Melbourne announce Geelong assistant Steven King as new head coach following Simon Goodwin sacking

Former Geelong captain Steven King has been appointed Melbourne’s new coach despite strong speculation it was Nathan Buckley’s job to lose.

King’s appointment was revealed Friday afternoon, with the Demons set to make an official announcement imminently.

The decision to go with King came after Buckley reportedly told Melbourne he was waiting on more information about the Tasmanian coaching job and was unsure if he wanted the Demons head coaching job and was therefore unable to commit to the club.

The former Cats and St Kilda ruckman succeeds premiership coach Simon Goodwin who was sacked last month after a tough few years at the helm.

King was one of the standout candidates for the vacant West Coast role last year, getting down to the final three alongside Collingwood assistant Hayden Skipworth and eventual appointment Andrew McQualter.

The 46-year-old has gone through an extensive apprenticeship since his 240-game career ended in 2010, having been an assistant coach at the Saints, Western Bulldogs, Gold Coast and the Cats.

King served as interim coach at the Suns in 2023 when Stuart Dew was sacked, leading them to two wins from seven matches.

King said he was full of excitement to be joining the red and blue.

“Melbourne has a rich history, and I feel very humbled to be given this opportunity at one of the oldest professional sporting clubs in the world,” King said in a statement.

“I began my AFL career in 1996 and have experienced it all across the past 30 years. I’m excited to bring my experience to the club and see what we can achieve, together, from next season and beyond.

“I can’t wait to meet the playing group, my fellow coaches, the staff, and the Demon faithful, and start building towards 2026.”

Melbourne president Brad Green said they were incredibly excited to welcome Steven as the coach.

“Steven brings an abundance of experience from across the league, having held coaching positions at St Kilda, the Western Bulldogs, the Gold Coast SUNS and Geelong. I think it’s safe to say he was pretty impressive on the field too,” he said.

“Steven has elite football IQ and a deep understanding of the game. He is highly competitive, places a strong focus on connection, and has a coaching philosophy we think our players will thrive under. During the appointment process, it became more and more clear that Steven was the ideal candidate for us.

“As a football club, we’re delighted to be entering this next chapter with Steven at the helm. We have no doubt he is the right person to lead us forward.”

Interestingly, King will finish the season at the Cats before taking over at Melbourne, as they prepare for a preliminary final clash against the winner of tonight’s semifinal between Adelaide and Hawthorn.

Geelong football Andrew Mackie thanked King for his contribution to the Cats.

“We are thrilled to see Steven get this opportunity to become a senior coach. Steven’s coaching career and development has been influenced by many across the industry, and we congratulate him on his appointment,” Mackie said.

“Steven has had a significant impact on the Club in his playing and coaching roles. He is an excellent coach and our players have benefited from his experience and knowledge over the last two seasons.

“As an important part of our 2025 campaign, we are pleased Steven will remain in his role until the conclusion of our season.”