The candidates to take over the Melbourne coaching job in the wake of Simon Goodwin’s sacking
Melbourne decided Simon Goodwin wasn’t the man to take them back to the promised land. Now that the deed has been done by Brad Green and the Demons board, here’s who they could turn to.
Melbourne doesn’t know what kind of coach it wants next year, according to president Brad Green.
It just knows it doesn’t want Simon Goodwin.
And yet if Green was short on details on Tuesday ahead of the club announcing a coaching search panel, there has never been a better time to be in the market.
Melbourne doesn’t just have a list of amazing candidates available.
It has candidates across all spectrums.
It has premiership coaches (John Longmire, Adam Simpson) biding their time as they assess the perfect time to return to the coaching ranks.
It has nearly-there coaching stalwarts (Nathan Buckley, Ken Hinkley) who never lifted the premiership cup but are incredible leaders of men.
It has a Chris Fagan prototype (Brisbane football boss Danny Daly), who could immediately step up as a senior coach after running an elite football department.
It has a caretaker coach (Troy Chaplin) who is renowned as one of footy’s sharpest minds but isn’t helped by only three games to prove his worth.
And then it has the long list of assistant coaches (David Hale, Hayden Skipworth, Steven King, Shaun Grigg, Daniel Giansiracusa) who will be the usual suspects if the club wants to go down the rebuild path.
The Herald Sun understands Daly, Skipworth and Giansiracusa will start at the top of the club’s list of first-time coaches.
And James Hird will also be a person of interest even with the Demons aware there are very few second-time coaches to win a flag in modern history.
Leigh Matthews and Mick Malthouse are among the few AFL coaches to win premierships in recent history at two separate clubs.
So if the Demons did secure a Buckley or Simpson type they would double down on the resources around them to ensure they had the best chance of success.
The talent is there on this list but the elephant in the room is the club’s dislocated facilities.
When Simon Goodwin made clear he would not miss his weekly trips to Casey Fields it was another reminder to coaches who don’t have to rush into a senior role that there are some warts on this club.
Meanwhile, Carlton insiders still have no idea what CEO Graeme Wright will do with coach Michael Voss given the new boss has a better poker face than Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera.
He takes over from current CEO Brian Cook on Friday week just days before a miserable season comes to its close.
But with the Blues having beaten only Melbourne, West Coast and Essendon since early May, Wright is increasingly favoured to make meaningful change.
The Goodwin decision gives Melbourne a three-week head start on Carlton if they do eventually sack Voss, with all of these contenders just as snug a fit for the Blues.
THE PREMIERSHIP COACHES
John Longmire (Sydney)
Longmire is keeping his cards very close to his chest, but it is fascinating to observe the redeeming of his reputation after a year in the media.
Those at close range who believed he was totally exhausted late last year – and knew the players were exhausted with his intensity – are reconsidering.
One of those figures observed Longmire through a more positive prism, believing that he wrung every drop of talent from the list which has struggled this year.
Regardless, he will be a contender until he explicitly rules himself out.
Adam Simpson (West Coast)
He has denied reports he is moving back to Victoria to consider a move back into football in some way and has told some friends this year he doesn’t think he would coach again.
But he has done exceptionally well in his media commitments this year.
He did say recently he wasn’t interested in the Tasmanian job and was sick of having to make so many decisions as a senior coach.
It feels less likely he would throw himself into the Demons, which would take so much emotional investment.
THE OTHER EXPERIENCED TYPES
Ken Hinkley (Port Adelaide)
Hinkley has extensive family including grandkids in South Australia and so while he much prefers the Gold Coast lifestyle he is expected to work in the media next year while also enjoying family time.
The Blues would be crazy not to ask if he is interested in supporting Michael Voss if he survives but the Demons would do worse than calling a coach who has very strong relationships with his players and a great record – albeit without a GF berth.
Nathan Buckley (Fox Footy)
The 53-year-old is very keen on the Tasmanian role, with Devils CEO Brendon Gale to appoint the club’s first coach mid next year.
Buckley hates all the assorted carry-on with coaching – the pressure indexes, the doorstop interviews, the constant stories – but loves the essence of coaching in its one-on-one interactions and making young kids better.
Surely the Devils role suits him better but it does require him to move interstate.
Another one who the Demons must consider.
James Hird (Port Melbourne)
The Demons will certainly ask the question of Hird, who has said he will not coach another AFL club but has many high-profile backers.
He is working in business and media but many who coached under him believe he could have been a brilliant long-term coach if not for the ASADA dramas which derailed his Essendon stint.
THE CHRIS FAGAN PROTOTYPE
Danny Daly (Brisbane)
Daly declined to move back to Melbourne last year to become Collingwood’s football boss but would be a perfect replacement for Goodwin. He has exceptional relationships, he runs an elite football department, he has been a long-time assistant who helps Chris Fagan with his strategy.
There is no coaching succession plan at Brisbane but with Fagan open to finishing up when his contract expires in 2027 the Lions would be crazy not to consider it.
THE CARETAKER COACH
Troy Chaplin (Melbourne)
A hugely impressive character who was moved from the defence this year to take charge of the Demons forward line to create room for incoming Nigel Bassett.
It wasn’t a change that worked and while Chaplin is a senior-coach-in-waiting he has only three weeks to impress and the Demons might need fresh ideas.
THE ASSISTANT COACHES
Hayden Skipworth (Collingwood)
Skipworth was one of the last three in the West Coast coaching search, with Carlton CEO Graeme Wright an admirer of his talents. In charge of the Pies midfield.
Steven King (Geelong)
The Suns interim coach after Stuart Dew’s sacking and long-time Dogs assistant who then moved to Geelong under their elite crew of assistants.
Has great relationships, great IP from Geelong and is ready.
Daniel Giansiracusa (Essendon)
One of three finalists for the North Melbourne job in 2020, he has been the Dons midfield coach since 2023 and is a former AFLCA assistant coach of the year.
Brett Montgomery (Greater Western Sydney)
In charge of the elite GWS defence as well as team defence. Eagles were keen for him to be involved in their search last year.
Adrian Hickmott (Hawthorn)
Sam Mitchell says Hickmott is a coach in waiting, with strong relationships and solid tactical acumen part of his coaching kitbag after crossing from West Coast as a backline and midfield coach.
Shaun Grigg (Gold Coast)
Richmond premiership player Grigg joined the Suns for the 2024 season after a strong stint at Geelong as a development and assistant coach and is earmarked as a senior coach in coming years.
Cam Bruce (Brisbane)
A long time teammate of Demons president Brad Green, the Lions assistant has worked away without much fanfare but knows the Brisbane way and was a popular Demon across 224 games.
Originally published as The candidates to take over the Melbourne coaching job in the wake of Simon Goodwin’s sacking
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