North Melbourne to target John Longmire after Brad Scott steps down as coach

North Melbourne has said they will shoot for the stars when it comes to the search for Brad Scott’s replacement. So who is on the shortlist or targets?

Brad Scott

North Melbourne's search for Brad Scott’s replacement will start at John Longmire with money no object in their search for the club’s next premiership coach.

Roos chairman Ben Buckley made clear the Roos would shoot for the stars, saying the club had never been in a better financial position to secure their next coach.

The AFL’s best coaches include former North Melbourne premiership players Longmire and Adam Simpson, with Alastair Clarkson a four-time coaching legend.

But Clarkson and Simpson are both contracted through to 2022 and would be extremely unlikely to break their deals brokered only last year.

Scott’s departure might not only hasten the coaching merry-go-round, it could hand Longmire leverage in his own negotiations.

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Sydney chief executive Tom Harley told the Herald Sun recently Longmire was in for the long haul at the Swans.

“He is out of contract at the end of next year and we will work through that at the right time. There are no issues with that from our end,” Harley said.

“He is a fantastic coach, he is absolutely the right person to lead us through this, and I think what a lot of people don’t know is that he has an unbelievable rapport with our younger players as he develops the team.

“That will play out but we are very, very comfortable with John coaching our team.”

Outgoing North Melbourne coach Brad Scott shakes hands with chairman Ben Buckley after Sunday's press conference. Picture: Michael Klein

Buckley said the club would soon form a coaching sub-committee and establish the criteria for its new coach, having got the jump-start on rival clubs.

The Roos could also attempt to find the next Clarkson by securing an untried coach who can build with the team under a long-term rebuild.

Buckley said new interim Rhyce Shaw would be a contender as the club’s long-term coach, having 12 weeks in charge to show his credentials.

“As Brad alluded to we are in a very, very strong financial position,” Buckley said.

“I don’t think this club has ever been in as strong a financial position as it is right now.

“We have the resources to go out and look for the best. And the team will do that. We will leave no stone unturned doing that. We have all the resources to be very competitive. And the resources to get the very best.

“I won’t go into commenting on who we might be looking to recruit as coach. Today isn’t the time to be doing that."

Scott celebrates the Kangaroos' win over the Bulldogs in what was his last game in charge. Picture: AAP

Scott categorically denied he had been in contact with any other club, saying he hadn’t considered whether he might coach again next year.

He has agreed to a payout, the size of which could depend on whether he secures a coaching contract elsewhere next year.

North Melbourne announced a full football review that will be undertaken by Shinboner of the Century Glenn Archer, board member Brian Walsh and recent KPMG chairman Peter Nash.

Scott put in an impassioned plea of support for football boss Cam Joyce, who is under pressure to keep his job at the club.

Scott’s recent presentation to the club’s list management group made it clear how far away from a flag he believed the club’s list was.

On Friday morning the board agreed to part terms with Scott amicably and by Friday afternoon he had agreed to those terms with CEO Carl Dilena.

Scott joked he would be able to focus on things other than football after meeting wife Penny the week he started at the Roos as senior coach.

“My wife is sick of me waking up in the middle of the night screaming ‘get Cunners (Ben Cunnington) back into the midfield!’" he said.

Originally published as North Melbourne to target John Longmire after Brad Scott steps down as coach

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