It has also emerged in recent days that Carlton assistant coach John Barker has firmed in calculations for the vacant role, with Barker continuing to develop this year under Brendon Bolton.

Fairfax Media understands Fagan, the Hawks' football-department boss, and Hawks assistant Brett Ratten have held preliminary chats with the Lions. Fagan's name emerged as soon as Justin Leppitsch was sacked last month.

It's understood Fagan sits atop the Lions' wish-list, but he is likely to drill the Lions' coaching sub-committee as much as they will grill him, for the Lions have been a mess on and off the field in recent years.

Fagan, 55, will also need to determine whether he has the burning desire to fulfil all requirements and the hard work required to lift a club in such bad shape the AFL has had to intervene.

Barker, 41, has completed the AFL's level-four coaching course, and also has the experience of being the Blues' caretaker coach last year after Mick Malthouse's departure. It's also been noted that under Bolton, he has seen first-hand how a new coach can change the culture of a club and help unify all departments.

Ratten is also in the race but he has history with Lions' chief executive Greg Swann, for the latter was involved in Ratten's sacking at the Blues in 2012 when it was felt he could not lift the team from good to great. The Blues, retrospectively, admitted they had over-estimated their list at the time. Whether Ratten would want to shift north for family reasons also remains an issue.

The Lions are expected to appoint Adelaide football manager David Noble into that same role, and have been awaiting the end of the Crows' season to help advance those discussions, and that of a coach, as he will sit on the coaching sub-committee.

Lions great Simon Black, list manager and former Hawthorn player and coach Peter Schwab, sports psychology expert Matti Clements, and Swann will also sit on the panel.

Fagan has played a crucial role alongside Alastair Clarkson as head of coaching and development and general manager of football operations.

Having played and coached premiership sides in Tasmania, he has also been a reserves coach, assistant coach and general manager of football operations at Melbourne, and his background as a teacher has also been important at Hawthorn in developing coaches there who have gone on to lead teams in their own right. One being Luke Beveridge, whose Western Bulldogs ended the Hawks' season on Friday night.

St Kilda assistant Adam Kingsley is also on the Lions' list, while there has been speculation they will ask Brad Scott, the North Melbourne coach and former Lions' premiership player, whether he would entertain a shift north despite being contracted.

The Hawks remain adamant they will remain a power in the immediate future, but the decision to allow Sam Mitchell and Shaun Burgoyne, who both turn 34 in October, Josh Gibson (33 in March) and Luke Hodge, 32, to stay will mean tough calls will need to be made next year. Gibson, a key man in defence through three flags, struggled in the final month of the year.

The Hawks will be aggressive in the trade period, and are set to secure former Gold Coast Suns midfielder Jaeger O'Meara, and are firmly in the hunt for Sydney's Tom Mitchell and Richmond's Ty Vickery.

They also expect to clear salary-cap space at the end of 2017, again allowing them to chase top-end talent to supplement their emerging youngsters.