The immediate resignation of Sydney coach John Longmire has thrown a spanner in the works that has Tasmania Devils powerbrokers licking their lips.
Longmire's shock call to take a step back and transition into a newly minted role: executive director - club performance, and ultimately hand the keys to Dean Cox has sent shockwaves through the AFL.
The 53-year-old flagged the need to "rest, reflect and regenerate", with many expecting the 1999 premiership player to return to the coaching fold in due course.
The question is, where would that be?
The Devils immediately spring to mind as the perfect candidate to secure Longmire's services.
The AFL's newest club will likely lock onto its new coach in the next 12 to 24 months, with Tasmania CEO Brendan Gale likely to aim at some of the game's biggest names.
Taking a look at the blueprint for the expansive northern clubs, the Devils would likely mimic the blueprint of the GWS model, steering clear of what Gold Coast did initially.
Guy McKenna was put in charge of the Suns as an untried leader, whilst AFL legend Kevin Sheedy was tasked with getting the Giants off the ground.
Parallel to Longmire's potential enticement by the Devils would be sounding out fellow long-term coaches Adam Simpson and Nathan Buckley.
The pair were successful coaches in the modern era, taking their respective sides to the promised land more often than not.
Simpson recently departed West Coast after 11 seasons and could renew his coaching interest after spending a few years out of the chair.
As for Buckley, 10 years at Collingwood will have him primed for the Devils job despite sitting on the sidelines since halfway through 2021.
However, Longmire's resignation, as well as the prospective availabilities of Simpson and Buckley, could have current coaches squirming in their seats.
The cut-throat style of the AFL competition demands success, and anything less than a premiership is likely to be deemed a failure in the eyes of many.
Multiple clubs could be swindled into making a premature change at the coaching helm, given the accessibility to some of the modern greats.
Fremantle, Western Bulldogs, Melbourne and Adelaide will be watched closely throughout 2025 as clubs expected to perform.
The Dockers won a final in 2022, with all signs pointing to consistent September action, only to be underwhelming in the following 24 months.
Longmuir is contracted until the end of 2025.
Similar to the Bulldogs and Crows, who have shown glimpses of top-four characteristics only to fall well short of what expectations are thrust upon them.
Luke Beveridge has one more year on his deal, while Matthew Nicks has committed to the club until the end of 2026.
And then there's the Demons, who have been in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
It would feel wrong to dismiss Simon Goodwin after his 2021 premiership victory and subsequent pair of top-four finishes before bowing out this year. But the off-field drama has already seen key figureheads out the door, with the results of 2025 potentially putting Goodwin, who is contracted for the next two years, on the chopping block.
Then there's the peculiar narrative of Port Adelaide and Ken Hinkley, who's got 12 months left in the top job, although Josh Carr appears to be waiting.
Hinkley has frequently denied all odds - and critics - by leading his club to the penultimate weekend on many occasions, only to be downed by a stronger team.
Longmire's resignation doesn't necessarily mean any of these clubs will jump at the chance to land an accomplished coach, however, it didn't stop St Kilda, Essendon and North Melbourne.
