If Ross Lyon isn’t the next coach of Collingwood, then who? Sam Mitchell thrown in mix on Hard Ball Gets

The dust is yet to settle after Nathan Buckley’s bombshell exit as Collingwood coach, but the odds are already shortening on who will replace him in one of AFL’s toughest gigs.

Ross Lyon is the early favourite, with the former St Kilda and Fremantle coach the most experienced coach waiting in the wings.

Despite still being in the coaches’ box at the Hawks, Alastair Clarkson’s ears were burning today after his name was thrown into the mix for yet another coaching job. He is contracted until the end of 2022. LISTEN TO THE PODCAST IN THE PLAYER BELOW

But perhaps the biggest surprise, or roughie, brought up in the “if not Ross, then who?” chat on Hard Ball Gets today was Sam Mitchell.

Dyl Buckley dropped the bombshell on Nick Rynne and Xavier Ellis, who suggested the former Hawk is more likely to step into Clarkson’s role as Hawthorn coach while he took over the top job at the Pies.

The opportunity is also there for Mitchell to leave the Hawks, while Clarkson stayed on, and land himself at a rival club.

The Hawks favourite son served as an assistant coach at West Coast the year the club won the flag in 2018 before returning to Hawthorn in the same role for the last three years.

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Asked if he thought his former teammate was ready to jump, Ellis was certain.

“100 per cent,” he said. “He was ready to coach when he was almost playing.”

The musical chairs continued as a potential mutiny at Carlton entered the fray, as David Teague’s seat went from lukewarm to hot over the weekend.

“Mitch is there to be taken so Carlton can’t sit on their hands and go is Teague a better coach than Ross Lyon, Sam Mitchell, Clarko?” Ellis told the podcast.

A potential Teague sacking means Carlton could make a play at Mitchell or Lyon, leaving Collingwood searching for a coach.

Former North Melbourne coach Brad Scott was also raised as a potential for either Carlton or Collingwood, while former Brisbane coaches Justin Leppitsch and Michael Voss.

Listen to the full episode here: https://omny.fm/shows/the-hard-ball-gets-afl-show/loose-ballers-xav-dyl-nick-nathan-buckleys-exit-op