Former Fremantle Docker Paul Hasleby believes Ross Lyon will never be a senior coach again.
Saturday marks almost three years to the day Lyon since was sacked by Fremantle after a poor season that also saw CEO Steve Rosich depart.
In pondering Lyon's future as a coach, Hasleby had been discussing reports that factions at Essendon are pushing for James Hird to return to the Bombers in a coaching role.
Hird hasn’t been a senior coach since the Bombers’ drugs scandal culminated in him losing his job in 2015.
He has, however, worked with GWS this season part-time.
Hasleby believes the Essendon great could coach again, but he’d have to return to clubland on a full-time basis first.
“I think the players loved him, there was an aura about him and it was a really big mistake, absolutely, can’t hide behind that,” he told SEN WA’s The Run Home.
“Do you deserve another chance? Yes you do. But in my opinion, you have to go back into the industry full on.”
By extension, Hasleby can’t see Lyon coaching again.
Lyon was linked to Carlton’s head coaching role just last year but was understood to not want to go through the club’s selection process.
He was also among the early front-runners for the vacancy at North Melbourne role before Alastair Clarkson was announced on Friday morning.
Regarding Lyon, former Dockers midfielder Hasleby has massive reservations.
“For that same reason, today, I’m ruling a line through Ross Lyon ever coaching again, being a senior coach, as it stands right now,” he said.
“I think it was his last chance, the North Melbourne job. At the end of this year, it will be (more than) three years out of the game, you just don’t come back into a senior coaching position from there unless you go into clubland somewhere.”
Now that Clarkson is off the market, Lyon would be regarded by many as the most well-credentialed former coach still linked with senior jobs.