Danielle Laidley closing in on coaching comeback, deep in contention for Western Bulldogs AFLW job

Former North Melbourne men’s coach Danielle Laidley is deep in contention for a coaching comeback via an AFLW head role.

Dani Laidley is one of the leading candidates to take the Western Bulldogs AFLW coaching job. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Danielle Laidley is among a handful of candidates left in the race for the vacant Western Bulldogs AFLW coaching job.

Laidley, 56, is understood to be in deep contention for the position left vacant following the departure of Nathan Burke at the end of last season.

Laidley declined to comment about her interest in the job when contacted on Tuesday.

However, the former Kangaroos men’s coach told SEN late last year that she wanted to return to coaching, having last been in the AFL system when an assistant at Carlton in 2015.

Laidley was North Melbourne’s head coach from 2003-2009.

“That is true (I want to return to coaching),” Laidley confirmed on SEN WA Breakfast.

“We’ve been waiting until the documentary (Danielle Laidley: Two Tribes) came out because I was contracted for that.

“It’s been a passion of mine and I’ve sort of been ready for about 12 months and even actually for this AFLW season, I was asked to do a coaching role at one of the Melbourne teams. But I couldn’t because I was contracted for the doco.

“People have connected the dots, West Coast have got a position available and yes, I want to coach again.”

West Coast subsequently filled its position with former Melbourne AFLW star Daisy Pearce.

Laidley would join former Fitzroy men’s and Greater Western Sydney women’s coach Alan McConnell in having coached in both the senior men’s and women’s national leagues.

A 1996 premiership player with North Melbourne, Laidley was a foundation player with the Eagles.

She later coached as an assistant at Collingwood, Port Adelaide, St Kilda and the Blues, either side of a seven-year stint at the helm of the Roos. Under Laidley, the Roos made a preliminary final in 2007.

Originally published as Danielle Laidley closing in on coaching comeback, deep in contention for Western Bulldogs AFLW job