“This time next year…”: Cornes’ bold pick for his next AFL head coach in waiting

Kane Cornes has made a bold choice for who he considers his next AFL coach in waiting.

Instead of a current assistant or former head coach, Cornes picked out Brisbane Head of Football Danny Daly as someone that he thinks will be coaching an AFL team by the 2026 season.

Daly was being chased by Collingwood as they search for their next football boss this off-season, but Cornes can see him becoming a head coach instead.

The 58-year-old has worked at Brisbane for 10 years, with the first six of those coming in Brisbane’s coaching staff with four of those as Chris Fagan’s head of strategy.

Daly has also worked at Collingwood, North Melbourne and Richmond in a variety of roles including opposition scout, assistant coach and welfare manager and as a result, Cornes thinks he’s the most prepared individual for the top job at an AFL club.

“I think he is the hottest coaching prospect,” Cornes said on SEN Breakfast.

“I think he is the most ready head coach in waiting, I think so (more so than any of the current assistant coaches).

“You deal with people and they have the success in a variety of different roles, and they bide their time, he’s absolutely set up and ready to go. 

“I think this time next year he'll be coaching an AFL team. You can hold me to that.”

With coaches that are both relationship-oriented and tactically sound winning the last two premierships in Craig McRae and Fagan, the Port Adelaide great thinks that Daly is primed for a head coaching job.

“I think if he has ambitions, which he has spoken publicly about, I just think he would be across all of it.

“It is largely about relationships now - look at how Brisbane have handled themselves with adversity and have come through and built their football program.

“I just think he would be perfect in the way he handles himself, and having seen the Chris Fagan model work up close (is huge).

“To hear him for probably the first time actually be asked the question and say, ‘I think I can do this’. It has me thinking, is there a better candidate out there? 

“I feel like he would be as prepared as anyone to know what he is up for if he takes a big job.

“I can’t think of a better resume.”