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Talks progressing well between GWS and Demons assistant Adem Yze

Simon Goodwin’s right-hand man is in contention for a senior coaching vacancy.

Published by
Mitch Keating

Melbourne assistant Adem Yze is feeling "really comfortable" with where things stand following his most recent interview with the GWS Giants, with the highly-rated assistant in the running for the current senior coaching vacancy.

Yze is among several assistant coaches that have been linked to the position, including Richmond's Adam Kingsley, Sydney's Don Pyke and Essendon's Daniel Giansiracusa, while Carlton assistant Ashley Hansen is understood to be out of the race.

GWS caretaker coach Mark McVeigh is also in the process, with the former Bomber to be given a chance to present to the club at season's end.

McVeigh has led the Giants since Leon Cameron's departure in May, recording a win-loss rate of three and seven since stepping into the interim role.

The Gaints' struggles since Cameron's resignation are unlikely to have strengthened McVeigh's bid for the full-time role, seeing the likes of Yze increase his chances to earn his maiden senior coaching role.

Following his most recent discussion with the New South Wales club, Yze told RSN talks have progressed well between the two parties while the Demons assistant continues to work alongside Melbourne senior coach Simon Goodwin amid a push for a second successive premiership.

"Terrific," Yze said of how he saw his most recent interview with the Giants. "They've given me some time based on the fact that I've still got a job to do at the Demons and working out where that fits.

"I've presented and felt really comfortable with the way I presented. We're just waiting to see how those things come to fruition in the next few weeks."

Yze returned to the Demons at the end of the 2020 season after a stellar six-year tenure at Hawthorn, having replaced Luke Beveridge as the Hawks' backline coach amid a decorated period for the club.

The 44-year-old has since built a sturdy coaching CV, admitting he feels "ready" for the next step in his career.

"I'm trying to get better every year as a coach," he said.

"Being able to change roles, I think has been really important for me. I had the luxury of coaching all different lines and then had an opportunity to coach a strategy role where I didn't have a line and sort of oversaw all three lines and had a gameday role where I felt like I was in the passenger seat.

"I think that's the main thing. One, personally, I try and improve every year, and two, having that diversity in changing every couple of years and trying something different."

"I feel like I've been in the system long enough and as I said, there's roles within the last three or four years I've felt like I've been in the passenger seat and the role that I've got at the Demons I feel like I'm in the driver's seat based on the fact that 'Goody' coaches down on the bench.

"There are things outside of that that I haven't had a lot of exposure to, and that's something you can't get a feel on until you're in that seat.

"I do feel like I'm ready to coach and like I said, I love what I'm doing in my role at the moment. So if it doesn't happen this year, I'm not too fussed and hopefully it might happen in the future."

There is some competition from his former mentor and four-time premiership coach Alastair Clarkson for the GWS job, with the ex-Hawthorn coach believed to have met with the Giants on multiple occasions and would likely be seen as the club's No.1 priority.

Clarkson has been closely tied to both the Giants and Kangaroos jobs, with the latter seen as a likely landing spot for mastermind mentor.

Published by
Mitch Keating