coach-killer

Noun

coach killer (plural coach killers)

1. (Australia) A particularly frustrating, usually simple mistake made by a player.
   • The counterattack is swift and should result in a goal but Miers drops a chest mark uncontested! […] That was a coach killer.2020 October 17, Jonathan Howcroft, “AFL finals 2020, preliminary final: Geelong Cats beat Brisbane Lions – as it happened”, in Guardian, retrieved 25 Jul 2025
2. (US) A player who apparently causes coaches to be sacked.
   • "I think Pat McAfee made a good choice; this guy's hardly a coach killer; he's only played for three in 20 years," Lupica said.2024 October 10, Jessica Kleinschmidt, “Mike Lupica: Aaron Rodgers got Robert Saleh fired — because of his play”, in Awful Announcing, retrieved 24 Jul 2025
3. A performance that results in a coach's sacking.
   • The future of Michael Voss is under intense questioning yet again after another horror result for Carlton against North Melbourne with Campbell Brown labelling the 11-point defeat a "coach killer".2025 June 21, “Coach killer: Voss cannot survive after North mess”, in SEN, retrieved 25 Jul 2025