Andrew McQualter one of the frontrunners for West Coast coaching job
After previously showing interest in Lions football manager Danny Daly as their next senior coach, West Coast have outlined a different role for him, as an ex-Tigers interim coach firms.
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West Coast will zero in on Brisbane Lions’ football manager Danny Daly as a new football director and head of coaching.
The Eagles had initially shown interest in Daly as a potential senior coach but have updated the role to help oversee the coaching department and football operations as part of a new senior job.
Daly is highly-rated for his management skills and football knowledge and has had previous stints at Collingwood, North Melbourne and Richmond before joining Brisbane in 2014.
Daly’s experience appeals to West Coast as he would likely help assist and guide a new young coach at West Coast after a series of knock backs from top candidates including Dean Cox, Ashley Hansen, Josh Carr and Jaymie Graham.
West Coast’s interest in Daly as a senior football boss comes as Melbourne assistant coach Andrew McQualter, 38, firms as one of the frontrunners to land the Eagles’ senior coaching job.
McQualter was beaten by Adem Yze for the Richmond coaching job last year but could yet take over from Adam Simpson as the Eagles’ new coach as part of a new era for the club.
McQualter has strong relationships with the Tigers’ playing group, including premiership midfielders Jack Graham and Liam Baker who the Eagles are trying to recruit.
Hard nut Graham could stay at Richmond, while versatile Baker also has an enticing offer from Fremantle which he is considering.
McQualter, who played 89 games for St Kilda and five matches for Gold Coast, enjoyed a stint as Richmond senior coach last year, winning seven of his 13 games in charge.
But he moved to take up a position on Melbourne’s assistant coaching staff after the Tigers opted for Yze who played a key role in the Demons’ 2021 premiership as midfield coach.
McQualter is highly rated in the football industry and received a strong endorsement from St Kilda coach Ross Lyon in the Richmond coach search process.
Yze faces a huge challenge steering a Richmond side next year which could lose star players Baker, Graham, Daniel Rioli and Shai Bolton.
The Tigers have told Gold Coast they do not want to part with Rioli, but talks will ramp up over the next couple of weeks.
The Eagles are ramping up their assessments of coaching candidates this week and could be in position to make an announcement by the preliminary final in a fortnight.
It would allow the new coach to sit with recruiting targets such as Graham and Baker in Grand Final week before the free agency window and trade period opens the following week.
The new coach will help devise a new football strategy and will play a key role in the club’s desire to re-sign Harley Reid in the face of enormous interest and potential mega 10-year offers from Victorian clubs.
The Eagles’ recruiting mission would be hurt if the club does not have a senior coach in place for the start of this year’s trade period, but West Coast is confident they will have their person by then.
Other candidates include Geelong’s Steven King, Western Bulldogs’ Brendon Lade and GWS Giants’ assistant Brett Montgomery.
Daly has parked all conversations with the Eagles until the end of Brisbane’s finals campaign to allow him to concentrate on helping the Lions go deep in September.
The club is comfortable with Daly’s decision to put aside a decision on his future until next month.
Collingwood is also looking for a new football manager and has been linked to Port Adelaide’s Chris Davies.
Daly would need to be replaced at Brisbane in the event he accepts the senior job as part of a restricted football department at West Coast.
Daly has been football boss at Brisbane, helping serve as Chris Fagan’s right-hand man, since 2020.
Originally published as Andrew McQualter one of the frontrunners for West Coast coaching job
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