AFL Round 11 Melbourne v Fremantle: Nathan Buckley returns to coaches box but rules out senior coach comeback

Nathan Buckley says his return to the coaches box has nothing to do with a potential senior coaching return and explained why he spent time with Fremantle.

Port Adelaide and Ken Hinkley have vowed not to move up an August timeline for his contract talks as Nathan Buckley emphatically shut down interest in Richmond’s vacant coaching role.

Damien Hardwick’s move from the coaching box to the couch has sparked frenzied debate about the coaching landscape.

Hinkley has told Port Adelaide’s hierarchy he will not pressure them into expediting any talks which are expected to be kickstarted in August.

The club stuck by Hinkley despite a 10-win season last year and he knocked back a long-term Essendon contract that could have handed him significant tenure.

So the parties have enough trust to proceed through to the start of August until they move towards re-contracting him again.

The Power are of the view that only weak clubs change their plans due to external pressure.

Former Collingwood coach Buckley spent the day in Fremantle’s coaching box during Saturday’s victory over Melbourne.

Buckley was emphatic on Fox Footy on Sunday that he had no interest in pursuing Richmond’s vacant position.

Richmond believes interim coach Andrew McQualter is ready to coach an AFL club so would not be surprised if he won what will be an extensive coaching search.

Nathan Buckley is embraced by Brayden Maynard after his last game as Collingwood coach.

The Tigers will consider the parameters of that search this week but McQualter, Justin Leppitsch, Adem Yze, Troy Chaplin and former premiership player Shaun Grigg will be among the contenders.

“How many different ways can you say no? How many different times can you say no? So we are putting two and two together and getting 101” Buckley said about stepping back into senior coaching.

“I am a no and I really enjoyed it. The connection between their coaches and plays are great and they are on a bit of a run.

“I spoke to ‘JL’ early in the year and I was over in Perth about five weeks ago with the intent of sitting in the coaching box. The timing wasn’t right. It was great to be able to get in with the coaching group and their pre and post-match meetings to get a sense of how they are going about it. And as a media person, to have that insight as well.

“I have got some notes to send back to the coaching group and James Clement who is on the board so they should be really well pleased with what they have been able to do in the last month.”

WHAT WAS BUCKS DOING IN FREO COACHES BOX?

Ed Bourke

Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir has sung the praises of former Demon Luke Jackson and says he invited Collingwood great Nathan Buckley into his box for feedback on his coaching.

Longmuir said Jackson was “super” for the Dockers with his efforts in several big moments as he fought Max Gawn and Brodie Grundy without his partner Sean Darcy, who will be sent for scans on a hamstring injury which forced him from the ground in the second quarter.

Nathan Buckley in Fremantle's coaches box on Saturday. Picture: Fox Footy

Buckley, his former boss at Collingwood, was in the Dockers’ coaches box at Longmuir’s request to provide feedback on his team’s match day operations.

“It came about mutually, it’s been in the pipelines for a while and this date fitted in really well,” Longmuir said.

“I’ll touch base with him during the week on what he thought of the day, and what he thought of our coaching set up and communication in the box … I was really keen for it to happen to help my coaching journey.

“He was keen for that side of it, but he works in the media, he wants to have a look at how we go about things and get a deeper understanding of how we’re trying to play and how some of our players operate.”

The sight of Buckley in the box caused a stir, with Fremantle quick to address the strange sight on social media during the first quarter.

“JL and Bucks have a relationship from their Collingwood days and Nathan was keen to see how things operate on game day,” the Dockers tweeted.

Buckley may have joined his friend in the box to add an extra dimension to his broadcasting with Fox Footy, but the move will no doubt set tongues wagging despite the 50-year-old ruling himself out of the vacant Richmond coaching gig last week.

Longmuir and Buckley together at Collingwood in 2019. Picture: Michael Dodge/Getty Images

Jackson had a quiet final term but was Fremantle’s most important player over the afternoon with 19 disposals, eight clearances and seven score involvements as he beat Grundy and his former teammate Gawn for impact around the ground.

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin said it was difficult to compare Jackson’s performance with his ruck duo because of their different styles, but acknowledged the “significant impact” of his former player.

Goodwin said the Demons’ efficiency in the forward half had frustrated him and cost them the game, with a slight clearance deficit without Clayton Oliver a secondary concern.

“We probably lost the battle in terms of clearance numbers on the inside,” Goodwin said.

“Obviously Luke played a pretty solid game … it’s one of those battles, they’re different types of ruckman, Gawny is a real hitout type ruckman that impacts aerially, Jacko is a follow-up type player.

“I thought the battle was pretty even in the end, but Jacko had a significant impact in the game.”

He said Gawn, who accumulated 35 hitouts but only notched one mark after halftime, was still some way off his best football a month after his return from injury.

“He’s still working his way back to ultimately his best form, he’s coming back from a pretty significant medial strain to his knee,” he said.

“We want all our players to take the lead to step up and get better, and I’m sure our skipper will do that.”

Originally published as AFL Round 11 Melbourne v Fremantle: Nathan Buckley returns to coaches box but rules out senior coach comeback