FORMER Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley is seemingly in the box seat to be named the inaugural senior coach of the Tasmania Devils, with the League's newest expansion club set to make a blockbuster decision as early as Monday.

Hinkley reportedly boarded a flight from Melbourne to Hobart on Sunday to meet with Devils officials as the race to become the club's coach reaches its crescendo ahead of their entry in 2028.

Former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley and ex-Sydney coach John Longmire were the two other main contenders in the running for the Devils coaching job.

But it is believed Hinkley is now the preference among the Devils' hierarchy, and a final decision is imminent. 

Buckley is set to remain an assistant at Geelong next year if he is overlooked for the Devils role, while premiership coach Longmire will be heavily linked with any senior role that pops up over the next 12 months. 

Longmire met with the Devils a fortnight ago in what he described as a fact-finding mission. 

John Longmire during the match between the North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium in round 17, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

Hinkley coached Port Adelaide from 2013 to 2025 but failed to reach a Grand Final across those 13 seasons, losing three preliminary finals along the way.

It means he exited Port with the unwanted mark of having coached the most VFL/AFL games without reaching a Grand Final.

Nevertheless, the 59-year-old walked away with an excellent winning record of 58.6 per cent, having guided Port to 174 victories from his 297 games in charge.

Ollie Wines and Ken Hinkley ahead of Port Adelaide's clash with Brisbane in the 2023 qualifying final. Picture: AFL Photos

The Devils will enter the League in 2028 and have been granted a host of generous draft concessions to ensure they will be competitive from the get-go.

Among those concessions, Tasmania will get picks No, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13 in the 2027 national draft, but they must trade picks 5, 7, 11 and 13 to other clubs for either players or other draft picks.

They can also sign up to 18 uncontracted players from rival clubs across 2027-28, snaring a maximum of one player per club.

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Tasmania is currently in eighth spot in the VFL, having posted eight wins, six losses and a draw in a promising campaign to date.

The Devils aren't the only club closing in on a new coach.

Essendon is narrowing down its search for Scott's replacement with the role set to come down to former club great James Hird and current interim Dean Solomon.

Carlton is also on the lookout for a new coach after parting ways with Michael Voss earlier this year.

Interim Blues coach Josh Fraser initially said he didn't want the role full-time, but his name is well and truly in the mix after guiding Carlton to seven wins from his nine games in charge to date.