Gold Coast on Tuesday officially joined Richmond as the second club to have a coaching opening for 2024 after parting ways with Stuart Dew after five and a half seasons.
All indications are that Gold Coast has its sights firmly set on triple-premiership coach Damien Hardwick, but there’s a pool of other contenders who’ll be in the running.
Foxfooty.com.au profiles 17 candidates – both former senior coaches and gun assistants ready to take the next step – should look at as part of their search.
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DAMIEN HARDWICK
The short-priced favourite, and rightfully so. Hardwick is clearly the most qualified candidate on the market and arguably the greatest coach of the modern era, with the triple premiership boss to be highly sought after by Gold Coast — and any club for that matter that might be on the lookout for a new coach. There’s a view that Dew was the right person to help guide the Suns to their current position, but the club needed a more experienced and credentialed coach to take it to the next level — a description Hardwick fits and then some. Hardwick even admitted last month he already ‘misses’ coaching mere weeks after his shock-mid season resignation from the Tigers to further fuel speculation he’s a near certainty to return the caper in 2023. You sense it’s just a matter of where, and the Suns have the only vacancy right now outside of his former side.
KEN HINKLEY
Until Ken Hinkley signs on the dotted line at the Power for 2024 (which, admittedly, feels like a forgone conclusion), he simply has to be considered a contender for other vacancies that come up. The long-time Port Adelaide boss was even linked to the Suns role last month and served as an assistant at the club prior to taking over the top job at Alberton. The 56-year old is arguably coaching as well as he ever has too, having guided the Power to a club record 12th-staight wins in perhaps the veteran mentor’s best chance yet lead them to a flag.
Suns CEO discusses ‘disappointed’ Dew | 01:12
CHRIS SCOTT
Scott is another name that, may feel like more of a pipe dream at this stage, but shouldn’t be ruled out. Even though he’s not out of contract until the end of next season, the dual premiership winning Cats coach is reportedly being circled by clubs, according to AFL journalist Jay Clark. One of the best coaches in the competition — and the reigning premiership coach — the Suns would be negligent not to at least ask the question. He feels settled at Geelong, but after two flags and the club now in something of a regeneration phase, he may look for another challenge.
DON PYKE
If the Suns do indeed want an experienced campaigner, as you’d expect, Pyke is likely one of the first calls they’d make. Pyke is among the most experienced coaches on the market. The former Crows boss and current Swans assistant has even previously admitted the proposition of being a senior coach again was enticing, although he did pull out of the running for Collingwood’s vacancy in late 2021 due to family reasons. Does he have the fire in the belly again? The 54-year old did of course help transform Adelaide into a powerhouse during his run at West Lakes and he’s been praised for his impact at the Swans since joining the club last year.
Touk Miller reacts to Dew sacking | 01:14
LEON CAMERON
In a similar mould to Pyke, the experienced Cameron old led fellow expansion club GWS during its most successful eras over eight-and-a-half-seasons including guiding the team to two to preliminary finals and a grand final. After departing the Giants last year, Cameron has remained in Sydney, where he’s linked up with the Swans’ academy. But after only a little over 12 months out of the game, he might take some convincing to get him to return to the hot seat.
STEVEN KING
No candidate is better placed to audition for the role in real time, with King to serve as interim coach for the remainder of 2023. Appointed to the Suns’ coaching team at the end of 2021 as a senior assistant after a stint at the Western Bulldogs, King also served as Geelong skipper during his playing days from 2003-2006. He ticks a lot of boxes in that regard, but would the club be willing to go for another untried coach? No matter, King has a golden opportunity to show his worth.
JUSTIN LEPPITSCH
Another former senior coach who’s since had successful stops as an assistant under Damien Hardwick at Richmond, where he was part of its golden run of three flags in four years, and under Craig McRae Collingwood, where he’s been widely praised for helping the club shoot back up to the top of the ladder. From that perspective, the triple premiership Lions defender has ample experience in a variety of roles, while he had interest from Carlton in 2021 before the Blues hired Michael Voss.
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ADEM YZE
One of the highest-rated assistant coaches going around that’s been in contention for several roles including coming close to landing the Giants and Essendon jobs before narrowly falling short. You sense it’s only a matter of time before Yze gets a crack at senior coaching, but this might be one of the best field of candidates he’s competed against in some time (even though the likes of Alastair Clarkson and Ross Lyon were available last year).
JOSH CARR
If Hinkley, as expected, signs on at Port Adelaide, where does that leave Carr? Returning to Port Adelaide after a stint at the Dockers, Carr had been viewed as Hinkley’s successor if the long-time coach departed the club in 2023. But with Hinkley still clearly the man at Alberton, Carr would likely need to look elsewhere to get a senior opportunity. That could well come at the Suns, who should cast their net far and wide, even if they prefer a more experienced head.
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SCOTT BURNS
Burns has one of the most extensive resumes of any coaching assistant, having worked at the Crows over the last three seasons after stops at Collingwood, Hawthorn and West Coast. The 48-year old has been widely seen as a senior coach in waiting for some time, but has been pipped by others in several openings including narrowly missing out on the Crows job in 2011 when they went for Brenton Sanderson. He’ll surely be in the running.
THE OTHERS
Other highly-rated assistants to keep an eye on are Fremantle’s Jaymie Graham, who’s been linked to several other job openings previously,Essendon’s Blake Caracella, Carlton’s Ash Hansen, Essendon’s Daniel Giansiracusa and Sydney’s Dean Cox. While none have senior coaching experience, it’d come as no great shock if any were on the short list. Meanwhile Richmond duo David Teague and Ben Rutten have spent time in the hot seat at Carlton and Essendon respectively as other potential candidates.
