AFL 2024: Josh Kennedy hopes West Coast can still lure Dean Cox

He ruled himself out days into West Coast’s coaching search – but a former teammate hopes a “heart and soul” Eagle could change his mind.

Champion West Coast forward Josh Kennedy is holding out hope former teammate Dean Cox could be lured home to coach the Eagles.

Kennedy said his close friend Cox, who was quick to rule himself out of coaching his former side in July, would one day be a flag-winning coach.

As he was named the AFL’s premiership cup ambassador on Monday, Kennedy said he would still love Cox to return to WA to take on the vacant role.

Cox, 43, is John Longmire’s senior assistant at Sydney and said he and his family were happy in Sydney and did not wish to relocate after the Eagles and premiership coach Adam Simpson parted ways.

“My favourite (for the job) was Coxy … I’d love Coxy to be able to come back, but he’s pretty set over there in Sydney,” Kennedy said.

2024 AFL premiership cup ambassador Josh Kennedy (right) chaired off Eagles great Dean Cox in his final game in 2014. Picture: Daniel Wilkins

“He was the heart and soul of our football club, and I could see him really getting the best out of a lot of the players that he coaches.

“Hopefully he gets his chance one day, because I think he does want it, and I’d love to see him be able to take whichever team he coaches to a premiership.”

Kennedy said Cox’s tactical nous was at a “high, elite level” in his playing days, let alone before he was taken under Longmire’s wing at the Swans.

The dual Coleman medallist and three-time All-Australian tipped GWS to win the premiership after looking on from afar for a second season since retiring at the end of 2022.

But he said he wanted Carlton and captain Patrick Cripps to go all the way, which would cue huge celebrations in the pair’s WA hometown of Northampton.

“I’d love to see (Cripps) be able to bring a cup back to Northampton, because we’ve had a few come back, which is pretty cool,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy said All-Australian Jake Waterman had always been a ‘natural full-forward’ after earning recognition for his talents in 2024. Picture: Michael Willson / Getty Images

Kennedy said he was “very proud” to see Jake Waterman named All-Australian after spending the early years of his career struggling to cement himself in a high-powered forward line.

“It was very exciting, a very proud moment to see (Waterman) get that nod for All-Australian,” Kennedy said.

“He was always a full-forward, and probably with (Kennedy, Jack Darling and Oscar Allen) over there playing, he wasn’t able to fill that spot.

“This year he was able to cement it, he got his fitness back up, and it’s great to see him playing well, I couldn’t be more proud.”

Kennedy said he expected short-term pain for the Eagles as they rebuilt, but left the door ajar for a quicker bounce than anticipated.

“Looking at where they’re going to be in the next three to five years … it’s going to be a slow build-up,” he said.

“But the club has been so successful over the years they’ve been involved, playing in seven grand finals, winning four premierships – they’ll be back up the top quicker than probably most think.”

Originally published as AFL 2024: Josh Kennedy hopes West Coast can still lure Dean Cox