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Sport Nation
The assistant coach that AFL clubs should be looking at seriously
Jaiden Sciberras • April 23rd, 2025 2:34 pm
The AFL’s current coaching climate has left a number of the competition’s premier senior coaches available for re-employment.
With the likes of Nathan Buckley and Adam Simpson working in the media, Leon Cameron and Brett Ratten taking on lesser roles and Ken Hinkley soon to depart, a glut of top-level coaches remain on the radar for clubs seeking fresh pastures.
The start of the 2025 season has seen a number of clubs flirt with the concept of a new boss at the helm, with Melbourne’s Simon Goodwin and Carlton’s Michael Voss facing frequent scrutiny.
While the market is stacked with AFL-proven coaches, SEN WA’s Tim Gossage suggests that freshening up the coaching landscape with an elite untried assistant could be the answer for struggling clubs.
Current Hawthorn assistant coach Adrian Hickmott could be the man to step up to the plate, with a serious coaching resume to suggest he may be ready for a senior role.
“Everyone keeps telling me that it’s whether Buckley wants to come back or John Longmire or Adam Simpson or will Ken coach after leaving Port Adelaide?,” Gossage said on SEN WA Breakfast.
“We’re just recycling the same old blokes, aren’t we?
“So, I would suggest that Adrian Hickmott, who is at Hawthorn, clubs should pursue him. They should go hard for him, seriously hard for him.”
The former Geelong and Carlton player has been coaching at a high level since 2006, commencing in the Murray League and TAC Cup level before jumping into second tier football.
In 2012, Hickmott broke into the AFL with a development role at the Eagles, where he eventually operated as the backline coach, leading the likes of Tom Barrass, Shannon Hurn and Jeremy McGovern to a premiership in 2018.
Moving into the Hawthorn assistant role in 2022, Hickmott organises the tactical set-up for the Hawks’ electric front half, proving a vital piece in the Hawks' recent climb up the AFL ladder.
Don’t be surprised if clubs swoop on the opportunity to grant Hickmott his first senior gig in the coming years.
