West Coast coaching search down to four candidates

The West Coast coaching search has been narrowed to four candidates.

It can be revealed that Andrew McQualter, Steven King, Brett Montgomery and Hayden Skipworth are the quartet of contenders left in the race for the Eagles’ top job.

Sources said Melbourne assistant coach McQualter and Geelong assistant Steven King were being viewed as the two clear favourites in front of Collingwood’s Skipworth and the Giants’ Montgomery.

Sydney assistant and West Coast great Dean Cox has repeatedly ruled himself out of the running, while Nathan Buckley declined an offer to be part of the process.

Ash Hansen, Josh Carr, Jaymie Graham and Daniel Giansiracusa have also ruled themselves out in recent months.

It’s understood Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley was never approached and regardless, has never had any desire to move to Perth.

The spate of knock-backs has led to a wide-ranging coaching search by the Eagles’ five-person sub committee led by chief executive Don Pyke.

King, a 240-game player with Geelong and St Kilda, returned to Cats as a senior assistant alongside Chris Scott for this season.

King has coached at four clubs, including Gold Coast where he served in an interim capacity before Damien Hardwick was appointed.

McQualter joined the Demons for the 2024 season having spent a decade at Richmond where, he too, served as an interim coach for 13 games.

West Coast will hold its John Worsfold medal count on Thursday night.