AFL: GWS Giants interim coach Mark McVeigh open to coaching North Melbourne after David Noble’s exit

There are now two AFL senior coaching jobs available after David Noble’s departure at North Melbourne, with Mark McVeigh among the interested parties.

Mark McVeigh is open to any senior AFL coaching opportunity. Picture: Getty Images

Giants caretaker coach Mark McVeigh is open to filling the newly vacant North Melbourne job but prioritising winning the Greater Western Sydney position.

David Noble’s departure this week after 38 games in charge at the Kangaroos means at least two coaching spots are up for grabs.

Alastair Clarkson and Don Pyke are viewed as two of the leading candidates for both jobs, given their previous senior coaching experience and success.

Noble previously coached McVeigh in the then-TAC Cup with the NSW/ACT Rams, so his concern with Tuesday’s news was at a deeper level than most.

“It’s never nice to see that for a senior coach, or an AFL coach, and you straightaway think about his young family and what he’s going through,” McVeigh said.

Former North Melbourne coach David Noble leaves his departure press conference on Tuesday. Picture: Alex Coppel

“I don’t want to go too much into it, because they’ve made that decision, but it’s just a personal feel for me and I hope he’s OK and doing all right but it would be a challenging time for him.”

McVeigh has been open about his ambition to be Leon Cameron’s long-term successor at the Giants but he confirmed he would be interested in coaching North Melbourne if the opportunity arose.

“I think I would. I’ve obviously got a passion to do it,” he said.

“There’s obviously, again, fantastic candidates from all over Australia, but I’m open to anything, to be quite honest.

“First and foremost for me, though, it’s this footy club. This is where I want to be and this is who I want to coach. We know the process is in place.

“You don’t say no to these opportunities at all, but it’s very raw for them, obviously. So we’ll just wait and see that happens. But my priority is obviously here and getting this done, as much as I possibly can.”

Sydney Swans assistant coach Don Pyke (left) with head coach John Longmire and fellow assistant Jeremy Laidler. Picture: Michael Klein

Pyke, who is Sydney coach John Longmire’s senior assistant, was hesitant on Saturday – before Noble’s exit – to say whether he wanted to coach again, after leading Adelaide to the 2017 grand final.

He withdrew from the Collingwood coaching race last year that Craig McRae eventually won.

“I’m happy doing what I’m doing at the moment and I’m enjoying working with John,” Pyke told Triple M.

“The group’s at a really exciting phase and, at this stage, I see myself staying doing what I’m doing next year.

“David Noble is a friend of mine. I think he’s been handed a difficult task down there and, in the circumstances, doing as well as he can.

“I don’t know whether they’re anticipating change there or not. But, look, I’m happy doing what I’m doing.”