Leave options open: Lynch
GOLD Coast are looking increasingly likely to sign an untested coach and AFL great Alastair Lynch says it won’t limit the winning candidate’s chances of success.
Former frontrunner Brad Scott has re-signed with North Melbourne, leaving assistant coaches John Barker (Carlton), Brett Ratten (Hawthorn) and Stuart Dew (Sydney) among the serious contenders left.
Ratten is the only one of the three with head coaching experience from his Carlton days.
The Suns recently dumped one of the most experienced coaches in the game in Rodney Eade and are now likely to become the next club to hire an experienced assistant.
Lynch, a three-time Brisbane premiership player and Fox Footy commentator, said the club didn’t need an already established head coach to finally find success, pointing to the efforts of Carlton coach Brendon Bolton and Adelaide Crows man Don Pyke.
“(Gold Coast) have to find the best candidate and support him with what he needs,” Lynch said.
“There are plenty of examples that clubs no longer demand the figurehead-type coach for branding.
“It’s handy but the priority is to find the best coach whether he has coached before or not.
“From everything we hear there are a lot of coaches that have been in the system for quite a while now looking for their chance.
“In the right environment they could do very well. If (Alastair) Clarkson or (Paul) Roos were available and they are proven as well then you would go down that path.
“Outside that I don’t think you would necessarily need a former senior coach.”
Gold Coast are on the cusp of announcing the coaching selection panel that will find Eade’s successor.
The group’s existence already points to the likelihood the Suns will select an untried coach. If Gold Coast were to poach an existing head coach they wouldn’t be fronting a panel to discuss credentials.
In other news the AFL Commission’s decision to delay the announcement of the expanded AFLW competition could help the Suns in their bid for a 2019 licence.
Melbourne clubs and even West Coast’s bids are understood to be the favourites to be given an AFLW team on the back of their established fan bases and commercial backing.
Gold Coast are outsiders but the AFL Commission’s desire to seek more information gives the Suns hope they will look beyond financial power.