Nathan Buckley says missing Melbourne role frees him to pursue Tasmania coaching job

Nathan Buckley said he is relieved to have missed out on the Melbourne Demons head coaching position because it allows him to pursue the vacant coaching role with the Tasmania Devils and help build a new AFL franchise from the ground up.

Melbourne appointed Geelong assistant Steven King as head coach beginning in 2026 after Buckley requested extra time to consider the offer. Buckley told Fox Footy’s On the Couch that he had to "risk sacrificing an opportunity to coach Melbourne to keep an opportunity to coach Tasmania, because the timelines just didn't match up," and that Melbourne "rightfully, made the decision on a coach that was absolutely all-in and wanted to do the job and that was Steven King."

Buckley, who coached Collingwood to the 2018 AFL Grand Final, said he is "more attracted to the Tasmania job than the Melbourne job" because of the chance to work with a new sporting franchise. He said he had only recently been ready to confirm that he wants to coach again and that he will meet Tasmanian football director Alastair Lynch, club president Grant O'Brien and chief executive Brendon Gale on Tuesday to discuss the role and future plans.

The Tasmania Devils are being considered for AFL entry, with the club widely tipped to join the national competition in 2028 if key infrastructure and planning milestones are met. The Tasmanian Planning Commission is scheduled to release its final report on the proposed Hobart stadium, including a recommendation on whether to build a 23,000-seat roofed venue at Macquarie Point. The AFL has made clear that it will not approve a license for the Devils unless the stadium is built.

Conversations about the Devils' recruitment, branding and operations have intensified this year. In March the club unveiled its mascot, named Rum'un, and showed a green jumper featuring a gold outline of Tasmania. Devils chief executive Brendon Gale said at the time that Rum'un "reflects our club — uniquely Tasmanian, handcrafted and created with grit and determination representing our whole island." He described the mascot as "a little bit cheeky" and said those characteristics matched the new club.

Buckley’s decision to step back from the immediate Melbourne consideration closes one chapter in a wider coach-search process while potentially opening another at the state-level project in Tasmania. The timeline for the Devils’ AFL entry and the Hobart stadium recommendation will be closely watched by the AFL, state authorities and local stakeholders in the coming weeks.