If leprechauns actually existed, it’s not stretching the imagination to visualise Kevin Sheedy as this mythical Irish figure in a previous life.

These long-haired, ginger bearded, elf-like beings in green suits and pointy hats have typically been portrayed as cheeky little fellows with a mischievous streak.

That the Sheedy name is one of Irish extraction merely galvanises the perception that the former Essendon and GWS coach is the archetypal rogue.

Through his glittering playing and coaching career he built a reputation as an innovative deep thinker. It was his idea to play a dedicated ANZAC Day match while coaching the Bombers and that has become entrenched in the AFL calendar as a showcase event against Collingwood.

He had previously completed two years in national service and that was the genesis of his idea; to pay homage to Australia’s service personnel.

He was also a driving force behind exploring the remarkable attributes of the game’s indigenous players, especially in the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

While many of Sheedy’s thought bubbles were calculated and considered there was also a rascally element to his lateral concepts. Like the day in 1993 when he stormed out of the MCG coach’s box after the Bombers had eclipsed the West Coast Eagles by two points, waving his bomber jacket wildly above his head.

That action sparked a rivalry that was played out in the crowd, both in Melbourne and Perth, when supporter groups celebrated victory.

Eagles Chief Executive Don Pyke has implored fans to bring their scarves to Optus Stadium this evening and, hopeful of victory, has encouraged them to wave them in triumph. He is hoping to rekindle a tradition that has petered out in recent years.

While the helicopter jacket was something of a trademark action in Eagles-Essendon games, the rivalry between the two clubs was initiated much earlier.

It was in the Eagles first couple of seasons when Sheedy started spruiking that WA should get a second licence for an expansion club. That could have been passed off as a man with a vision for the game’s growth, but cynics might believe it to have been motivated by his fear that the Eagles would soon dominate the AFL landscape.

When former Richmond teammate Michael Malthouse was appointed as senior coach at West Coast in 1990 the rivalry with Essendon grew deeper. They knew each other well and both men who had a strong resolve to win as players were equally committed to success as coaches.

In 1991 when Essendon hosted West Coast at Windy Hilly, the larrikin in Sheedy saw him instruct ground staff to tie down the windsock at their home base. As the name would suggest there was often a flukey breeze blowing at the suburban venue and he was not about to give the visitors an insight into the direction of the gusts.

The ploy failed because the Eagles still prevailed by seven points.

On another occasion when the Eagles sent a couple of scouts to sneak a peek at Essendon training, Sheedy got word that spies were watching proceedings from inside the old scoreboard.

It triggered more shenanigans as Sheedy sent staff to lock the door to the scoreboard which was similar to that which has been retained at Adelaide Oval. The period of time they found themselves trapped inside that structure is not documented but it is believed to have been a couple of hours.

A number of coaches have come and gone since the Malthouse-Sheedy encounters but it will be fun to see this tradition rejuvenated.

By that, I mean seeing blue and gold scarves waving in the breeze.

Go Eagles!