{
  "id": 812237,
  "title": "Could King beat Longmuir to AFL's coach of the year gong?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/13/could-king-beat-longmuir-to-afls-coach-of-the-year-gong-812237",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-13T21:17:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News",
    "slug": "abc-news",
    "url": "https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-14/steven-king-justin-longmuir-afl-coach-of-the-year/107034266"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Melbourne's commanding victory over Fremantle has raised questions about who could claim the title of AFL Coach of the Year. Steven King, the first-year coach of the Demons, now appears as a strong contender to usurp Justin Longmuir's position. Longmuir's success this year, leading the Dockers to a second-ever minor premiership and a league-leading 11 players in every game, has been impressive, but King's team's resilience and improvement cannot be overlooked. Melbourne, despite losing key players and struggling in defense, has shown remarkable progress, particularly in ball movement and transition. King attributes his team's success to the foundations laid by previous coach Simon Goodwin, who he praises for instilling a competitive spirit. With Melbourne now in the mix for a top-four finish, the debate over who deserves the Coach of the Year award intensifies.",
  "summary": "Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir has produced a historic season for the men in purple, but could he still miss out on being adjudged as the league's best coach?",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "ABC News AU",
        "title": "Could King beat Longmuir to AFL's coach of the year gong?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/13/could-king-beat-longmuir-to-afls-coach-of-the-year-gong",
        "published": "2026-08-13T21:17:40.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}