West Coast Eagles

Five potential candidates for the West Coast AFL senior coaching job

Who might succeed Adam Simpson at the Eagles?

Published by
Mitch Keating

Adam Simpson's successful 11-year tenure with West Coast has officially come to an end, with the Eagles and their premiership coach parting ways on Tuesday.

Now set to start a search for the seventh senior coach in their history, the Western Australian giants won't be short of options moving forward.

Currently in a phase of development and in need of a coach who can help nurture the extensive crop of young Eagles - a group that includes the rousing Harley Reid - for the long haul, West Coast will meticulously manoeuvre their way through a long-winded process to find their new man.

Could Simpson's replacement be a name quite familiar to the club, or even currently employed in the royal blue and gold?

We've named five potential candidates for the now-vacant West Coast senior coaching position.

Jarrad Schofield

Perhaps the top-rated assistant to Simpson, Schofield is sure to be considered by the club as their next coach.

The former West Coast, Port Adelaide and Fremantle player held an assistant role with the Power before joining Simpson's team, and also had positions with WAFL clubs Claremont and Subiaco, with Schofield leading the latter to three premierships at the League level.

Schofield returned to the Eagles' nest ahead of the 2022 season as the club's strategy and stoppage coach and is now leading the club's midfield unit, with the 49-year-old to take on the caretaker role for the remainder of the current season.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA - MAY 28: Jarrad Schofield, Strategy & Stoppages Coach of the Eagles talks to the team during the 2022 AFL Round 11 match between the West Coast Eagles and the Western Bulldogs at Optus Stadium on May 28, 2022 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

The dress rehearsal could do his chances of attaining the full-time role some good, with expectations already quite low for the Perth powerhouse.

Former Essendon coach Matthew Knights is another current Eagles assistant who could be considered for the job.

Jaymie Graham

Has been tied to numerous recent coaching vacancies and already has experience as a senior coach with West Coast, albeit as a short-term caretaker.

The current Dockers assistant took charge of the Eagles' side in Simpson's absence early in the 2018 season, with the crafty deputy playing an integral role in the club's premiership successes later that season.

Graham made the crosstown switch to Fremantle after the 2021 season and again added to his senior coaching record after filling in for Justin Longmuir during his first season as the senior coach was absent due to COVID.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 03: Jaymie Graham, stand-in coach of the Dockers speaks to the team at the three-quarter time break during the 2022 AFL Round 03 match between the West Coast Eagles and the Fremantle Dockers at Optus Stadium on April 03, 2022 In Perth, Australia. (Photo by Will Russell/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

During his time with both the Eagles and Dockers, Graham has been linked with several coaching searches in the AFL, including the role at Collingwood that eventually went to Craig McRae.

Graham was also considered for the senior job at North Melbourne to replace Rhyce Shaw at the back end of 2020.

Dean Cox

The West Coast great has built a strong CV as John Longmire's right-hand man and is sure to be in the sights of the Eagles as they start their search for Simspon's successor.

Cox has been with the Swans since the end of 2017, moving from the Eagles to New South Wales to further his coaching career.

The Hall of Famer was a part-time ruck coach during his final term with the Eagles before his retirement in 2014, with Cox stepping into a full-time role for the three following years.

Dean Cox

Viewed as the man who could one day replace Longmire's reign with the Swans, Cox could fastrack his journey to a top job should the West Coast come calling.

Cox played 290 games for the Eagles across 14 years with the club, retiring at the time as West Coast's all-time games record holder.

Ash Hansen

Viewed as one of the leading assistants in the land, Hansen is another former Eagles player and a member of the club's 2006 premiership side.

The 41-year-old added further success in his post-career as coach of VFL club Footscray, leading the Bulldogs to the 2016 flag while supporting the Western Bulldogs' premiership run the same year.

Hansen spent nine years at Whitten Oval before moving to Carlton under coach Michael Voss, taking on the role of forward line and offensive coach at the cessation of the 2021 season.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 24: Ashley Hansen, Senior Assistant Coach of the Blues addresses his players during the 2022 AFL Round 02 match between the Western Bulldogs and the Carlton Blues at Marvel Stadium on March 24, 2022, In Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Ahead of the current season, Hansen was promoted to the role of senior assistant to lead the club's gameday tactics from the coaching box as Voss instructs his men from the interchange.

Hansen is another assistant who filled in for his senior coach in a one-off game due to COVID, with the former Eagles forward claiming a 12-point win over the Western Bulldogs in Round 2 of the 2022 season.

Don Pyke

Certainly, a left-field option for West Coast to consider, but Pyke would be one of the leading coaching options available.

A clear caveat is whether Pyke wants to step back into a senior coaching role, having taken on the job as CEO of the Eagles ahead of this season.

Pyke spent four years as Adelaide's senior coach and took the club to the 2017 grand final, with the two-time West Coast premiership player amassing a win rate of 60.75% of his 93 games in charge of the Crows.

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 12: Don Pyke speaks to the media during an Adelaide Crows AFL press conference at West Lakes on September 12, 2019, in Adelaide, Australia. Adelaide coach Don Pyke stepped down earlier today amid the Adelaide Crows end-of-season review. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)

Following his departure from West Lakes in 2019, Pyke worked with Sydney as an assistant coach before returning to the Eagles.

Pyke spoke with Essendon in the wake of the Bombers' sacking of Ben Rutten in 2022 but eventually decided against pursuing the vacancy.

Published by
Mitch Keating