‘This is on’: Ex-Swans boss John Longmire linked to bombshell AFL coaching comeback

There have reportedly been “high-level discussions” regarding a return to senior coaching for Sydney premiership mentor John Longmire.

There have reportedly been “high-level discussions” regarding a return to senior coaching for Sydney premiership mentor John Longmire.

The 54-year-old stepped down as Swans coach following last year’s grand final loss after 14 fruitful years in the top job, having guided the Bloods to a premiership and five grand final appearances.

Now an executive director of club performance at Sydney, Longmire led the club to 10 campaigns of 14-plus wins and owns a career 63 per cent winning clip.

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And while he appears to be enjoying his time out of the coaching game, including making weekly appearances on Fox Footy’s AFL 360, Longmire remains a wanted man in the footy coaching landscape.

“There (are) clubs looking at this situation very closely, that John Longmire is attainable,” journalist Sam McClure told Nine’s Footy Classified.

John Longmire could be set for a coaching return. Image: Getty

“There’s the Tasmania project, which is going to be a long-term project — we know that, no matter if and when they come in — you’ve got sides like Carlton and Melbourne, who are holding off the vultures at the moment, given recent form.

“You’ve got his old side, North Melbourne, who have won 16 games in the past five years and are second-last on the ladder. His record is unbelievable.”

Across 14 seasons, Longmire astonishingly took the Swans to the finals in 12 of them.

“There are teams that would give their left arms for that sort of record … I know for a fact at least one club has had high-level discussions around his availability,” McClure revealed.

John Longmire stepped down as Swans coach at the end of the 2024 season. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)

“This is on, now. There is a race that is beginning for John Longmire. And I know that there are some teams that are of the opinion that usually the older premiership coaches — once you get them back in — don’t go as well, and there’s a history of that.

“(But) he’s going to have offers. He’s going to have extreme interest (from clubs).

“I’m not going to say which club it is, but I think (that information) will come to fruition later in the year, and I don’t think it’s just going to be one club that is looking at John Longmire.”

The league’s incoming 19th club, the Tasmania Devils, are in need of a senior coach, and Longmire earlier this month didn’t deny an eventual return to an AFL hot seat when posed the question by The Age’s Vince Rugari.

Originally published as ‘This is on’: Ex-Swans boss John Longmire linked to bombshell AFL coaching comeback