Nathan Buckley’s 3-2-1 votes for 2024 AFLCA Coach of the Year

After Monday’s Brownlow count, we next learn who the coaches will elevate as Coach of the Year at Tuesday night’s AFLCA Awards.

Each coach does their 3-2-1 votes after Preliminary Final weekend, with the coach who picks up the most overall votes claiming the Allan Jeans Senior Coach of the Year.

2018 winner Nathan Buckley voted on the award during his nine-year tenure as Collingwood coach and SEN’s Gerard Whateley asked him to do his hypothetical 3-2-1 for 2024 if he were still in the hot seat.

Check out his votes below.

3 votes

Chris Fagan  - Brisbane

“I've got Fages at the top,” Buckley told SEN Whateley.

“I do love the way that he carries himself I think that Brisbane's journey throughout this season has been quite remarkable.

“He has had to shift and evolve. 95 per cent of him is still the same, but the last five per cent has introduced a little bit more possibility and a little bit more creativity.

“It's just the cream on top of a very solid, stoic, consistent cake.

“The slow start might have had other coaches a bit skittish. But it looked from the outside at least … that he just grounded down to his philosophy, which is trust in others.

“So, all credit to him to be able to get there (back to the Grand Final).”

2 votes

John Longmire – Sydney

“I've got John Longmire as my two votes.

“I really do admire the way that he goes about it. I think that he's stoic.

“His commitment to team and to club drives and inspires the same from his constituents and from the players and the staff.”

1 vote

Sam Mitchell  - Hawthorn

“The one-voter is Sam Mitchell.

“That’s for the run of Hawthorn and the build over the last couple of years combined.

“The way that he's carried himself is really statesmanlike in all situations.

“He had a fair bit of momentum there and he’ll never find himself in the same position as a senior coach, as he did through this season, particularly towards the pointy end.

“His players will learn a lot about themselves, but they'll never get back to where they were.

“It'll feel very different if they get in the same situation in 12 months’ time.”

Honourable mentions: Chris Scott (Geelong), Adam Kingsley (GWS).