-from-1-to-18/story-e6frf3e3-1226848988483

1. Alastair Clarkson
2. Ross Lyon
3. Mark Thompson
4. Mick Malthouse
5. Paul Roos
6. Chris Scott
7. John Longmire
8. Ken Hinkley

9. Brendan McCartney
10. Brenton Sanderson
11. Damien Hardwick
12. Brad Scott
13. Nathan Buckley
14. Guy McKenna
15. Leon Cameron
16. Alan Richardson
17. Adam Simpson
18. Justin Leppitsch

Interesting. Doesn't like Buckley, obviously.

I think Malthouse now is too high.

All of 8-12 ahead of Buckley? Okkkkkk

Chris Scott and Nathan Buckley too low. Especially Buckley.

Paul Roos and Mark Thompson too high. Neither have anything to hang their hat on at their current clubs.

Was flicking channels last week and stumbled on Mark Thompson on the footy show. He's never been the most energetic of speakers, but he was pretty uninspiring. He gave off the vibe of 'I'm doing it because someone has too', certainly didn't look like he was particularly keen and up for the gig this year.

Talking to a Bomber mate of mine, he expects to see Simon Goodwin do as many pressers as Thompson this year. He has heard he (Thompson) is handing a hell of alot of match day duties to Goodwin.

He basically said up front in the interview that he refused the gig first up, but eventually came around. His body language suggested that he hadn't really come around though. I wouldn't be surprised if your Bomber mate is on the money there.

What value do you give to a premiership? If they define "good coaching" then I suppose that Roos, Malthouse, Scott deserve to be rated above coacher that havent won one.
I wouldn't put Buckley in the top 8 coaches.He inherited a club that has recently won a flag, has the best training facilities and most financial backing in the league and has gone slowly backwards. He could be another Watson or Voss - a favorite son who couldn't quite do the top job.

I would look at this a bit differently into 4 groupings.

PROVEN SUCCESS
Alastair Clarkson
John Longmire
Chris Scott
Mick Malthouse
Paul Roos
Mark Thompson
Ross Lyon - or as close to

HAVE SHOWN SOME SIGNS BUT NEED TO KICK ON
Nathan Buckley
Ken Hinkley
Brenton Sanderson

NEED TOP 4 SUCCESS SOON
Brendan McCartney
Damien Hardwick
Brad Scott
Guy McKenna

UNPROVEN AS YET
Leon Cameron
Alan Richardson
Adam Simpson
Justin Leppitsch

Of the proven group, Clarkson has been around the mark for a while, as has Malthouse.
But in the short time Longmire and C Scott have held the reins at their clubs, they both haven't done much wrong you would say. You could put Lyon in that category almost but he hasn't managed to pull off a GF as yet.
Roos and Thompson's success goes back a bit further, but they have been out of the top jobs for a few years, and start again at the helm with new clubs since that success.

So I would have Clarkson, Longmire and C Scott as the top 3 at present.