Former North Melbourne coach Dani Laidley has confirmed her interest in applying for West Coast’s vacant AFLW head coach role.
The position became available when Michael Prior resigned last Wednesday, with news of Laidley’s interest coming to light via a report from SEN WA host Tim Gossage earlier this week.
Laidley spoke to Gossage and former Coleman Medal winner Scott Cummings where she stated that the reports were true.
She also revealed that she was even asked to coach in some form with a Melbourne-based AFLW club in 2023 but wasn’t able to due to other commitments.
“That is true (I want to return to coaching),” Laidley confirmed on SEN WA Breakfast.
“We've been waiting until the documentary (Danielle Laidley: Two Tribes) came out because I was contracted for that.
“It's been a passion of mine and I've sort of been ready for about 12 months and even actually for this AFLW season, I was asked to do a coaching role at one of the Melbourne teams. But I couldn't because I was contracted for the doco.
“People have connected the dots, West Coast have got a position available and yes, I want to coach again.”
While Laidley wants to coach again and confirmed that she would take the West Coast job if it were offered, she doesn’t want to put the cart before the horse.
Laidley even sounded open to take a role at a Melbourne-based club in the future as she splits her time between the two cities.
“But let's not put the cart before the horse. It's very easy to as I say, connect those dots,” Laidley said.
“But it’s true (my ambition to return) it's been a few years now in the making.
“West Coast is the only club at the moment that don’t have a coach for their women's team.
“There may be some other clubs in Melbourne as well who make a decision not to go with their coach.
“It sounds like a good fit. But there could be some other things happening down the track.
“I'm just being prepared for any scenario.”
Amidst the rumours, Laidley was spotted at West Coast’s base of Mineral Resources Park on Wednesday.
While Laidley confirmed that she was at the club, she revealed that it had nothing to do with coaching the AFLW side.
“Yesterday was organised many months ago,” Laidley said.
“It is a great round in AFLW, Pride Round is this weekend.
“A good friend of mine, Hamish Brayshaw, who's one of the coaches there organised me to go down and speak to the girls about Pride Week and about the Pride Game.
“I spoke a bit about my journey, a bit about being your authentic self, about acceptance, about inclusion. That's what that was about.
“It was actually really good. It's the first time that I've been back at the West Coast Eagles since I left in 1992.
“To look at how far the club has come and the work that they're doing behind closed doors was very overwhelming for me considering I was one of the first people there in 1987.
“We sat, had some lunch and we watched the girls train, so it was a great morning. It was generally awesome.”
Laidley isn’t interested in returning to the men’s competition in a coaching capacity and insists she will only target an AFLW role.
The 56-year-old played 52 games for West Coast from 1987 to 1992 and 99 games for North Melbourne from 1993 to 1997.
Laidley coached North Melbourne from 2003 to 2009 and served as an assistant at Port Adelaide, St Kilda and Carlton between 2010 to 2015.