File this under the list of greatest betrayals…
Where the hell did this even come from? I swear this might be the biggest surprise from the AFL trade period news and there wasn’t even a hint of this coming.
Announced on their own page and via a statement released online, the Geelong Cats have announced that in the 2026 season they have appointed former Collingwood Captain and Coach, Nathan Buckley, in the role as Assistant Coach.
Andrew Mackie, Executive General Manager at the Geelong Cats, had the below to say in regards to Buckleys appointment:
“We are excited to add Nathan to our Club and more specifically to our coaching group. He is respected and highly regarded across the football industry and brings a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective,… In speaking with Nathan, it was clear he had a strong appetite to return to coaching, and we look forward to welcoming him to our football program to work closely with our players and staff.”
Over his 10-year coaching career with the Collingwood Magpies he saw five finals runs which included one infamous 2018 Grand final against West Coast which saw the Eagles win the flag 79-74. For the last few years Bucks has been working in media, including a role as a game-day commentator with SEN and Fox Footy.
It had long been rumoured that the Tasmania Devils had been eyeing off Bucks as head coach. But with the team’s future still uncertain as of the time of writing this, Bucks moving to Geelong isn’t too much of a shock if coaching is indeed where Bucks wants to see himself.
