Dean Cox in huge twist at Sydney Swans as Andrew McQualter unveiled as West Coast coach

Dean Cox is now more in the box seat to become the next Sydney Swans coach than ever before, with John Longmire's future thrown into doubt and the West Coast Eagles appointing Andrew McQualter. Rumours had been rife that the Eagles would make one final play for Cox after the AFL grand final, with the Swans assistant coach focusing on their finals campaign rather than his future.

But that chain of thought was finally ended on Monday when the Eagles announced McQualter as their new head coach. The 38-year-old has been given a three-year contract to lead the Eagles out of the doldrums, after they finished 16th, 18th and 17th in the past three seasons.

McQualter was Richmond's caretaker coach when Damien Hardwick stepped down last May and was a long-time assistant at the Tigers. He served as an assistant under Simon Goodwin at the Demons this season.

"I have been working towards this moment for the last 10 years and I'm thrilled to be appointed," McQualter said in a statement on Monday. "I am aware that there is much work to do and I am definitely up for that. There is some exciting young talent at the club with a mix of outstanding players and I couldn't be more excited to get over there and get to work with them."

Andrew McQualter backed to turn West Coast Eagles around

McQualter's connection to Richmond could help West Coast land some key trade targets, with Tigers players Liam Baker, Shai Bolton and Jack Graham all weighing offers from the Eagles. McQualter was pipped for Richmond's full-time head-coaching job by Adem Yze at the end of last year.

He was told of his appointment by West Coast chief executive Don Pyke on Sunday. "We believe Andrew has the professional and personal qualities and experience required to guide our team," Pyke said in a statement.

"We are excited to have someone of his calibre leading our football program forward. We were in a fortunate position where we had three exceptional candidates short-listed with Andrew possessing the credentials and vision needed to help us make strong progress. Andrew has a firm vision of what needs to be done and is ready to embrace the opportunity of being an AFL senior coach."

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McQualter's appointment comes as another blow for Geelong assistant Steven King, who collapsed after suffering a medical episode at a Cats training session ahead of the preliminary final. King had only just flown back from WA to interview for the Eagles job, and Chris Scott said his busy schedule may have contributed to the situation.

Dean Cox in line to replace John Longmire as Sydney coach

The news about McQualter will also come with big ramifications in Sydney, with Cox seemingly on the cusp of becoming the next Swans head coach. Cox is a West Coast legend and had been linked to the Eagles job, but declared he didn't want to uproot his family from Sydney to move back home.

There's speculation he could become the Swans head coach as early as next season, with Longmire said to be weighing up his future. Longmire was already considering how much longer he'd coach, and Saturday's brutal loss in the grand final will spark more questions. Longmire has now lost four grand finals and only won one.

“This can’t be walked past,” leading reporter Damien Barrett said on Sunday about Longmire's grand final record. “John Longmire we know has been wrestling with his own future beyond next year, he is contracted, but to be smashed now twice inside three seasons to add the 2016 grand final and the 2014 grand final to the losses he has had as the coach of this footy club, I expect this club to fully debrief this one and I think some big conversations will be had.”