RESPECTED West Coast assistant Peter Sumich has applied for the Richmond coaching position but says he hasn't made a play for the North Melbourne vacancy. 

John Worsfold's right-hand man unsuccessfully interviewed for the Melbourne and Essendon coaching positions in 2007, only narrowly missing the Bombers' position won by Matthew Knights.

Sumich, 40, is in his eighth season as an assistant at West Coast and said he was better suited to a senior coaching position now than he was back in 2007.

"I'm better prepared, but I thought I prepared and gave a great presentation for the Essendon job and went very close," Sumich said on Friday.

"So I'll just bowl along and see what happens. It's out of my hands.

"If I get the opportunity, just give it your best shot and that's it."

Sumich said he hadn't looked at the North Melbourne position vacated by former teammate Dean Laidley. 
 
"That (Richmond) is something I've applied for and that's it," he said. 

Sumich oversaw West Coast's revered midfield in the club's 2006 premiership and has this year taken over as forward line coach with Mark LeCras and Josh Kennedy both flourishing under his tutelage.
 
He is the club's all-time leading goal-kicker and a dual premiership player.
 
Sumich also coached South Fremantle in the WAFL for two seasons before taking up his current position with West Coast in 2002.

Applications for the Richmond position closed last Friday and the club is expected to begin interviewing candidates shortly.


The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs.