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Whateley: Why Buckley didn't get the Melbourne job
SEN • September 12th, 2025 5:15 pm
SEN’s Gerard Whateley has given his reasoning on why Nathan Buckley has not been selected for the Melbourne senior coach job.
Whateley broke the news that Geelong assistant coach Steven King will coach the side in 2026, having beaten the likes of Buckley, Brendon Lade, Daniel Giansiracusa and Josh Kelly in the interview process.
King’s appointment comes as something of a surprise, with Buckley having been the favourite for the position following the sacking of Simon Goodwin last month.
Shedding some light on why the former Collingwood coach didn’t get the job, Whateley suggested that Buckley is still in contention to become the inaugural coach of the Tasmanian Devils in 2028.
"Nathan Buckley's presence was a curiosity all along as Bucks was interviewing Melbourne as much as they were interviewing him," Whateley said on SEN’s Dwayne’s World.
"Right at the end, he couldn't answer the question if they offered him the job, would he take it, and I know Tasmania plays a role in that somewhere.
"With Tasmania probably furthering their cause to nail down Buckley as the inaugural coach, I think that clouded the timing.
“Melbourne wanted to bring it to conclusion today, and that didn't marry up with Buckley's discussions with Tasmania."
