AFL 2025: St Kilda coach Ross Lyon responds to report of unofficial succession plan

News.com.au

6 hours ago

St Kilda coach Ross Lyon steered clear of earmarking assistant Corey Enright as his potential successor, declaring the decision 'above my pay station'.
Enright was reported as unofficially next in line for the Saints' senior coaching role once Lyon's tenure finishes.
The former three-time premiership Cat has served as an assistant at St Kilda since 2022 alongside Robert Harvey, Jared Rivers and Brendon Bolton.
Lyon joked that Enright could have the role now ahead of the Saints' tough trip west to take on Fremantle before praising the club's intent to build its entire coaching panel.
'We certainly elevated Corey to senior assistant, we work really closely together,' he said.
'He can have it today if he likes, I'm not sure he would want to go over to Perth, in all seriousness, we've got some really high-end assistants.
'What we're building here on and off the field, we'd like to get an alignment and continue it on in perpetuity, really, and ultimately end up the best Saints ever.
'If Corey is part of that, that would be great, I've just got to stay in the present and keep working – we've got a real philosophy we want to develop all our people.
'Serious football clubs develop their people … all our assistants are required to do it, Corey went to Harvard last year (for) an authentic leadership course.
'We'll continue to grow him, there's nothing, anything in writing, an agreement, but Robert Harvey's coached senior football, Brendan Bolton (as well), we've got a really experienced panel.'
Lyon said stability was important in luring and maintaining key players, perhaps alluding to the likes of Max King and out-of-contract gun Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera.
But he handballed the decision as to whether Enright would be St Kilda's next senior coach to the club board and executives.
'It's above my station in life and at the club, it's certainly not something that is present and front of mind,' he said.
'Obviously, contract negotiations players want to know where I'm at, which is nice right, then the club extended me for a year.
'A part of that is what stability, if you don't go on, will there be and we just think we've got people who can step into it at the right time if that's appropriate.
'It's an executive and board decision, ultimately. There will a process run, there's no mandate anywhere. Theoretically, it's a nice theory, we like it.'