Western Bulldogs premiership coach Luke Beveridge has emerged as a genuine person of interest for Melbourne, whose own flag-winning leader Simon Goodwin is under pressure to keep his job.

The 2021 AFL premiers have made a dismal 0-5 start to the season, failing to bounce back from their 14th-placed finish in 2024.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Luke Beveridge emerges as coach of interest to Melbourne.

Goodwin insisted after his side’s heavy defeat to Essendon on Saturday night that he is the man to take the club forward.

But according to The Agenda Setters’ Caroline Wilson, the Demons are already kicking tyres down the road at another club.

“I have no doubt that Luke Beveridge is now very much on Melbourne’s radar,” she said on Monday’s episode of The Agenda Setters.

“It’s too early to be calling Simon Goodwin finished at the Melbourne Football Club, but club bosses are now anticipating that as a possibility, and they are declaring that Luke Beveridge would very much be an option for them — the out-of-contract Luke Beveridge, if that was about to eventuate.

“We heard Simon’s comments the other night after the Essendon game — he’s clearly fighting for his job. And I think the view is with many people at Melbourne that maybe, after a great job — their first premiership coach in decades — the time has come.”

Beveridge himself is in limbo at the Bulldogs, who are yet to put forward a contract offer for beyond 2025, despite a strong start to the year and a proven finals record.

“Luke Beveridge is a past player, remains close with many Melbourne past players — now clearly that’s not going to get him the job. But Melbourne are really impressed by what Luke Beveridge did, the transformational effect he had when he joined the Western Bulldogs,” Wilson said.

“Meanwhile, what does this mean for the Western Bulldogs?

“He (Beveridge) meets regularly with his CEO, his president, and footy director, Luke Darcy, but they’re not close to offering him a new contract. In fact, they’re still not decided whether the Bulldogs are going to offer Luke Beveridge a new contract.

“I think they know that other clubs are going to start looking, and my view is, with Carlton probably looking around as well, I think Melbourne are in the box seat.”

Whether Beveridge is coaching at the Bulldogs or Demons next year, Wilson is certain 2025 won’t be his last year in the hot seat at an AFL club.

“I can’t tell you what’s going on in Luke Beveridge’s mind, but what I do know, is that he’s a career coach, that he will coach in the future, and that he is one of those coaches, I reckon, that has an immediate impact when he goes to a footy club. And the view is that he would do that at the Melbourne Football Club,” she said.

“Would there be antagonism with the Bulldogs if they didn’t offer him a new deal? I think he is seriously realising now that he might not get one, and maybe it’s the right thing for the Bulldogs as well.”

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Port Adelaide champion Kane Cornes lauded the Dogs for holding back a contract offer to Beveridge, who has overseen the most successful period in the club’s history.

But with his lack of finals success in recent years, he’s not sure Melbourne should court him either.

“The Western Bulldogs have played this beautifully,” Cornes said.

“I’m not sure he’s the right person for Melbourne.

“Why would Melbourne go for Luke Beveridge? (Their premiership year of) 2016 is a long time ago; it’s a long, long time ago that this coach has had any level of success.”

Nick Riewoldt said Beveridge should prioritise getting a deal at his current club than moving across to the faltering Demons.

“If you’re Luke Beveridge and the Bulldogs offer you a job, you’re not going to Melbourne,” he said.

“Who would you rather coach, (Jacob) van Rooyen or (Sam) Darcy? Would you rather coach (Clayton) Oliver or (Marcus) Bontempelli? It’s an easy choice.”