Carlton assistant John Barker has emerged as one of the leading candidates to coach the Gold Coast Suns in 2018, despite agreeing to terms for a contract extension at the Blues.
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Barker and Carlton agreed to a two-year contract extension late last week but official documents are yet to be signed and that process is now likely to be stalled after the abrupt dismissal of Rodney Eade.
Even if Barker had signed the contract over the weekend, Carlton would not stand in the way of him pursuing an opportunity as a senior coach.
Suns chief executive Mark Evans is a significant admirer of Barker, who he endorsed for the Brisbane Lions job following Evans' extensive review of the football department, before the club appointed Chris Fagan.
Barker, who was interim coach at Carlton in 2015 when Mick Malthouse was sacked, has just completed his level four coaching course and is seen as one of the leading up-and-coming coaches, along with the likes of Sydney's Stewart Dew and St Kilda's Adam Kingsley.
Other assistants to graduate alongside Barker in June included St Kilda legend and Collingwood assistant Robert Harvey, Geelong's Simon Lloyd and Port Adelaide's Matthew Nicks.
Richmond assistant Blake Caracella, the 187-game player who represented Essendon, Brisbane and Collingwood, will also be in the frame.
Caracella left Geelong for Punt Road at the end of last year and is very highly regarded internally; seen as one of the key factors in Damien Hardwick's side being able to turn things around in 2017.
Barker is currently the stoppages coach at Princes Park under Brendon Bolton and is highly regarded by both the Carlton hierarchy and the players.
He coached three wins in his 14 games as senior coach, including a win over Eade's Gold Coast in round 13, 2015, shortly after taking over from Malthouse following an acrimonious dismissal.
He was lauded internally for showing strong leadership at the time and made several significant decisions, including leaving Lachie Henderson out for the last three games of the year, after it became clear that Henderson would seek a trade to Geelong at the end of the season.
While Barker, Dew and Nicks will headline the list of untried senior coaches that will be favourites for the Suns job, there will be other candidates that Evans may consider.
Former Carlton coach and current Hawthorn assistant Brett Ratten, with whom Evans had a brief crossover in 2013 before being appointed football operations boss at the AFL, is deemed by many in clubland as ready to be given a second chance.
Ratten coached the Blues from 2007-2012 where he won 59 of his 116 games (51 per cent win/loss record).
The same can be said for Brisbane legend and Port Adelaide assistant Michael Voss, who has left the door open for a return to the coaching hot seat.
Voss won 42 games of his 107 at the Lions (40 per cent) during 2009-2013.
Brad Scott's situation is also one of great intrigue, with neither North Melbourne nor Scott himself able to definitively state that he will be at Arden Street in 2018.
The Kangaroos, who are desperate to accelerate their list rebuild, are in hot pursuit of Dustin Martin and Josh Kelly but could ultimately miss out on both, with Richmond close to announcing the long term re-signing of Martin, while Carlton and St Kilda are believed to have gone past the Kangaroos as destinations if Kelly decides to leave GWS.
If neither Martin or Kelly join the Kangaroos, Scott and the club may see it as an opportunity for both to have a fresh start.
Channel Seven also reported that Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley had been linked the the job at the Suns. Hinkley started at the Suns in 2009 before its inaugural AFL season in 2011.
