ADAM Dowie knew his friendship with Chris McLaren was put on hold for a week when the latter failed to respond to a check-in text.
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Dowie's message to his long-time friend was a routine the pair have had but with the first encounter between his North Warrnambool Eagles outfit and Mclaren's Koroit side hanging over their heads it changed the nature of the exchange of words.
"I just said to him 'mate I know I'm not meant to chat to you this week but I'm not handling this concept at all'," Dowie said of the text message he sent.
"I also asked him how he had pulled up from doing the runner duties at interleague and I haven't had response.
"It's a little odd as I messaged him last night and he hasn't responded which I'm having a chuckle about.
"I know he is competitive person and a competitive coach and he doesn't usually not reply so that could be the case."
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McLaren's response to being quizzed on whether he had received the text from his mate showed just how seriously he is taking facing one of his biggest coaching influences.
"I don't think I have received a text from Adam he must be telling fibs," he said.
"But if I had I wouldn't reply as this week he is North coach and not a friend and we will catch up after the game for a beer.
"It's the same as the last couple of years with Bucky at South (Warrnambool) when it's the week we play we are not friends but after the game we will catch up."
The one thing Dowie, a six-time premiership coach, does know the response to his what his side will be coming up against at Bushfield this Saturday.
"Chris has been coaching there for three years and has put his own stamp on the side and last year they probably had the best year the Hampden league has ever seen of any side," the Warrnambool College teacher said.
"I know they will be keen to do well and for me it's an interesting feeling playing against them. This week it's been about getting my players to know that they are coming up against a really well drilled and committed side and club.
"Warrnambool was a test but this will go up another couple of levels, which is good for our guys to test where we are really at at this stage."
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McLaren said his side would be a complete different look to what Dowie had seen in last season's grand final.
"Things change from year to year, they change week to week and month to month," he said. "There a lot of things we would do that are similar to when he was coaching and when I bounced stuff off him when he was neutral.
"But we've had some changes with personal and our team has seven or eight out from the grand final last year and it's also very different to when Adam was here. There has certainly been lots of changes."
Dowie coached Koroit to the first three of its past five premierships in his time as coach from 2013-16 before McLaren took over the reins to lead the Saints to their next two triumphs.
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