After publicly declaring his interest in coaching Tasmania, Collingwood legend Nathan Buckley has taken the first step towards positioning himself for the job.

Buckley admitted on Monday morning “there’s a chance” he could become Tasmania’s inaugural coach, ahead of the 19th AFL team’s entrance into the league in 2028.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Nathan Buckley takes first step towards coaching return.

The 52-year-old was the Magpies coach for 10 years and went agonisingly close to an elusive premiership in 2018, but fell short in a thriller against West Coast.

He and the club parted ways midway through 2021, after which he transitioned into a successful media career.

But the itch is still there, Buckley confirmed on Monday, and he has begun reaching out to players he coached and played alongside at Collingwood, asking for some honest feedback.

Dale Thomas fits under both categories, having played with and under Buckley at the Magpies.

“I know that he has reached out to a few past players asking for some RFIs (room for improvements), or what he did wrong, some strengths and weaknesses. (Players that he) coached and played alongside,” Thomas said on Tuesday night’s episode of The Agenda Setters.

“He is clearly wanting to be the best. This is the one thing Nathan will never die wondering on; he wants to be the best in everything he does.”

Thomas, who was one of several Magpies players who were infamously disgruntled when Buckley took the reigns from Mick Malthouse at Collingwood in 2012, said his former coach has grown significantly since then and would be a great choice.

“I think he would be,” Thomas said.

“From Nathan’s time of first coming in after replacing the Mick Malthouse era, it was tough, it was always going to be tough. There was no doubt that the side he inherited was strictly Mick’s boys.

“He also had relationships with a lot of players who he played with.

“And there’s no doubt that his standards on-field as a leader and when we were playing with him were so demanding, which was brilliant. As a young kid coming in, it was fantastic to learn from.

“I think as he evolved throughout that coaching tenure in his first couple of years, by the time it was 2016, ‘17, ‘18, when they were contending for premierships, I think he’d really softened.

“So therefore, I think he would be good.”

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Speaking to SEN on Monday, Buckley confirmed he has met with Devils CEO Brendon Gale multiple times in the past year.

The Devils have already landed Derek Hine and Scott Clayton in recruiting roles, which was important to come first, according to Buckley.

“There’s a chance,” he said of being Tasmania’s first coach.

“This has come back around with Brendon’s comments. We met a couple of times last year.

“The initial one (contact) was from him and then the second one was from me to understand the challenge that the Devils faced and how they are going to build that club. To put my two cents in, I suppose, and then to learn as much as I possibly could about it.

“There’s a couple of really good football people I believe would go really well down there. I put their names forward and put them in front of Brendon.

“They’ve been exceptional with the slow build that they’ve done. I think they’ve got to get the order right with list management and recruiting first. The academies will come and then whatever you get from the drafts and trade conditions.

“Then put your coaching group in place later.”