'There is no succession plan': Why Swans will need to act fast to keep Dean Cox
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While Sydney assistant Dean Cox is firmly in West Coast's sights to take over as senior coach in 2025, the next week will prove whether he's been primed to become the Swans' newest leader.
Matthew Lloyd believes if Cox turns down the chance to go through the Eagles' process to be considered for the top job, he's firmly linked to taking over from Swans coach John Logmire in a matter of years.
It comes after Eagles coach Adam Simpson was axed, effective immediately on Tuesday, just six games before the end of the 2024 season.
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The Eagles have confirmed their search for their next senior coach is well underway, with a handful of assistants across the league on their radar.
Cox, who was a 2006 premiership player with the Eagles, is reportedly one of their top picks for the job.
Dean Cox has been an assistant at Sydney since 2017. AFL Photos via Getty Images
However, the former ruckman has been an assistant under Longmire at the Swans since 2017, creating a "respected" profile for himself among key Swans stakeholders.
Now, Damien Barrett has confirmed that Sydney has "no succession plan" in place for Cox to take over from Longmire, which may push the Swans to act quickly and reveal their long term intentions within their coaching ranks.
"There is no succession plan in place for him to take over from John Longmire," Barrett confirmed on Nine's Footy Classified on Wednesday night.
Longmire is still contracted until the end of 2025, but Lloyd has urged the Swans to act quickly to lock him down, before the Eagles put in their offer.
Adam Simpson looks on with Don Pyke and Paul Fitzpatrick during his final press conference. Getty
"If Dean Cox doesn't go for the job, I'm thinking there is a plan in place (at Sydney)," Lloyd said.
"If he (Cox) comes out in the next week and goes, 'no, I'm happy in Sydney', it wouldn't surprise me if that's the dynamic, with Dean taking over in a year or so."
But Barrett declared the Swans will do all they can to keep Cox in NSW.
"The Swans do not want to lose him. They'll try convince him to stay, even if the (Eagles) job is offered to him," he said.
Dean Cox, game strategy and ruck coach of the Swans instructs players. AFL Photos via Getty Images
"(But) at this stage, there is no succession plan, as there was for John Longmire to take over from Paul Roos."
Cox, Carlton assistant Ash Hansen, Dockers assistant Jaymie Graham and Port Adelaide assistant Josh Carr are all reportedly on the Eagles' radar to take over as senior coach.
Eagles assistant Jarrad Schofield has been named their interim coach until the end of the 2024 season.
