Nathan Buckley confirms meeting with Tasmania about possible inaugural coaching role

Nathan Buckley is loving life in the media, but admits the coaching bug is still there. And the Collingwood great isn’t ruling himself out of taking on footy’s newest and toughest job.

Collingwood great Nathan Buckley says he has met with Tasmanian CEO Brendon Gale and has confirmed “there is a chance” he could be the first coach of the Devils.

Buckley was agonisingly close to that elusive premiership as the Collingwood coach but has made the successful transition to the media with Fox Footy.

But having met with Gale about the club’s process and recommended some potential staffing hires he is intrigued about the senior coaching position.

Buckley isn’t ruling himself out of being the Devils’ first coach. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

He said he was still exploring whether he would be more “energised” by taking up the job at a club building from the ground up compared to chasing a premiership at an established side.

The 52-year-old confirmed he was open to more discussions about what the role would look like.

“I’m still asking myself that question,” he told SEN Radio when asked if he might be the Devils coach.

“That coaching bug is still there. I’m really enjoying what I’m doing at the moment.

“An existing club versus the Devils, they are two very different propositions. So to understand more about the Devils is to understand whether you think it fits and whether you’re energised by it.

“That challenge is so different to what I have experienced. It’s fundamental, it’s what footy is all about is helping young men find their way through the early stages of their career. Picking senior players to come in and off-field staff that have experience and are passionate and want to grow something from the ground up. It’s a very different challenge and one that I’m still exploring.”

Buckley has been out of the coaching game since 2021 but with his children now older he could consider relocating south.

The new coach would have to be all in on spreading the gospel of the Devils in every part of the state given Tasmania is not interested in a high-profile coach who barely leaves Hobart.

So while it would be a very different role to the kind he occupied at Collingwood it might capture his imagination with the teaching and promotional aspects of the role.

“There’s a chance,” he said of coaching Tasmania.

“This has come back around with Brendon’s comments. We met a couple of times last year.

“The initial (contact) was from him and then the second one was from me to understand the challenge that the Devils faced and how they are going to build that club. To put my two cents in, I suppose, and then to learn as much as I possibly could about it.

“There’s a couple of really good football people I believe would go really well down there. I put their names forward and put them in front of Brendon.

“They’ve been exceptional with the slow build that they’ve done …. with list management and recruiting first. The Academies will come and then whatever you get from the drafts and trade conditions. Then put your coaching group in place later.”

Originally published as Nathan Buckley confirms meeting with Tasmania about possible inaugural coaching role