‘Serious candidate’: Nathan Buckley meets with North Melbourne over senior coach role

Former Collingwood boss Nathan Buckley is a “serious candidate” to become the next coach of North Melbourne.

The 54-year-old had a coffee catch-up with Kangaroos footy boss Todd Viney on Wednesday, reports Seven’s Tom Morris.

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The news comes as North Melbourne champions and premiership coaches Adam Simpson and John Longmire confirmed they would not enter the club’s coaching search.

It has been widely reported the Kangaroos were after a first-time coach, and SEN reported this week Viney told Simpson “second-time coaches don’t work” during an early chat.

“I get the sense I might not be what they’re looking for, I suppose, or if I’m gonna go through the process, I might prove them wrong a little bit that, perhaps, there’s a first timer out there that can grow with the club and the team, not that they said that directly,” Simpson said on SEN over the weekend.

Buckley led the Magpies for 218 matches, winning 54.13% of them and qualifying for one Grand Final (2018).

But the difference between him and Simpson and Longmire is his current role as a Geelong assistant coach.

“The former Collingwood coach has emerged as a serious candidate to take the North Melbourne vacant coaching job,” Morris said on Seven News.

“The Kangaroos footy boss Todd Viney caught up with Nathan Buckley this morning for coffee.

“North offered Bucks a four-year deal back in 2009 before he took over the Collingwood gig.

“Close confidants of Buckley tell me he’s eager to explore the role, and he’s been doing work on the list and the club for some time.”

Current assistants like Jaymie Graham - who ran second for the Carlton job - and Xavier Clarke are among the reported other contenders.

The Kangaroos’ coaching selection panel features Jennifer Watt (club CEO), Todd Viney (GM of Football), Andrew Swallow (Club Director and former club captain), Darren Crocker (Senior AFLW Coach and premiership player), Nick Dowling (Vice President) and Steele Sidebottom (recently retired Magpie).

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