Six-time All-Australian and Geelong great Corey Enright could be the next coach of St Kilda, or another rival AFL club, with his coaching services top-rated.
According to 9News’ chief AFL reporter Tom Morris, Enright is a legitimate candidate to coach an AFL club soon, with the Saints unofficially eyeing the league Hall of Famer as a potential successor to Ross Lyon.
While Lyon is contracted to St Kilda until the end of 2027, Morris said the succession could be enacted whenever Lyon decides to step down.
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Corey Enright during his time as an assistant coach at the Geelong Cats. Getty
“It wouldn’t surprise some at Moorabbin if a handover was formalised sometime before the end of Lyon’s tenure,” he told 9News Melbourne.
Morris then added on Nine’s Footy Classified that St Kilda’s succession plan is clear, albeit unofficial.
“St Kilda has unofficially earmarked Geelong great Corey Enright to succeed Ross Lyon whenever it is that Ross Lyon decides his time is up,” he said.
“There is no suggestion at all that [Lyon] is ready to step away anytime soon, but players, football department staff, and I’m told even Ross Lyon himself, believe that [Enright] is the person to take over whenever that time comes.
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“They rate him so highly.”
Lyon has given no indication that he will stand down prematurely.
Senior coach of St Kilda Ross Lyon. AFL Photos via Getty Images
Morris also explained that the Saints’ succession planning differs from the handover between Ken Hinkley and Josh Carr at the Power in that theirs is more “informal at the moment”.
While Enright is the Saints’ preferred option, the club’s plan could be quickly foiled by a vacancy at another club.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest halfbacks in recent memory, the 43-year-old is clearly on the radar of other clubs.
With talk that several rival clubs could be on the lookout for a new coach at season’s end, Morris believes that Enright is the best available candidate and the next in line for a head coaching position.
The allure of a potential changing of the guard at Geelong at the end of 2026 could also be a significant factor in Enright returning to the Cattery.
“I think the only thing that stops this is that Chris Scott departs Geelong and then Geelong swoop on Corey Enright,” Morris said.
Mitch Duncan and Corey Enright after the 2011 AFL Grand Final. Getty
“I believe Corey Enright is the best assistant coach out there that hasn’t been tried yet.”
Enright finished his playing career with 332 games and three premierships in the hoops.
He then moved into an assistant coaching role with the Cats in 2017 and spent five years in their coaching ranks before joining the Saints in 2022 as their coach of defence.
Enright has been steadily building his coaching resume, and ahead of this season was promoted to the club’s head of strategy and game plan under Lyon.
