{{Short description|Australian rules football coach}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}} {{Use Australian English|date=November 2013}} {{Infobox AFL biography | name = Brendan McCartney | image = Brendan McCartney 2018.1.jpg | caption = McCartney in April 2018 | fullname = Brendan McCartney | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1960|10|23|df=yes}} | birth_place = Nyah, Victoria<ref name=making>{{cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/the-making-of-brendan-mccartney-20140221-337hi.html|title=The making of Brendan McCartney|last1=Flanagan |first1=Martin|date=21 February 2014|website=The Age|location=Melbourne|accessdate=20 November 2020}}</ref> | death_date = | death_place = | originalteam = Newtown & Chilwell Football Club (GFL) | height = | weight = | position = | coachstatsend = 2014 | coachyears1 = 2012–2014 | coachclub1 = {{AFL WB}} | coachgames_wins1 = 66 (20–46–0) | coachyears2 = 2025– | coachclub2 = Port Melbourne | coachgames_wins2 = 18 (6-11-1) }} '''Brendan McCartney''' (born 23 October 1960)<ref>[http://afltables.com/afl/stats/coaches/Brendan_McCartney.html AFL Coaching statistics]</ref> is the former senior coach of the Western Bulldogs football club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He coached 66 games in 3 seasons before he resigned from the job.<ref name=named>{{cite news|last=Paton|first=Al|title=Brendan McCartney named new coach of Western Bulldogs|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/brendan-mccartney-hot-tip-to-coach-western-bulldogs/story-e6frf9jf-1226140628514|accessdate=19 September 2011|newspaper=Herald Sun|date=19 September 2011}}</ref> He has served as the development and strategy coach of the Melbourne Football Club since 2015.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/melbourne/brendan-mccartney-joins-melbourne-coaching-panel-as-former-bulldogs-coach-quickly-finds-new-job/news-story/0195871f74757af3866381e26fdfbeae|title=Brendan McCartney joins Melbourne coaching panel as former Bulldogs coach quickly finds new job|date=27 October 2014|work=Herald Sun|accessdate=19 October 2015}}</ref>
==Playing career== In his playing days, Brendan McCartney played in the Geelong Football League for the Newtown & Chilwell Football Club. He is one of the few AFL coaches who never played at the highest level.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/western-bulldogs-coach-brendan-mccartney-instills-his-mantra/story-fnctrk3q-1226315275274 |title=Western Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney toughening up his team|first= Glenn |last=McFarlane |work=Sunday Herald Sun |date=1 April 2012}}</ref> His father, Graeme McCartney, played one senior game with Richmond in 1957.<ref name="making"/>
==Coaching career== After persistent injury curtailed his local playing career and premature retirement at 27, he first began coaching Newtown & Chilwell's reserves. Soon after, McCartney was appointed the head coach of the Ocean Grove Football Club. He guided the football club to four consecutive Bellarine Football League premierships from 1994 until 1997.<ref name=Spits>{{cite news|last=Spits|first=Scott|title=Bulldogs unveil new coach McCartney|url=http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/bulldogs-unveil-new-coach-mccartney-20110919-1khbz.html|accessdate=19 September 2011|newspaper=The Age|location=Melbourne|date=19 September 2011}}</ref>
===Richmond Football Club assistant coach=== In 1998, he took a role with AFL club Richmond as assistant and development coach.<ref name=Spits />
===Geelong Football Club assistant coach=== From 2000 to 2010, McCartney was an assistant coach with Geelong Football Club.<ref name=named /> In 2010, McCartney was voted the AFL's assistant coach of the year by the AFL Coaches Association awards.<ref>{{cite news|last=Edmund|first=Sam|title=Cats assistant coach Brendan McCartney moves to Essendon|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/mccartney-quits-cats/story-e6frf9jf-1225937588914|accessdate=19 September 2011|newspaper=Herald Sun|date=13 October 2010}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/news/brendan-mccartney-opens-up-about-the-ryan-griffen-trade-request-his-relationship-with-mark-thompson-and-more/news-story/f1bb85e06505af07b2d3ce634f140e95|title=Brendan McCartney opens up about the Ryan Griffen trade request, his relationship with Mark Thompson and more|date=13 April 2020|access-date=18 March 2022}}</ref>
===Essendon Football Club assistant coach=== McCartney moved to be the assistant coach in the position of forward line coach at Essendon in 2011.<ref name=named />
