Buckley ‘threw the toys out of the cot’ after Devils snub
AFL legend Nathan Buckley admits he was surprised and devastated to miss out on the Tassie Devils coaching role, after being beaten to the job by Ken Hinkley on Monday.
Hinkley, 59, beat out Buckley and former Swans premiership winning coach John Longmire to the position with the AFL’s newest team, which is scheduled to enter the competition in 2028.
Nathan Buckley speaks on Fox Footy. Fox Footy
Buckley missed a phone call from Devils CEO Brendon Gale on Sunday and then received a text message informing him he had missed out.
The 53-year-old previously coached Collingwood for nine seasons, taking the Magpies to the 2018 AFL grand final.
He says while he was angry at the snub, he is now focused on his job as assistant coach with Geelong.
“I was committed to that [the Tasmania job]. And that [ambition] ended a day ago,” Buckley said on Fox Footy on Monday night.
“I went home, kicked the dog, threw the toys out of the cot, and then woke up this morning and went to my job at Geelong. I think it’s taken me a little bit of time to reflect because I was really keen on it. I was in on it.
“I texted back [to Gale] that ‘I’m disappointed, but thanks for letting me know’. And I’ll come back around and touch base in time [with Tasmania, for some feedback] because it’s obviously a busy time for the Devils.
“Obviously Kenny is the right fit for Tassie. Good luck to them all, and I hope that that goes really well. I’m sure that they’ll be a great fit.”
Buckley said he only began assistant coaching with the Cats because he was hoping to land the Devils job. He isn’t interested in coaching Carlton or Essendon - the two remaining vacant roles for next year - and hinted he may return to a full-time media role once his duties with Geelong finish.
Hinkley presented to the Devils board on Sunday and the club on Monday announced his appointment.
“We conducted a thorough and complete process to get us to this significant announcement,” Devils chairman Grant O’Brien said in a statement.
“We didn’t set out to find the candidate with the single best win-loss record in this process, we set out to find the right coach for exactly what Tasmania needs right now.
Ken Hinkley AFL Photos via Getty Images
“Ken’s ability to build relationships with young players, and to build an environment that people want to be part of is exceptional, it is the number one reason we believe he is the right fit for this club.
“We are building a list, a program and a club from the ground up, largely with young and developing talent.
“That demands a head coach who is, first and foremost, a brilliant teacher and a builder of people, and that is exactly what Ken is.”
The 59-year-old had long been a target for the AFL’s newest expansion team, with fellow candidates Buckley and Longmire informed of his appointment on Sunday.
Hinkley had previously overseen Port Adelaide, guiding the team from 2013 until he eventually stepped aside from his duties last season.
He won 174 of his 297 games while with the Power, but never managed to get the team past the preliminary finals.
He was twice named the AFL coaches association’s Coach of the Year.
“The responsibility to lead Tasmania’s entry into the AFL is something very special, it excites me,” Hinkley said on Monday.
“There will be many ups and downs, and challenges that lie ahead, including the build of our football department, but I have unique and directly relevant experience to take these on alongside the broader football club.
“Tasmania is a proud football state, and I can’t wait to get to know the players, staff, partners and community who have, and will continue to be part of this from day one.”
