Updated ,first published
AFL premiership coaches John Longmire and Adam Simpson have both refused to declare if they want to coach Carlton, with both saying they need more time to gauge their desire to coach again at the top level.
A day after Michael Voss’ decision to depart the Blues – effective immediately – became public, the two coaching stalwarts said the circumstances of Voss’ departure meant it was too soon to put up their hands for his former job.
Ex-Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has not ruled himself out of the running for the role, either, but gave a ringing endorsement for 2012 Sydney premiership coach Longmire.
Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir, however, was emphatic – he won’t be making the switch to Carlton.
West Coast’s 2018 flag-winning coach Simpson, a part-time mentor and coaching consultant at the Blues, said his answer about Carlton’s vacant role “today is no”.
“I don’t know,” Simpson said on his and Longmire’s regular AFL 360 segment when pressed about the coaching question on Wednesday night.
“Today is ‘no’, but what is it like in 10, 14, 15 weeks?
“It’s weird to say because people think there’s an answer coming straight away, yes or no.
“I’m assuming there’s some career coaches out there who [would say], ‘I’m a career coach, I will do coaching ’til the day I die’.
“[But] there’s a bit more depth, I suppose, to our lives. And there’s a lot to work through.”
Similarly, when probed if he was ready to “entertain” a coaching return, Longmire said, “I don’t feel ready to answer that”.
The five-time AFL grand final coach, who stepped down after Sydney’s brutal 2024 grand final defeat to the Lions, added: “For me, it’s not a simple yes or no answer. It’s not about that.
“For me these things tend to become clear over a period of time.
“From my perspective, I’m happy to let that time play out.”
AFL 360 host Garry Lyon told Longmire it was inevitable Carlton would call him.
“I’m not into dealing with hypotheticals at the moment – I’m not interested in what may or may not happen down the track,” Longmire replied.
“I’ll just let time play [out].”
“I’m really comfortable saying that.”
Longmuir was asked on The Agenda Setters about Kane Cornes’ take that the Blues should chase him to replace Michael Voss.
Longmuir was emphatic on whether he’d entertain it.
“No,” he said.
“I’m very comfortable coaching Freo. I’m very comfortable with the contract I’ve got at the moment. I’m very comfortable with where it sits at the club – we all are. It’s a non-story from my point of view.”
Earlier, Hinkley did not rule himself out of the Blues’ role, while Collingwood coach Craig McRae said senior assistant Hayden Skipworth is ready to be a coach.
Hinkley told SEN on Wednesday that Longmire had all the attributes and experience to deliver the cultural overhaul needed at Carlton, although he acknowledged “everyone’s predicting a first-time coach” would get the job.
“I’d be fascinated if John Longmire wasn’t spoken about really deeply at Carlton because he’s such a good fit for cultural issues, and he’s provided that at Sydney,” Hinkley said.
“[He would provide] strong leadership, consistent behaviour, [he] demands high performance, and he has consistently led his team to the finals … he’s got a track record that says he can win, but that [Sydney] is a different list [to Carlton].”
Current Swans coach Dean Cox isn’t sure if such a swift return to senior coaching is on Longmire’s radar.
Cox’s predecessor has previously spoken about how much he enjoys his new role as Sydney’s executive director of club performance.
Swans chairman Andrew Pridham, meanwhile, joked in an interview on 3AW on Saturday – before Voss’ departure was confirmed – that he would not take Carlton’s call if they were to ring him with an inquiry about Longmire.
It seems inevitable that an approach will be made by the Blues, but not even Cox, his protege and successor, has a true read on Longmire’s ambitions – or at least not one he was prepared to share publicly.
“I haven’t spoken to him specifically about does he want to coach again,” Cox said earlier on Wednesday.
“Whether he’s got the passion and wants to jump back in, I’m not sure – but he’s a great coach and obviously a great football person as well. That’s a decision for him to make.”
Due to turn 60 at the end of this season, Hinkley is four years older than Longmire. He hinted that his age would be a factor to consider when weighing up the task of rebuilding Carlton following the departure of his former Power protege Voss on Tuesday.
“There’s a bit of work to be done on that list now, [speaking] from afar,” Hinkley said.
“My challenge is, I’m a much older person, so at 59 the sense I get is this is a longish build for Carlton.
“Now it’s harder for me to answer because people go straight away, ‘He wants to coach Carlton’ or ‘He doesn’t want to coach Carlton’. I’m not prepared to go black and white and say, ‘This is what I want to …’ There’s a lot more facts you would need to gather before you would make a decision.”
Skipworth, one of the most respected assistant coaches in the league, is expected to be approached by the Blues.
“His strategy is really good. His people management is really good. The way he owns a room. He’s really well-organised. He’s so curious. He is always bettering himself, constantly looking for a better way. He travels to better himself,” McRae said of Skipworth on Wednesday.
“He’s got a lot of experience now, [but] you’re never fully ready. You could never be fully ready for this job, unless you have done it before … yeah, I think based on what I see, Skip would be ready.”
Blues chief executive Graham Wright has great insight into Skipworth, 43, from their time together at Collingwood. Skipworth had been one of the leading contenders to replace Adam Simpson at West Coast, but was narrowly beaten to the job by Andrew McQualter.
The former Essendon and Adelaide player also spoke to Melbourne in September last year when the Demons were seeking a replacement for Simon Goodwin, but he withdrew on the eve of formal interviews.
Skipworth has long been viewed as a senior coach in waiting, McRae having publicly praised him for his tactical insights in the 2023 premiership year, and he ran most of the Magpies’ pre-season last summer when McRae had an extended break.
Hinkley said the Blues, under Voss, seemed incapable of playing “modern football for four quarters”.
Hinkley, a best-and-fairest winner at Geelong in 1992, coached Port Adelaide for 13 seasons from 2013-25, amassing 15 finals appearances from 297 games and winning 59 per cent of the matches.
His tenure overlapped with Longmire’s stint as Sydney coach (2011-2024), which netted the 2012 premiership for the Swans and wins from 63 per cent of the 333 games he coached.
Hinkley also nominated Simpson (West Coast 2014-24) and Nathan Buckley (Collingwood 2012-21) – who coached against each other in the 2018 grand final – as other tested coaches the Blues might consider.
However, Hinkley noted there is also a wealth of talented coaches presently working in assistant roles at clubs who are yet to be tried in a senior role but might ultimately have what the Blues are looking for.
Having previously said that he is a career coach presently trying a new profession in the media, Hinkley said anyone with serious coaching ambitions would take the opportunity to speak to the Blues about the vacancy, that will be filled in an interim capacity by assistant Josh Fraser.
Fraser led the club’s training session at Ikon Park on Wednesday, the day after Voss’ exit from the club.
With Vince Rugari
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Jon Pierik is a sports journalist at The Age. He covers AFL and has won awards for his cricket and basketball writing.Connect via X or email.
