Former Melbourne coach Mark Neeld will return to the AFL, joining Essendon to head their player development.
The appointment was made a day after the Demons also appointed newly-departed Western Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney in a development and strategy role.
Neeld will report to football department boss Neil Craig, who succeeded him after he was sacked from the Demons in June last year.
The Bombers said Neeld will concentrate on working with their first- to third-year players.
“Through my years working in the football industry, I have had a strong passion to assist the development of young footballers and watch them strive to reach their potential,” Neeld said in a club statement.
“From what I can see, the club has a terrific young list and I am looking forward to working closely with the coaching panel to foster the progress of our players, particularly in the early stages of their career.”
Neeld was an assistant at Collingwood from 2008-11 before his unsuccessful two-year term at Melbourne.
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