Scott Burns Biography

Scott Burns will serve as coach of the Crows in their clash against Carlton at Marvel Stadium, replacing head coach Matthew Nicks who will sit out the match due to the AFL's health and safety protocols.

The Suns have narrowed their search for a head coach down to leading assistants John Barker, Stuart Dew and Scott Burns.

Scott Burns departs Collingwood to join Alastair Clarkson's panel as an assistant coach.

"Scott has given outstanding service to this club over the past two decades in his various roles as a player, captain and assistant coach," Collingwood general manager of football Geoff Walsh said.

"Burnsy has established many long-lasting relationships over his time and he leaves as a great of this football club. We wish Scott and his family all the best in their next chapter."

Collingwood assistant Scott Burns has taken the next step towards becoming a senior coach, headlining the 2017 intake for the AFL's exclusive coaching accreditation course.

Burns was one of six coaches accepted for the third year of the level four program, along with Sydney's Brett Kirk and Port Adelaide's Brendon Lade.

Leigh Tudor (North Melbourne), Dean Solomon (Gold Coast) and Steven King (Western Bulldogs) round out the successful candidates.

Scott Burns talks about life as an assistant coach under former teammate and current Collingwood head coach Nathan Buckley.

"He's [Buckley] formed certain philosophies that were probably different from when we played alongside each other. I'm still learning a lot of things in that regard," Burns said.

"There are lot of similar ideas and philosophies on how the game should be played but we've got some subtle differences as well.

"I'm not saying that we challenge each other but certainly points are brought up at times and we discuss things."

Scott Burns says he is ready to be senior coach of a club but fully understands why he was overlooked for the Eagles job.

"Woosh was here for 12 years and I was here for five of them. Take myself out of the equation and remove my ego and I can fully understand the direction they were going in," Burns said.

"I feel like I'm ready to go and the club certainly don't see that any differently, but for where the club wants to go at this point in time I'm just not the right fit and I completely understand."

After failing to land the top job at West Coast, Scott Burns will leave his role as assistant coach of the Eagles to join Nathan Buckley's coaching team at Collingwood.

"I have really enjoyed my time at the Eagles and appreciate the opportunities they have given me," Burns said.

"The chance to take up this position at Collingwood was too good to pass up and I'm looking forward to the next chapter.

"I've learnt a lot from so many people at the club and I'd like to thank them and wish them well for the future."

New West Coast coach Adam Simpson says he is keen to keep Scott Burns on as assistant coach of the club despite beating him to the top job at the Eagles.

"I'd love him to stay, but I understand his situation and what he's been through in the last week," Simpson said.

"From what I can gather, the people already here are made of the right stuff.

"There are some guys I want to talk to and we'll find out in the next few days where they're at.

"There's no doubt you need people you can trust when you're starting off in a job."

John Worsfold says Eagles assistant coaches Peter Sumich and Scott Burns are ready to succeed him as head coach of the Eagles.

"Peter Sumich has now followed a very good pathway into giving himself the background to be a senior coach, having coached reserve level in the WAFL and in the seniors, and then as an assistant coach at two difference clubs over 12 years," Worsfold said.

"And Scott Burns … [his coaching career is a] bit shorter but as a player for such a long period and playing under Leigh Matthews and then Mick Malthouse, and then working with myself for five years, I think he's got a good grasp of what coaching takes and how you can attack different issues."

John Worsfold says Scott Burns has all the qualities to become a senior coach as contenders line up for the vacant Port Adelaide role.

"Just look up leadership in the dictionary and copy it out," Worsfold said.

"He's honest, he's got integrity, he's a good leader. Scott will be, I think, a very good senior coach when he feels he's ready to take that role on."

Port Adelaide's Brad Ebert says West Coast assistant Scott Burns is ready for a head coaching role in the AFL.

"He's an intelligent guy, knew what he wanted to get out of the group and knew how to get it out of them," Ebert said of the Eagles' assistant.

"He was able to implement a few things at West Coast and I thought he was good.

"Burnsy's pretty mature, and yeah, he'd probably be ready to step up and be a senior coach, whether it's here or somewhere else. Give him his chance and he'd do pretty well."

West Coast assistant Scott Burns has been a key figure behind West Coast's excellent midfield according to ruckman Dean Cox.

"His vision and the amount of time that he spends looking at the opposition, he does a very intense job with that," Cox said.

"He's probably the reason we're doing quite well at stoppages. He certainly loves watching vision and passing on information and probably just trying to break down opposition strategies. He's got a great footy brain."

West Coast assistant coach Scott Burns is the latest to throw his support behind onballer Daniel Kerr's counter-aggression after Kerr was suspended for flying the flag for his teammates.

"I was rapt with what he did against Carlton," Burns said.

"I was a bit surprised with what happened after that but I thought that was fantastic.

"I'd say to him, if someone is going to drop one of our players you get over there pretty quick and make sure that we're not going to stand for that.

"The only poor thing was his record leading up to that which cost him. That was it."

West Coast assistant coach Scott Burns believes heavily-tagged midfielder Daniel Kerr should get more free kicks than he does.

Scott Burns is relishing the new challenge of being an assistant coach at West Coast.

Scott Burns brings knowledge of Mick Malthouse and Nathan Buckley to the Eagles' brains trust.

Defender Nick Maxwell has been named captain of Collingwood, replacing the retired Scott Burns.

Collingwood captain Scott Burns announces his retirement from AFL football.

"I pretty much knew mid-year that I was done, body-wise. So it hasn't been a terribly hard decision to make over the last week or so," Burns said.

Collingwood names Scott Burns as Magpie captain for the 2008 AFL season.

"It's a big honour but I don't feel like I'm out there in front of anyone and definitely not above the boys behind me,'' Burns said.

Former skipper Nathan Buckley says Burns was his preferred choice to replace him.

"I have tried to be impartial but if I had to say who I would be most happy with, who I thought should get it, it would be Scott Burns. I think Scott Burns is the most appropriate person, the best leader to take over the club," Buckley said.