Nathan Buckley has refused to rule out putting his hand up as a candidate to be the inaugural coach of the AFL’s 19th team, the Tasmania Devils.
Buckley has not entertained the idea of a return to the coaches’ box since his departure from Collingwood in 2021, despite regular speculation around vacant jobs since then.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Nathan Buckley refuses to rule out new coaching gig.
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But the 2018 grand final coach was coy when asked on Monday about the prospect of being courted by the Devils ahead of their entrance into the competition within the next five years.
“Do you want to be the next coach of Tassie?” Buckley’s SEN co-host Kane Cornes asked on Monday morning.
Cheekily trying to change the subject, Buckley replied but refused to address the question directly.
“Tassie is a beautiful state, isn’t it?” a smiling and slightly embarrassed Buckley answered.
“Beautiful countryside. It’s at one with nature. There’s a lot that Tassie has going for it.”
Interjecting repeatedly and in a flash, Cornes wouldn’t drop it.
“So, is that a yes?” the Port Adelaide great pressed.
But Buckley wouldn’t budge.
“Still plenty to go under the bridge, I would’ve thought,’ Buckley said.
“Maybe you need to have more than a CEO to make decisions.”
Tasmania earlier this month announced the signing of famed Richmond boss Brendon Gale as its inaugural CEO.
Gale is the last senior leader standing from the Tigers’ their 2017, 2019 and 2020 premiership years after president Peggy O’Neal, coach Damien Hardwick and captain Trent Cotchin all departed in recent times.
Dustin Martin heads a list of several triple or dual premiership stars, including current captain Toby Nankervis, still at the club, which is otherwise undergoing significant change.
Once in the running to succeed ex-AFL boss Gillon McLachlan, Gale has already locked in a return to his home state of Tasmania as the Devils’ first chief executive.
He will see out the 2024 season at Punt Road before moving south to start with Tasmania next year.
“I have spent half my life at this club as an administrator and player. It is time for me to embark on a new challenge, and for the club to write the next chapter,” Gale said in a Richmond statement.
“I’ll remain absolutely focused on the job at hand for the coming months. It is an exciting and challenging period for us on and off the field.
“The breadth and depth of our leadership is a real feature of our club, and we are all getting on with the job at hand and that is where my energies will be focused.”
