Former Sydney premiership coach John Longmire has emerged as the early frontrunner to replace Simon Goodwin as Melbourne coach – if the Demons can convince him to seek the top job.

In the wake of Goodwin’s abrupt axing amid a frustrating season for the 2021 premiers, former Demons captain Garry Lyon said the embattled club must be clear on whether they are contending or rebuilding, otherwise certain candidates will not be interested.

Early reports have indicated that the Dees are keenest on someone with senior coaching experience, with a list of candidates including Longmire, former West Coast coach Adam Simpson, soon-to-be-ex-Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley, and former coaches turned media commentators Nathan Buckley and James Hird.

According to Fox Footy, though, Longmire, who resigned from the Swans after their humbling 2024 grand final loss to Brisbane after 333 games at the helm including the 2012 premiership, is the Melbourne board’s ideal choice.

Longmire, though, is currently working as executive director of club performance at the Swans overseeing successor Dean Cox, while he also appears regularly on Fox Footy show AFL 360.

However, Lyon, a prominent AFL commentator, believes going for experience might not be the answer.

“I don’t think you’d rule anything in or out,” Lyon said on AFL 360 on Tuesday.

“If you rule in or out, you miss out on (Chris) Fagan, you miss out on the first-year (Craig) McRae or miss out on someone having a second go at it.

“It’s a really hard one.”

John Longmire is the early frontrunner to coach Melbourne in 2025. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Lyon was also not sure he agreed with interim president Brad Green and Goodwin, who think Melbourne can still contend again soon.

“If you’re selling the wrong message to a coach, the smart coach is saying ‘Why would I go to that group, where the expectation is so out of alignment (with) where the list is at?” Lyon said.

“They’re in transition and flux.”

The Demons became the first AFL club to axe their senior coach this year, just three games before the end of the home and away season.

After an equally disappointing campaign to Melbourne’s, Carlton will consider acting on their under-fire coach Michael Voss.

The Blues have made it clear Voss is safe until the end of the season, but he is no guarantee to see out the final year of his contract in 2026.

Simpson was sacked by West Coast last year, following a painful final three seasons in charge.

But Simpson did lead the Eagles to the 2018 premiership, as well as taking them to a losing grand final in just his second season.

Former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley has also been working in the media since leaving the Magpies in 2021, but has never ruled out a return to clubland.

Then there is 58-year-old Hinkley, who is three games away from handing over the Port Adelaide coaching job to Josh Carr as part of a succession plan.

Melbourne assistant Troy Chaplin will be interim coach for the final three games of the season, but would be unlikely to win the role full-time.

Green was determined not to immediately address Melbourne’s search for their next coach, after the board on Monday night decided to sack Goodwin.

Goodwin, the former dual premiership Adelaide champion, graciously attended the press conference to talk about his sacking, with a year to run on his contract.

A deflated and disappointed Goodwin sat next to Green in the media centre at the MCG.

When asked multiple questions about Melbourne’s future coaching plans, Green refused to comment out of respect for Goodwin.

“I’m not going to sit here and speculate and speak about that while Simon’s here,” Green said.

“We still believe we’ve got a list that we should be playing finals.”

(with AAP)

Player unrest rumours grow as Pies pair linked with trades

Rumours of player unrest are swirling at Collingwood, with a series of stars either linked directly to trades elsewhere or reportedly unhappy with their current contract offers.

The Magpies surrendered top spot with their loss to Brisbane on Saturday night, and having lost three of their last four matches are in real danger of missing out on a top-four berth.

Adding to their issues, star forward Jamie Elliott, who has 48 goals in 20 games to comfortably lead the Pies’ goalkicking, is reportedly weighing up a move to Gold Coast at season’s end, when he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

Jamie Elliott. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

According to SEN‘s Sam Edmund, the 32-year old has a two-year contract offer on the table from the Pies, but a move north holds interest for the once-injury-prone goalsneak.

Pressure forward Beau McCreery is another Pie linked to a trade to the Suns, but he has two years left to run on his contract, allowing the club to retain him should they wish to.

Of more concern might be veterans reportedly unhappy with both the size of the contracts offered to them by the Magpies, as well as the club’s willingness to splash cash on big-money recruits in recent seasons, with Carlton’s Jack Silvagni potentially adding to that haul.

“Everyone out there is aware of the fact there are some cranky Pies,” News Corp reporter Jon Ralph said on Fox Footy’s Midweek Tackle.

Most susceptible are ruckman Darcy Cameron and key forward Brody Mihocek, with the former linked to a trade to West Coast amid negotiations to extend his current deal at the Magpies, and the latter unhappy with a one-year contract currently offered.