Cox comeback scotched: ruckman commits to coaching
No playing comeback for Eagle ruck, who is keen to coach in 2015
DEAN Cox has completely dismissed the possibility of being lured out of retirement and has stated his intention to coach in 2015.
The West Coast ruckman played the last of 290 games this season in a year where he had to manage his body carefully while the Eagles juggled him and their trio of young talls.
There has been some suggestion that rival clubs will approach Cox, if they haven't already, about ‘doing a Ben Hudson’ and back-flipping on his decision in favour of a one-year playing contract.
But the 33-year-old said there was no chance of that happening and he was ready to coach full time.
"I won't be playing next year, any form of football," Cox said on Wednesday in Melbourne.
"The body will have a good rest and I'll just be coaching – I'll dive straight into that now.
"I've been in a position to spend some time with my family in the past couple of weeks and really enjoy it, and then [work out] what I want to do next year, which is coaching somewhere.
"If it's at West Coast, great. If not, I might have to move."
Cox is officially contracted to the Eagles until October 1 and appeared at Federation Square's Grand Final Live Site on Wednesday wearing a club polo.
While he indicated his preference would be to remain at the Eagles in a coaching role, he was open to talking to other clubs.
"It's something we'll go through now [at the Eagles]," he said.
"All the reviews have been done, and now it's a chance to really sit down with them and go through that.
"If an opportunity elsewhere [arises], I'll talk to other clubs as well."
Cox admitted he saw the merit in extending his football knowledge outside the club he has been at since being drafted as a rookie in 2000.
But he said the new-look Eagles' coaching panel could make it possible for him to grow into a role there.
"We had eight out of nine new coaches at our club last year in their first year and trying to gel together," he said.
"I had a little bit of a part of that and I'm just really looking forward now to ramping up my coaching stuff."
Cox paid tribute to Monday night's surprise Brownlow Medal winner Matt Priddis and said he was a well deserving and worthy recipient of football's highest individual honour.
"All the hard work he's put in, he's finally recognised nationally now," he said.
"In WA, he's a very popular player and goes about his role and performs it really well and it's great to see the recognition he gets now."
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