Nathan Buckley has addressed the rumours linking him to the vacant Melbourne coaching job, after the Demons sacked Simon Goodwin on Monday night.
In the aftermath of Melbourne’s decision, Buckley has been one of the most heavily rumoured figures to potentially be of interest to the Demons.
In one of his usual radio appearances with SEN host Gerard Whateley, Buckley gave his first thoughts on the idea of returning to the coaches’ box.
“I’ve spoken about the fact that I really enjoy my life and the balance that I have at the moment,” he said.
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“It would need to be something quite compelling to leave this.
“The (Tasmanian) Devils timeline was good because it was… on the horizon. This one’s a little bit sharper.
“I would take the call and I would have a chat. There’d still be a lot that would have to fall into place for me to leave this position of comfort that I’ve discovered.”
Buckley previously coached Collingwood from 2012-2021, experiencing the highs and lows as he led the Pies through both a rebuild, and all the way to a Grand Final.
Buckley’s last year at the helm coincided with Melbourne’s drought-breaking premiership, in which his Pies became the only team the Dees failed to beat that year.
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Since departing Collingwood, the 53-year-old has embarked on a successful media career as both an analyst and a commentator.
But he has always been heavily rumoured to return to the coaching ranks one day, with many expecting him to be first in line to be the inaugural coach of the Tasmanian Devils, when they eventually enter the competition.
When it was suggested in May that he would potentially take the top job in Tasmania, Buckley acknowledged that there was a “chance” he would return to coaching, telling SEN, “That coaching bug is still there.”
Buckley is one of a number of former coaches that Melbourne are expected to entertain, with John Longmire, Adam Simpson and James Hird also being raised as competition for the role.