John Longmire quits as Sydney coach: Jon Ralph examines the fallout from shock Swans coaching call

The impact of John Longmire stepping down as Sydney coach is set to be felt throughout the AFL – JON RALPH assesses what it means for Tasmania, AFL House and even rival coaches.

John Longmire departs Sydney as a premiership coach with a record that is the envy of most of his AFL counterparts.

Twelve finals campaigns in 14 completed seasons, five grand finals at a rate of one premiership decider in every three of his seasons in charge.

A game plan based on simplicity – brutal contest, fierce pressure – yet capable of layers and evolution as he proved in tweaking Sydney’s style this year to allow its skill-based players to thrive.

And yet it is a measure of how determined he was to move on at the right time that he was prepared to depart without addressing the one considerable asterisk in his coaching resume.

Those four grand final losses after the 2012 premiership for a 1-4 Grand Final record, with the past two especially embarrassing.

And 81-point drubbing against Geelong in 2022 that saw the Cats 42 points up six minutes into the second quarter.

And a 60-point loss against Brisbane this year had a shell-shocked Sydney side concede 11 of 12 goals midway through the contest to leave considerable scars on the club’s array of star players.

It would have been so easy for Longmire to lock and load again to try to level up his grand final record with an elite battle-ready squad.

Yet he departs as part of an informal succession plan – never explicitly stated – at what he will believe is the right time for himself and this list.

And yet in a measure of his stature in this industry, surely 53-year-old Longmire is not done yet.

It is why this decision, handing the reins to Dean Cox will send shockwaves through the industry.

Longmire will transition into a new role at Sydney with the fancy title of Executive Director – Club Performance.

But it will not dissuade rival clubs from believing he will coach again after a year out of the game.

As he said on Tuesday: “After such a long time coaching, the week in, week out, really does start to wear on you. I feel that I need to step back from coaching to rest, reflect and regenerate”.

Here are the ways in which Longmire’s decision will have fallout across the AFL industry.

Luke Beveridge is one of the coaches entering 2025 under pressure.

Expectation is also high on Justin Longmuir and the Dockers.

1. AFL CLUBS CONSIDERING EXTENDING CURRENT COACHES

Longmire automatically becomes the must-watch coaching aspirant for clubs with coaches out of contract next year.

They include Fremantle’s Justin Longmuir and Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge, with both sides seen to have underperformed this season.

The Dockers plummeted from finals contention by losing the last four games and the Dogs roared into finals then didn’t fire a shot against Hawthorn.

Matthew Nicks has a contract for 2026 but that won’t save him if the Crows struggle, while Ken Hinkley is also out of contract next year as Josh Carr hovers in the wings.

The Dogs have already equivocated on a new deal for Beveridge and suggested there is no contract pending.

Matthew Nicks will feel the heat if Adelaide underperforms in 2025.

We will get a better indication of Longmire’s frame of mind later today, but he is a coach who maximises his players’ talent playing a consistent brand that wins finals – 14 in all across his tenure.

He also has a 64 per cent win-loss record across home-and-away games.

What was already a case of potential coaching musical chairs – with Nathan Buckley and Adam Simpson also available – gets an electric bolt of energy a full season out from when those contracts expire.

Could Longmire get back into senior coaching as the first coach of Tasmania?

2. TASMANIA

Brendon Gale starts his role as the Tasmania Devils chief executive in coming months and while he won’t rush the coaching appointment it is the club’s biggest decision ahead.

If he could secure a Chris Scott or Craig McRae type he would likely be happy for them to finish their tenures at the end of 2027 then coach Tasmania in its inaugural season in 2028.

But securing a coach who would be willing to get his hands dirty for 12 months coaching the VFL team as well while he established the club’s culture and foundations would be preferable.

The Devils will want an energetic team builder who racks up the kilometres reaching every part of this state to tap into the community feel who is also capable of teaching those kids the right way to play football.

GWS had Kevin Sheedy as the salesman and quasi-coach Mark Williams teaching them a spectacularly effective contest-based style.

It was a perfect marriage until Williams was passed over as Sheedy’s successor.

If Longmire stayed in his new role for two years, he could ease into the Tasmanian job at the start of 2027 and secure a five-year deal to move south with his kids having finished schooling.

John Longmire embraces Chad Warner after a Swans win. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

3. CHAD WARNER

As the Herald Sun reported in trade period, WA-based clubs expect Chad Warner to try to get home at the end of 2025.

Things can change but he does seem keen to explore whether he and his girlfriend can get home.

Now Dean Cox gets the significant challenge of trying to persuade him his best football is in Sydney.

Cox can try to maximise his football gifts and ensure he feels invested in the state, but he can’t alleviate his homesickness.

Richmond re-signed Liam Baker two years ago and conceded in the trade period it was basically with a concession he was giving the club two final seasons before he went home.

Could Sydney try to strike the same deal with Warner – a final two-year contract that gets him to free agency and gives him time to win that elusive flag?

The only problem there is he would depart for a late first-round compensation pick, where this year West Coast would give the world in draft picks to get him back.

Swans players after their heavy loss in the 2024 Grand Final.

4. SYDNEY AS A PREMIERSHIP FORCE

Longmire would have known his side would have played out the entire 2025 season with those mental demons never far away.

No matter what they achieved in the home and away seasons the gnawing doubts about another choke in a grand final would have been always been in the back of players’ minds.

Cox’s appointment doesn’t alleviate those concerns but it does give a fresh voice and a new perspective.

How he tries to spark this already hugely successful group so they peak on the last day of September instead of collapse will be one of the defining narratives of his first season in charge.

AFL clubs have been calling for more football acumen at AFL House.

5. TIME FOR AFL TO PICK UP THE PHONE

AFL clubs are increasingly fractious about the lack of quality football acumen at AFL House.

Longmire has always been a vocal spokesman for many of the issues that really matter in clubland.

AFL investment in Sydney, the Vic-centric bias, lack of football department spend, the mental health battles across football, AFL rule changes.

When he has had his time away Andrew Dillon should at least offer him a consultancy role that sees the AFL lean on him when the big decisions roll around next year.

Whether it is rule tweaks or bidding system changes or Tasmania’s list build allowances, having Longmire to call on for advice about the unintended consequences of any AFL changes would be worth its weight in gold.

Originally published as John Longmire quits as Sydney coach: Jon Ralph examines the fallout from shock Swans coaching call