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AFL News: Rutten safe for now despite rumours of axing amid Bombers board bedlam

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15th August, 2022
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Ben Rutten will remain as Essendon coach – for now.

But after a Monday of rumours, conjecture and an emergency Bombers board meeting, the 39-year old’s future at the club is still hanging in the balance.

President Paul Brasher’s resignation was the only domino to fall as the board convened, their second meeting in a turbulent 24 hours that also featured a humiliating 84-point loss to Port Adelaide on Sunday evening.

Former Channel 10 executive David Barham has been named to replace Brasher at the helm.

Club CEO Xavier Campbell fronted the media on Monday afternoon, refuting claims that Rutten had been sacked.

“Ben’s our coach,” he is reported to have said.

However, the Bombers are also said to be seriously considering a heavy pursuit of in-demand four-time premiership coach Alastair Clarkson, who has been heavily linked to the vacant North Melbourne position, though not yet confirmed.

The rumour mill clicked into overdrive during the morning, when 3AW’s Neil Mitchell claimed Rutten had already been informed that he has coached his final game, with assistant Daniel Giansiracusa to take over for the Bombers’ final game of the season, against Richmond on Saturday night.

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https://twitter.com/7AFL/status/1558993155894444032

Rutten is currently contracted to the end of 2023.

The club have been conducting an internal review since midway through the season, with Brasher adamant in May that Rutten would ‘definitely not’ be removed as coach.

According to The Age, the announcement of the review has divided the board, with some feeling Brasher should have commissioned an independent review rather than keeping things internal.

Having made finals in 2021 in Rutten’s first year at the helm, the Bombers have gone backwards this season, reaching rock bottom against the Power.

Prior to taking the senior role, Rutten was designated a year out as John Worsfold’s replacement, setting into motion a controversial coaching succession plan throughout 2020.

The Bombers sit 15th on the ladder with one round to go, having managed just seven wins for the season.

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The club, the AFL’s equal most successful alongside Carlton with 16 VFL/AFL premiership, has famously not won a final since 2004.

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