Former AFL coach open to conversation over vacant North Melbourne job

Former AFL coach Gary Ayres says he would be open to having a conversation with North Melbourne about their vacant coaching position.

Rhyce Shaw and the Roos parted ways this week due to personal reasons, with the decision to take effect immediately.

Ayres, who has coached 223 games at AFL level for Geelong and Adelaide, has most recently been coaching Port Melbourne in the VFL.

When asked whether he’d be interested in making a long-awaited comeback at the highest level of the game, Ayres said he’d “certainty go down the path” if he was contacted about the role.

“You’d consider it,” he said on SEN’s Captain’s Run.

“You’d think after 25 years that I’m coaching better than I was when I first started.

“No doubt there are things that you’ve done which are about learning what you do within yourself as a coach, certainly we make mistakes but if you can keep hanging in there and keep doing what you love … I still have that passion for coaching.

“I love seeing the Port Melbourne boys going out there and getting some success at VFL level, it’s not the highest level, but it’s the highest level some of these boys are going to play at.

“You’d never say never, if the opportunity was there to have a chat, you’d certainty go down that path.

“But I think the old flickering flame has got less and less over the years in terms of interest along the way.”