Episode 53

Hangin' Out with DAVID DUNBAR: The James Bond of the AFL world

David Dunbar has spent more than 35 years at the coalface of Australian football — as a forward scout, opposition analyst, and senior and assistant coach across Hawthorn, Melbourne, Fremantle, Brisbane, East Fremantle, and Port Melbourne. But it's his time as footy's most notorious "spy" that has become the stuff of legend.

Phoenix Trinidad and Mark Stevens sit down with Dave to lift the lid on the wild world of AFL intelligence gathering — fake disguises, hard hats and shovels, almost getting punched by premiership coaches, and hiding in pie vans. Dave also opens up about his work with young talent today, and why he believes the AFL needs to stop throwing money at the top and start investing in the development pathway where it really counts.

FOR MORE INFO ON DAVE'S COACHING WORK:

https://www.daviddunbar.com.au/


⬇️ RUNDOWN:

00:00 Intro

01:50 Opposition Coach

05:58 AFL Spy

11:47 Coaching Indigenous players

18:20 Almost getting punched again

22:28 Hiding in a pie van

25:35 Coaching and the NT

29:30 Current AFL development pathways


RECORDED: 19/03/2026


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About the Podcast

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Zero Hanger AFL Podcast
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