If by near-field you mean a desk, then coaxial is definitely a major benefit. You have a strong vertical reflection right off the desk, often in the same region as the crossover between the woofer and tweeter. Coaxial makes that less problematic.
There are a lot of mediocre coaxial designs though. The cone profile of the mid-range needs to be shaped right for the tweeter waveguide loading, and too much cone movement disturbs the effect. Really need a 3 way design like the KEF R3 to achieve optimal sound.