Melbourne assistant open to conversation but not seeking Eagles job

Melbourne assistant Troy Chaplin admits he has not thought too much about any potential approach from West Coast.

Chaplin’s name is one of several that has been mentioned in the same circles as the coaching job at the Eagles after the club parted ways with Adam Simpson in early July.

The former Port Adelaide and Richmond defender has been with the Demons since the end of 2016 and is currently Simon Goodwin’s backline coach.

He insists he is happy in Melbourne and while he has not pondered the West Coast job too much at all, he would be open to a conversation if the West Australian club was keen to chat.

“You’d always entertain the call,” Chaplin said on SEN SA Breakfast.

“I haven’t really thought about it too much from a family point of view or those types of things. If they rang you’d certainly speak to them about it.

“But at the same time my focus has been on Melbourne. I’m really enjoying my time here and my role at the footy club and working with the younger guys coming through.

“It’s not a flat no, but as I said I haven’t given it too much thought at the moment. It’s one of those things that if they do ring I’ll have a chat to them, but I’m not really going to push it hard either.”

Jarrad Schofield, who spent the 2004 season at Port with Chaplin, is the interim coach at the Eagles for the rest of 2024.

The likes of Nathan Buckley, Dean Cox, Josh Carr and Jaymie Graham are all out of the race for the West Coast vacancy.

Chaplin, Goodwin and the Dees are preparing for a massive clash with the Power at the MCG this Saturday night as they strive to hang onto their fading finals hopes.

They sit 12th on the ladder on 40 points, two games out of the eight with three fixtures remaining.