For six years Greg Williams fired Carlton to AFL success, winning a Brownlow Medal and a premiership in the process.
This weekend he's helping to plot the Blues' demise on behalf of new employers Essendon.
Williams this week told Essendon's club website he "really hoped the Bombers kick their arse" in their match on Sunday.
Any suggestion that "Diesel" was joking was dispelled by Bombers young gun Darcy Parish.
"He was talking to me about smashing them. He's deadset keen on beating them," Parish told AAP.
That players or coaches drift between teams is not new for the AFL.
But for a club legend - Williams having won the Norm Smith Medal in Carlton's only premiership of the last 30 years - to wish ill of his old side was extraordinary.
Parish said the young group of Bombers under his tutelage were benefiting from his intensity.
"He's super serious," Parish said.
"He's always on the go. Always got a footy in his hands.
"You think he wants to put his name up for selection sometimes the way he carries on.
"He's been super for all the boys and their touch and you can already see the improvement."
Parish might be the perfect apprentice for Williams.
The 19-year-old's ability to win and distribute the football was on display in his rookie season in 2016
Parish said he was eager to add a new dimension to his game this year.
"Last year we didn't have the big bulls inside so I was getting more contested," he said.
"It's a side of my game I need to improve, getting uncontested footy.
"I'm working on it - knowing when to impact and when to hold out."
The Bombers (2-0) should have too much grunt for the winless Carlton at the MCG, despite making three changes
Mitch Brown, Matthew Leuenberger and Heath Hocking come in for dropped pair Michael Hartley and Shaun McKernan, with Ben Howlett sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Carlton coach Brendon Bolton has resisted the urge to blood young forward Harry McKay for another week, but will give a debut to Tom Williamson.
The hard-running 18-year-old, taken with pick No.61 in last year's draft, will be the fourth debutant for Carlton this season.
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