With Essendon coach John Worsfold set to leave the club at the end of the year and hand the reins over to Ben Rutten, Fremantle is set to push hard to bring him to their club.
The Dockers have a first-year coach in Justin Longmuir and, according to Paul Hasleby, want to find an experienced mentor to give him a hand.
Hasleby said Worsfold has been approached by the Dockers for many years and 2021 may be the year it all lines up.
“The Fremantle Dockers are super keen to get John Worsfold back to (Perth) to work alongside Justin Longmuir as a senior assistant coach,” the Dockers champion told Sportsday WA.
“A man of his stature to come back and help out would be unbelievable for Fremantle, in my opinion.
“There’s a relationship there (with Longmuir). Some of the assistant coaches at Fremantle might be moved on towards the end of the year who were a part of the Ross Lyon era.
“I think it’s an absolute no-brainer and he’s a great mentor. What I love about him is there’s no ego. He wants to help out and he’ll let Longmuir do his thing like he is with Ben Rutten (at Essendon).”
Karl Langdon says Worsfold is indeed keen to return to Western Australia once his time at Essendon is done.
“All I know is he wants to and needs to get back to Perth because he’s been separated from his family for quite some time,” Langdon said.
“I know, though, once he has spent some time with family that he also has a desire to continue on in a role in footy and I think where he has served football really well is as a senior coach.
“You can’t say that John Worsfold has failed and if it’s true, if Fremantle is actually making that approach, then I think it is an absolutely fantastic idea.
“He has worked with (Longmuir) in the past at the West Coast Eagles.”
Rutten will take over as Essendon coach for 2021 as part of a handover of the role organised by the Bombers.