===Western Bulldogs senior coach=== Shortly after the conclusion of the 2011 AFL season, McCartney was appointed as the senior coach of the Western Bulldogs under a three-year contract, replacing the outgoing caretaker senior coach Paul Williams, who replaced Rodney Eade, after Eade stepped down during the 2011 season with three games left to go in the season after Eade was told he would not receive a contract extension for the Bulldogs.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/bulldogs-unveil-new-coach-mccartney-20110919-1khbz.html|title=Bulldogs unveil new coach McCartney|date=19 September 2011|access-date=16 March 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-19/bulldogs-hire-mccartney-as-coach/2906274|title=Bulldogs hire McCartney as coach|date=19 September 2011|access-date=16 March 2022}}</ref> When McCartney was appointed as the Bulldogs senior coach, he edged out favourite and former Bulldog Leon Cameron who was well regarded as a "high quality field".<ref>{{cite news|title=Western Bulldogs announce long-time assistant coach Brendan McCartney to replace Rodney Eade|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-premiership/western-bulldogs-to-announce-long-time-assistant-coach-brendan-mccartney-as-replacement-for-rodney-eade/story-e6frf3e3-1226140635103|accessdate=19 September 2011|date=8 November 2011}}</ref> He took the Western Bulldogs for their training session for the first time on 7 November 2011.<ref>{{cite news|last=Windley|first=Matt|title=Western Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney takes training for the first time|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/western-bulldogs-coach-brendan-mccartney-takes-training-for-the-first-time/story-e6frf9jf-1226187605540|accessdate=7 November 2011|newspaper=Herald Sun|date=8 November 2011}}</ref>
In McCartney's first season as Bulldogs senior coach in the 2012 season, McCartney guided the Bulldogs to finish fifteenth on the ladder with five wins and seventeen losses. McCartney came under heavy criticism after the Bulldogs lost to expansion team Gold Coast Suns in Round 8 during the 2013 season, but the team had a better second half to the season, which included promising performances against top 8 teams Essendon, Hawthorn and Sydney, as well as wins against Carlton, West Coast and Adelaide. McCartney guided Bulldogs to finish fifteenth on the ladder again for the second straight year in a row at the end of the 2013 season, this time with eight wins and fourteen losses. As a result of the encouraging performances in the second half, McCartney received a two-year contract extension on 26 November 2013 and he was to be contracted to the end of the 2016 season.<ref>{{cite news|last=Gullan|first=Scott|title=Western Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney tied away until end of 2016 under new deal |url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/western-bulldogs-coach-brendan-mccartney-tied-away-until-end-of-2016-under-new-deal/story-fni5fazt-1226769008864 |accessdate=27 November 2013|newspaper=Herald Sun|date=26 November 2013}}</ref>
In the 2014 season, McCartney guided Bulldogs to finish fourteenth on the ladder with seven wins and fifteen losses. Following speculation after the 2014 AFL season, which concluded with the Bulldogs losing to {{AFL GWS}} in the final match of the regular season in Round 23, 2014, McCartney resigned as senior coach of the Western Bulldogs on 10 October 2014, at the conclusion of the 2014 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/western-bulldogs/brendan-mccartney-quits-as-western-bulldogs-coach-as-players-threaten-to-walk-out/news-story/492781a6f7fbba798525750be5674756|title=Brendan McCartney quits as Western Bulldogs coach as players threaten to walk out|date=10 October 2014|access-date=16 March 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/bulldogs-announce-brendan-mccartneys-departure-20141010-114320.html|title=Bulldogs announce Brendan McCartney's departure|date=10 October 2014|access-date=16 March 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-10/western-bulldogs-and-brendan-mccartney-part-ways/5804238|title=Brendan McCartney resigns from Western Bulldogs in wake of Ryan Griffen trade request|date=10 October 2014|access-date=22 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/oct/10/brendan-mccartney-quits-as-coach-of-western-bulldogs-as-crisis-deepens|title=Brendan McCartney quits as coach of Western Bulldogs as crisis deepens|date=10 October 2014|access-date=22 April 2022}}</ref> When captain Ryan Griffen announced he wanted to leave the club the day before McCartney's resignation, it was reported that McCartney's relationship with Griffen caused him to want to leave the club.<ref>{{cite web|title=Brendan McCartney finished as Western Bulldogs coach after crisis talks|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-premiership/brendan-mccartney-finished-as-western-bulldogs-coach-after-crisis-talks/story-e6frf3e3-1227086125964|publisher=Fox Sports|location=Australia|accessdate=10 October 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/brendan-mccartney-says-fractured-relationship-with-bulldogs-could-have-been-repaired-20141011-114pra.html|title=Brendan McCartney says fractured relationship with Bulldogs could have been repaired|date=11 October 2014|access-date=22 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-11/relationship-with-players-was-not-irreparable-mccartney/5806854|title=Brendan McCartney says his relationship with Western Bulldogs players was not beyond repair|date=11 October 2014|access-date=22 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/news/brendan-mccartney-opens-up-about-the-ryan-griffen-trade-request-his-relationship-with-mark-thompson-and-more/news-story/f1bb85e06505af07b2d3ce634f140e95|title=Brendan McCartney opens up about the Ryan Griffen trade request, his relationship with Mark Thompson and more|date=13 April 2020|access-date=22 April 2022}}</ref> McCartney coached Western Bulldogs Football Club to a total of 66 games with 20 wins and 46 losses to a winning percentage of 30 percent.