“IT’S GOING to be an exciting chapter, but also a significant challenge that we’re going to be ready for.”

When Carlton fans think of Aaron Hamill, the first thing that comes to mind is a physical full forward who hit the scoreboard just as frequently as he crashed packs.

But for the returning Hamill, who stepped foot onto IKON Park on Friday as a Carlton representative for the first time in over two decades, defence has always been something ingrained in him. 

Having coached his own side (Sandringham) at VFL level before also overseeing St Kilda’s backline and team defence in the last two seasons, it’s clearly an integral part of Hamill’s coaching make-up.

And it’s just as clear that the 44-year-old can’t wait to get to work back in familiar territory.

“You look at all of the great sides, and you can’t have one without the other,” Hamill said.

“Your defence needs to hold up well. It’s where you want to be able to turn the ball over and create turnover. It goes hand in hand with ball us.

“I had a slight bend towards defence when I was playing, in terms of setup and pressure at the source. Coaching my own side at VFL level, there was a strong focus on defence and how it unfolds.”

Whether it was getting to work with the talent in Carlton’s backline group to what he learned when he first walked in the doors in 1995, Hamill spoke at length on a number of topics surrounding his return to IKON Park.

This is just a taste of what he had to say: click the video in the player above to listen to the full interview.

The lessons learned from David Parkin

“We all know the legend that David Parkin is, as a coach and as a person,” he said.

“I remember Andy McKay was studying veterinary science and was living in Brisbane for a year, but ‘Parko’ really wanted him to fulfil that and set himself up outside of footy. It was great as a 19-year-old to see that unfold.

“The balance was critical. When it’s time to roll the sleeves up and get to work, this is what’s required and what’s expected and what the jumper represents.

“You need to earn the right to wear the jumper. That’s one of my greatest memories here.

“Firstly, the people, but also what it means to wear the jumper and when you have the [monogram] on your chest, it’s who you’re representing.”

Nailing the fundamentals: His coaching ideology

“I’m really interested in what the players can do on-field. You want to see their strength,” he said.

“They’re here for a reason: we need to see it.

“You certainly have a team dynamic and system of how you want to play, but within all that, you need to see aggressive run off half back from guys like Saad and Williams. You need to see ‘Crippa’ doing what he does and Walsh doing what he does.

“You need to spend time with your playing group and have a good understanding of what their expectations of themselves are and our expectations from a coaching point of view.

“They’re all different and they all need to be paced differently. Having a clear focus of where they want to get to, how you can support and challenge them at the right time with it.”

His message to the fans

“They were exceptionally good to me,” he said.

“They also didn’t let me forget what happened 20 years ago — I was constantly reminded whenever I went to an opposition game or ventured down Lygon Street! The passion and commitment they show is unquestionable.

“All I’d say to them is I’m really honoured and proud to be back here at the Club, and all that is great.

“But just know that we’ll leave no stone unturned of getting better and our development and doing what we need to do to get the Club back to where it can be.”

And his messages from former teammates

“I got a couple! A couple of great messages from Craig Bradley to ‘Diesel’ ringing me,” he said.

“Then there was Ang Christou wanting free 2022 polos and signed jumpers already. Ang never changes: he’s got deep pockets but very short hands.

“It was great to hear from him, I’ve known him for quite a long time.

“That’s what culture is about, the people involved. It’s always changing, so your culture and your leadership is always going to need to be revisited and shaped.