This was from 2 weeks ago in the Adelaide Addy. A strong recommendation from Tredrea about Lade as far as a becoming a coach.....Warren Tredrea's glowing praiseAndrew Capel | September 01, 2009
WARREN Tredrea has rated Brendon Lade as the greatest coaching prospect he has seen in his 13 years at the Power.
In a glowing endorsement of the retired ruck star, Tredrea forecast Lade would not only make a good assistant coach but a successful senior coach.
"He is the most ready-made coach I've seen come out of this place. He's going to be a great coach," the Power's premiership skipper said.
"Obviously, he'll start as an assistant somewhere but it wouldn't surprise me that if he's a senior coach of an AFL club within three to five years."
Tredrea's comments are telling, given new Richmond coach Damien Hardwick played at Port Adelaide, along with Carlton assistant Brett Montgomery, Melbourne assistant Josh Mahoney and current Power assistants Matthew Primus and Adam Kingsley.
Tredrea - the last remaining player from the Power's inaugural list in 1997 - said Lade's football knowledge and communication skills were "second to none".
"He's super-smart when it comes to football," Tredrea said.
"As a player he was a great coach - on and off the field - and he's effectively acted as an extra coach and right-hand man to (midfield coaches) Tony McGuinness and Primus for the past three years.
"He knows where blokes should stand, he understands our game plan inside-out and he's a selfless person who knows how important it is to put the team first.
"He's one of the best tap ruckmen there's been but he didn't survive 13 years in the AFL because of his athleticism - it was because of his unique ability to read the game so well."
Lade - who retired after Saturday's heartbreaking, four-point loss to North Melbourne after 234 games, 182 goals, a club champion title and two All-Australian representations - has made no secret of his intention to coach.
Adelaide and Richmond already have sounded him out about a role next year and Tredrea said the Power should do its best to keep him.
"He'd be such a valuable right-hand man, so hopefully we can keep him," Tredrea said.
"I'd love him to stay here but that's not my decision, it's up to the club and there has to be a vacancy too."
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/sport/afl/story/0,26547,26008792-5014673,00.html
