Former Geelong captain Tom Harley says the AFL club might have a "gentleman's agreement" where Brenton Sanderson will take over as coach.

But Cats chief executive Brian Cook has laughed off the idea, saying there is no version of the famous Australian politics "Kirribilli agreement" in the corridors of power at Skilled Stadium.

Harley was commenting on Sunday about Geelong assistant Brenton Sanderson and the Port Adelaide head coaching position.

"He (Sanderson) has voluntarily pulled out of the interview process at Port Adelaide," Harley said on Channel Seven's Game Day.

"Reading between the lines there, you might suggest there's a gentleman's agreement between 'Bomber' (Mark Thompson), (Cats president) Frank Costa and Brian Cook.

"Bomber has always been adamant he's going to pull up stumps in 2012 - Bomber is a man of real integrity and I can't see him going back on that word.

"I've also got a bit of a feeling he'd really like to hand over the reins to Brenton Sanderson while the team is still in good nick."

Cook laughed when asked about Harley's theory and immediately dismissed it as "speculation".

"Our first priority is re-signing Mark as senior coach," Cook said.

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