West Coast coach Adam Simpson has endorsed three of his assistants for senior coaching jobs in the future.
Simpson says Jaymie Graham (assistant coach), Daniel Pratt (development coach) and Adrian Hickmott (development and reserves coach) all have “capabilities” to become senior coaches.
“I don’t want to say it on a Melbourne radio station, but the AFL is pretty Melbourne-centric,” the Eagles premiership coach told Sportsday.
“We’ve got assistant coaches that have been here for eight years-plus and have coached their own sides, done all the roles that you need to do within our department and been at a really solid club.
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“Don Pyke was a coach that got an opportunity (at Adelaide), Justin Longmuir as well for Fremantle. We’re really proud of our development programs we have with our coaches.
“I’ve got no doubt three or four of my guys have got capabilities (to be a senior coach).
“Jaymie Graham’s a guy who’s been around and done the hard yards. Daniel Pratt’s been working really hard on his craft. Adrian Hickmott as well, he’s been in the system for 10 to 15 years.”
Sam Mitchell, a former Eagles assistant under Simpson, is a senior coach in waiting and has been linked to the vacant Collingwood job.
Mitchell is currently Hawthorn’s Head of Development and part of that role is coaching Box Hill, the club’s VFL affiliate.
Simpson weighed in on Mitchell's senior coaching aspirations.
“It feels like he wants to take his time,” Simpson said.
“Get the apprenticeship in a position where he has done his own coaching, he’s done different roles at clubs and then get the right job.
“But sometimes it doesn’t work like that. Sometimes opportunities come.
“I think he’s very capable and he’d grow with any club that got him, it’s just whether he wants to do it a bit earlier or take his time.”