Old-school Comben taking nothing for granted

Being ready to respond and act immediately is a requisite of Ian Comben’s senior role with the Department of Fire and Emergency Services. The coach of the unbeaten Rovers footy side has been instilling the same attitudes into his side. Most going to “The Rec” on Sunday (Oct 4) are expecting Rovers to “just win” the 2020 GNFL premiership. Not so Comben . . . and, after this week, his players will know what he means. Some of the senior lads had a late night socialising last Sunday. They paid for it this week, Comben not wanting the only wrong step of the season to come on the day of the biggest dance. In the good old days of bad behaviour, Comben, then a self-described sufferer of “white-line fever”, would’ve responded differently to player actions. Not for a long time now. “Players don’t cop, don’t respond to that stuff anymore,” he said. “Yeah, I’d change some things I did and said years and years ago . . . but the game was different then. “I very rarely give a good old fashioned spray now. If I do, I can just see them roll their eyes and think ‘here goes the old fella again’. I’m very selective these days.” Married to Donelle, a “wonderful wife”, father to four sons and a grandfather of one girl who is the “apple of my eye”, Comben is old school. He was reared in an area of Melbourne where few wanted to visit, now few can afford to buy into it. He drank at a pub near the waterside, where painters and dockers drank. Enough said, it was an education for life. He played footy with and became friendly with a fella who had ties with the Mid West. In the early 1970s, Comben came west and had two weeks in Mingenew and a fortnight in Mandurah. He returned the following year to see Perth, went back to Mingenew and stayed, playing there in 1974, coaching a year later and being invited to East Fremantle in 1976. Comben had an “I don’t want to leave” and Mingenew had a “we don’t want you to go” arrangement for years . . . otherwise he would’ve been in the GNFL much earlier. In the early 80s, he coached Chapman Valley reserves before taking over the junior sides at Railways for a decade and then joining Brigades. Then it was back to Mingenew, Comben planning to pull up stumps there. Rovers were looking for an off-field leader and Comben nominated Erinn McCartney. But the Demons talked Comben into coming as his offsider. This is his third season as league coach, Rovers starting red-hot favourites but losing in his first year, and then winning easily last year. “Winning the premiership? Yep, it’s great . . . but for a coach it’s not elation like it is for the players,” Comben said. “It’s relief for a coach. So many things can go wrong for a coach. You are excited for your players who are elated. “Last year I only ‘loosened up’ around 9 or 10pm.” As much as the scoreboard has pleased him this season, it’s the behaviour of his players which has given him more satisfaction. “We’ve had one yellow card this year . . . and that tackle was just a little late,” he said. “Usually, we’ve had eight or nine yellows and three or four reds. It doesn’t matter if it is football or work or whatever, discipline is everything. “Rough stuff no longer rules, it’s not tolerated. Football has changed, life has changed. I’ve had to change some ways.” Asked to describe himself, Comben thinks like he’s planning a match-winning move. “My fellow coach Craig Walker describes me like a favourite uncle . . . who can turn into your worst nightmare if you don’t train properly,” Comben said. “I can be hard . . . but I like to think I am fair. I like to think I give all a fair go. And I believe we all deserve a second chance . . . and maybe a third chance.” There will be no second chances on Sunday. But the way he and his boys go, Comben and Rovers rarely need second chances.