Buckley not eyeing off Suns vacancy
COLLINGWOOD coach Nathan Buckley says he hasn’t looked at the vacant position on the Gold Coast, should things not work out at the Magpies.
Buckley is out of contract at season’s end, with some suggesting he could be targeted by the Suns after they decided to part ways with Rodney Eade after three seasons.
However, the Magpie leader says he hasn’t considered a move north.
“I’m fully focused on this week and this is where I want to be,” he said.
“That decision will come to bear in good time. I’m not looking over the fence at all.
“Nothing surprises me with the media and making connections that aren’t there.
“I’d rather deal with what I can impact right here, right now.”
Buckley said that, in considering his future, career was third on his priority list.
“It goes family, friends, career,” he said.
“My future is about being the best dad I can be, the best husband I can be and contributing in the environment I am in. “That is my future.” The man charged with filling the void at the Suns in the interim, Dean Solomon, said he had aspirations to “one day” become a full-time senior coach.
But the Essendon premiership defender would not confirm whether he was putting his hand up for 2018 and beyond at the Suns.
“I think one day is a good point, at some stage,” said Solomon, who has been an assistant on the Gold Coast since the club’s entry into the AFL in 2011, firstly under Guy McKenna and then Eade.
“But I’m in no rush, just continuing to develop. It’s someone else’s decision if you’re ready or not.
“If the opportunity arises in the future, six months or six years, I’ll look at it then.”
It will be a baptism by fire for Solomon in tomorrow’s QClash, with a host of stars missing.
The latest will be Gary Ablett, who has withdrawn with a hamstring strain. He joins players such as Tom Lynch on the sidelines.
“I just spoke to him (Ablett) and he is keen to push hard to play next week,” Solomon said.
“His attitude has been amazing in the last 24-48 hours ... he was taking drills yesterday and will be up supporting the team and I want to lean on him to educate our players at half-time and after the game.”
Solomon said he did not want his side simply playing out the season, hoping it can be competitive in its final three games.
“We are going to simplify a lot of things, but we aren’t just going to rock up to games to be there,” he said.
“We want to push the envelope and get a couple of wins against our name.”