Shocked by this. Thought Bucks was a monty or we’d go for the fresh style of James Kelly. Thought the announcement would be next week. Truly shocked, kudos to the club for the tight lips they kept.

Don’t know too much about King, I remember he was an amazing player who once kicked Jeff White in the head, and has spent years holding whiteboards up in huddles. I wonder what swayed the board to pick him ahead of Bucks? What’s his vision? I hope whatever magic he spun that he can persuade Trac, Clarry and McVee with it too.

And the son of a guy who's face got caved in by his boot is signed up as for next year....

8 minutes ago, Supreme_Demon said:

Steven King?! The bloke who kicked Jeff White in the face in 2005 and broke his jaw!

What an absolute bloody joke!

I thought we were going to get Nathan Buckley???!!!!

I am very angry with this decision!!!

Especially because we were supposed to be focused on getting an experienced coach!

Our Club really is a laughing stock!

I hope I am proven wrong....but I am actually quite furious with this utterly ridiculous decision!

Nice melt

Let's be honest everyone, if we are successful again under King we will love him.

It is such a good question to ask at the interview - if we offered this to you tomorrow - would you take it.

Kudos to whoever thought to put that on the sheet.

We have the King and the Duke - hope they get on

Finally some brilliant leadership.

You don't want someone coaching that isn't fully invested or sees it as just 'another job.

Putting Buckley on the spot today demanding an answer on whether he'd take it now was brilliant thinking. We have dodged a bullet big time and look to have someone invested.

The only thing I somewhat am worried about is his health, after he collapsed last year, and it was ruled possibly down to workload and stress…

I’m so hopeful that whatever happened was a once off and he’s feeling tip top.

2 minutes ago, Demonland said:

GRAND FINAL TIME! I actually laughed out loud when I read this.

Either a complete fabrication or outrageous arrogance from Buckley.

2 minutes ago, Demonland said:

We made the right decision.

The last thing we need is a bloke half committed to the job that might leave in 2 years

Love the message that we want another 10 year coach. Stability brings success

I am thrilled with this news. I was really worried that the club would be sucked in the Buckley talk. He would have been a disaster for our club. King came out of the most professional organisation in the AFL, has seen success as an assistant coach, has plenty of experience, and is reputed to have great people skills to build relationships with his players. I don't think we could have done better out of the crop available to us.

20 minutes ago, At the break of Gawn said:

So he was our second choice?

"Nathan Buckley's presence was a curiosity all along as Bucks was interviewing Melbourne as much as they were interviewing him," he said. "Right at the end, he couldn't answer the question if they offered him the job would he take it and I know Tasmania plays a role in that somewhere."

Where is this quoted from?

I am excited by this hiring. King brings a wealth of experience and a breath of fresh air. Welcome Kingy!!

14 minutes ago, Demonland said:

Pretty attractive tbh

14 minutes ago, 2021 said:

I’m actually glad we didn’t go for Bucks. Know someone at the Pies who had some bad things to say about him. I’ll leave it at that.

I think him going through this process was his kick in the butt to Gale to make a decision about the Tassie role.

We got played by Buckley

Did it cost us other experienced applicants not entering

Not our greatest hour but who knows it might work out for the best

Good Luck Mr King !!

Good decision I think, just couldn't imagine Buckley being a success as our coach....welcome Steven!

So if we could have waited another two weeks we’d probably have Buckley…

As if King wouldn’t have been available if Bucks turned us down then?

Absolutely stupid timeline by the club.

Edited September 12, 2025Sep 12 by OhMyDees

Given the quality of the externals on the panel I'm excited by this. Went through a thorough process and got the best committed candidate.

Also, eff you to the journos who were pushing the boat race line

It will be fascinating who he brings in, including fitness staff

Also what approach he takes with Clarry and Trac etc

I only warmed to Bucks because I thought it was going to happen. Prior to all this talk I thought he was an arrogant so-and-so and everything he touched in football turned to [censored].

I'm glad to be welcoming back my previous views on FIGJAM. He can jog on.

Great appointment. The most experienced coach in it (Bucks hasn’t coached a game in four years, only did one apprenticeship under Malthouse and was handed the keys in a train crash, King has done it the right way and has also sat in the hot seat at the suns).

A lot of media mates are already getting the PR going for Bucks their mate to make sure it looks like he didn’t lose. But I have it on good authority we’d have taken King over Bucks, possibly even Kelly. King completely blew the panel away with his presentation and his pedigree is beyond compare. Bucks has literally worked with one senior coach, King the majority of the best coaches of the last two decades and is knee deep in a finals campaign. He’s the right choice, can’t wait to see what he does with the list. I predict some surprises.

Just now, Diamond_Jim said:

We got played by Buckley

Did it cost us other experienced applicants not entering

Not our greatest hour but who knows it might work out for the best

Good Luck Mr King !!

How is this on the club? They were clear it was a genuine process, if people chose to pull out that was their decisions and not anything to do with what the club said or did

1 minute ago, OhMyDees said:

So if we could have waited another two weeks we’d have Buckley…

Why would we want him?

Edited September 12, 2025Sep 12 by RalphiusMaximus