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/departing-western-bulldogs-coach-brendan-mccartney-says-he-leaves-a-sad-man-20141010-114hen.html|title=Departing Western Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney says he leaves 'a sad man'|date=10 October 2014|access-date=16 March 2022}}</ref> McCartney was then replaced by Luke Beveridge as the Western Bulldogs senior coach.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-14/western-bulldogs-to-name-new-coach/5891328|title=Western Bulldogs unveil Luke Beveridge as AFL coach replacing Brendan McCartney|date=14 November 2014|access-date=22 April 2022}}</ref>
===Melbourne Football Club assistant coach=== McCartney joined the Melbourne Football Club coaching staff in an assistant coaching role as a development and strategy coach under senior coach Paul Roos from the 2015 season.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Ryan|first1=Peter|title=Former Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney finds new home at Demons|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-10-27/mccartney-finds-new-home|publisher=AFL Media|accessdate=27 October 2014}}</ref> McCartney left the Melbourne Football Club at the end of the 2019 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/82223/mccartney-set-to-depart-at-seasons-end|title=McCartney set to depart at season’s end|date=5 August 2019|access-date=16 March 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/melbourne/assistant-coach-brendan-mccartney-to-depart-melbourne/news-story/1b00b8822c18d93412393542eea4be73|title=Assistant coach Brendan McCartney to depart Melbourne|date=5 August 2019|access-date=16 March 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2019-brendan-mccartney-to-part-ways-on-good-terms-with-melbourne-at-seasons-end/news-story/f13ba1ed9bfaf95f52107a427710112e|title=AFL 2019: Brendan McCartney to part ways ‘on good terms’ with Melbourne at season’s end|date=5 August 2019|access-date=16 March 2022}}</ref>
In October 2019, McCartney stated that he left the Melbourne Football Club after he "started losing the drive and motivation that came with preparing the team both during the weekend and on game day" and "I just felt myself losing a love of the element to the week, I stepped forward and said to the coaches in a bit of mid-season review that it was time to step back".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sen.com.au/news/2019/10/12/mccartney-opens-up-on-melbourne-exit/|title=McCartney Opens Up on Melbourne Exit|date=12 October 2019|access-date=16 March 2022}}</ref>
=== Port Melbourne Football Club senior coach (VFL) === On 19 August 2024, the Port Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football League announced the hiring of Brendan McCartney as senior coach, beginning in 2025. McCartney was signed on a three-year deal.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.portmelbournefc.com.au/major-club-announcement/|title=Major Club Announcement|date=19 August 2024|access-date=3 October 2024}}</ref>
==Coaching statistics== :<ref>[http://afltables.com/afl/stats/coaches/Brendan_McCartney.html Brendan McCartney's coaching profile at AFL Tables]</ref> {{AFL coaching statistics legend}} {{AFL coaching statistics start}} |- style="background:#eaeaea;" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" | 2012 |style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL WB}} | 22 || 5 || 17 || 0 || 22.7% || 15 || 18 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" | 2013 |style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL WB}} | 22 || 8 || 14 || 0 || 36.4% || 15 || 18 |- style="background:#eaeaea;" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" | 2014 |style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL WB}} | 22 || 7 || 15 || 0 || 31.8% || 14 || 18 |- class="sortbottom" ! colspan=2| Career totals ! 66 ! 20 ! 46 ! 0 ! 30.3% ! colspan=2| |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} *[http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/ Western Bulldogs Football Club] *[http://afltables.com/afl/stats/coaches/Brendan_McCartney.html AFL coaching statistics]
{{Western Bulldogs coaches}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McCartney, Brendan}} Category:1960 births Category:Living people Category:Australian rules footballers from Victoria (state) Category:Western Bulldogs coaches Category:Newtown & Chilwell Football Club players Category:People from Swan Hill