North’s top coaching target John Longmire and Glenn Archer to attend Roos’ premiership reunion

Will the elephant in the room be discussed at North Melbourne’s 1999 flag reunion? A couple of the Kangas’ likely top choices will be there — along with Glenn Archer, who’ll help pick the club’s next coach.

Sydney Swans coach John Longmire at his weekly Monday press conference. Longmire has been linked to the vacated coaching position at North Melbourne. Picture. Phil Hillyard

North Melbourne powerbroker Glenn Archer will come face-to-face with the club’s top coaching target John Longmire at the Roos’ 1999 premiership reunion on Saturday.

The Roos are yet to formally discuss their senior vacancy with Longmire, but have identified the Swans’ senior boss and former Roos’ forward as an ideal candidate.

The 20-year flag function at an inner-city pub will bring together Archer and Longmire for the first time since Brad Scott’s shock mid-season departure last month.

Longmire’s right-hand man John Blakey, who has been widely touted as a senior coach in the making, will also attend the function.

Swans assistant John Blakey and senior coach John Longmire are both former Kangas. Pic: Phil Hillyard

Archer has emerged as one of the most powerful people at Arden St after he was selected to be on the panel which will select North’s new coach, and separately, review the football department.

Longmire tops the Roos’ wishlist after guiding the Swans to the finals in each of his past eight seasons, including the 2012 premiership.

He was a five-time leading goal kicker at North Melbourne between 1990-94, the best and fairest winner and Coleman Medalist in 1990, and played 200 senior games.

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One of the league’s most respected coaches, Longmire is contracted to the Swans for one more season and said he is happy up north, with three children enrolled in a Sydney school.

Hawthorn mastermind Alastair Clarkson and Eagles’ premiership coach Adam Simpson are expected to remain with their clubs in 2020.

Longmire’s manager, Liam Pickering, admitted he would listen to any approach from North but said “I fully expect him to be at the Swans” next season.

“I haven’t spoken to North,” Pickering said on SEN.

“(There has been) Not one thing offered to me from North Melbourne about John.

“He is contracted to the end of next year, so it’s pretty straight forward.

“He has got his team going really well, that’s the main thing.”

Sydney football bosses want to re-sign Longmire beyond next season on a long-term extension, worth more than $1 million a season.

Swans’ chief executive Tom Harley told the Herald Sun last month Longmire was “a fantastic coach”.

“He is absolutely the right person to lead us through this (list transition), 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,” Harley said.

Glenn Archer, back in his playing days, with John Blakey.

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

Fremantle football manager Peter Bell will not attend Saturday’s function as the Dockers play Port Adelaide in Perth that afternoon.

North Melbourne will name the club’s top 150 players (including the top-10 in order) at a 150-year anniversary function on August 3 Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.