Melbourne assistant coach Adem Yze will be waiting by the phone over the coming weeks to hear from Richmond on their coaching search while also balancing a premiership push with the Demons this month.
Yze is among the final few candidates in the running to succeed former Tigers mentor Damien Hardwick at Punt Road, with recent interim coach Andrew McQualter, ex-Richmond captain Chris Newman and Tigers assistant Xavier Clarke said to be among the last four candidates.
The Demons assistant has entered a third coaching search process in two years, having also run for recent vacancies at GWS and Essendon, which saw Adam Kingsley and Brad Scott land senior roles respectively.
Currently in pursuit of a premiership with Melbourne under Simon Goodwin, Yze was able to use the recent pre-finals bye week to hold formal discussions with Richmond's search committee as the Tigers look to come to a final decision and appoint their next senior coach.
The Demons assistant and club great's role in Richmond's search has reached its end, with Yze now playing the waiting game to hear whether he was successful in securing his maiden head coaching role or not.
Yze is expected to be made aware of a decision from the Tigers in "the next couple of weeks", as further interviews and moves take place.
"The week leading into the finals helps. Richmond were terrific, they allowed me to wait for that week," Yze told SENย of the process with the Tigers.
"We had a few days off, so I could put my head into that for a couple of days and sort of really set myself for that meeting and then from there, it just moved on to our final.
"The process is ongoing, but my part of it's been done. I spoke to them last week, they said within the next couple of weeks (a decision will be made). There's no rush with that."
Melbourne's post-season run commences with a Qualifying Final meeting with minor premiers Collingwood on Thursday night, which Yze has managed to place his attention toward following his discussions with Richmond.
Yze has been with Melbourne for three seasons, having joined the Demons from Hawthorn after six years at Waverley.
The Demons would snap their premiership drought in Yze's first year beside Goodwin, while 2022 would see the pair both take on leading roles in the coaches box and at ground level respectively.
Yze brings with him almost three decades of AFL experience, having started his playing career in the red and blue in 1995.
