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Former Essendon coach and club legend James Hird is one step closer to a remarkable return to senior coaching, having officially put his name into contention to replace Ben Rutten at the helm for 2023.
According to the Herald Sun, Hird, whose turbulent time at the Bombers as coach from 2011-2015 included his role in the club’s infamous supplements saga and ended with an acrimonious sacking, is once again interested in the position, and has been interviewed by the club’s coaching panel.
Robinson added to the story on AFL 360 on Wednesday night, saying Hird’s interest in the role, rather than being approached by the Bombers, is ‘significant’.
“Hird was asked to apply, that’s a significant one. He didn’t ring up the club and say: ‘Hey, I want to coach’,” Robinson said.
“I think the club approached Hird like they approached Ross Lyon, Leon Cameron.”
However, Bombers icon Tim Watson isn’t convinced Hird is the right man for the job, questioning whether he has too much prior history with the club to succeed at the second time of asking.
“I think for a lot of people it would drag back all those things that happened during that period of time that he was there as coach,” Watson told SEN Breakfast on Thursday morning.
“I’d be more than surprised if he ended up being the coach of the Essendon Football Club, but I’m happy for him to be part of the process and for him to have the courage to put his hand up and even go through it.
“He would’ve known what this would’ve attracted, once it became public knowledge, he would’ve known it puts him right out there in the conversation again, which he has wanted to shy away from and avoid for a long time.”
Watson, who played 307 games for the Bombers including their 1984, 1985 and 1993 premierships, is concerned that appointing Hird would be attempting to find a ‘saviour’ for the embattled club, which he is firmly against.
“It doesn’t have to come from James Hird being the coach of the Essendon Football Club to unite Essendon. The club would’ve been united under Ben Rutten and John Worsfold had they been more successful,” Watson said.
“We don’t need a saviour to come back to the Essendon Football Club and unite the Essendon Football Club. We need somebody who’s able to put a plan of action in place that’s able to deliver success and to start to build a successful team again.”
Hird has worked this season as part of GWS’ coaching staff under Giants caretaker coach and former teammate Mark McVeigh, in his first official coaching role since his time at the Bombers ended in 2015.
Former Essendon coach and superstar James Hird. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
Hird’s on-field exploits, which include 253 games, 343 goals, the 1996 Brownlow Medal and the 2000 Norm Smith Medal, as well as premierships in 1993 and 2000, established him as one of Essendon’s most revered figures, and he has remained popular among legions of fans despite his coaching controversies.
He was stood down by the AFL for 12 months at the end of 2013 at the height of the Bombers’ infamous drugs saga, with the club alleged to have provided players with performance-enhancing substances in a supplements program for the 2012 season.
Hird returned to the job for the 2015 season, but was given his marching orders after a series of poor on-field performances.
The 49-year old has been candid about his mental health battles in the years following his departure from the Bombers, while he has undertaken a number of business ventures in his time away from football.
According to Robinson, a long-term supporter of Hird, the club legend’s reasons for returning to the Bombers were fuelled by a desire to make amends.
“People think that Hird wants to coach for Hird – Hird actually wants to coach, from what I’ve been told, partly to say sorry to the club and to bring the club back,” he said.
“Everyone’s got a reason. If he wants to make good, I’d rather have him making good than making bad.”
Robinson also believes that after years of off-field turmoil, the favourite son may be just the man to ‘unite the club’ again.
“The past is already there. The past lives and exists. It cannot be changed,” he said.
“Maybe Hird has to come back and unite the clans – someone has to unite that club.
Dons football boss Josh Mahoney, former Hawthorn great Luke Hodge and Carlton playing and coaching icon Robert Walls are among the six-person sub-committee the Bombers have tasked with finding their new coach, following Ben Rutten’s ugly sacking after their Round 23 loss to Richmond.
The group reportedly met with Hird on Wednesday and will consider him among a number of other candidates, who include Melbourne assistant coach Adem Yze and AFL head of football operations and former North Melbourne coach Brad Scott.
Lewis told AFL 360 on Wednesday night that he and the panel were ‘really impressed’ by Hird’s pitch, as well as those of the other applicants.
“Having never been involved in that type of presentation or setting, for me it was one, intriguing and two, really enlightening,” he said.
“It was encouraging for not only Essendon but for the competition.
“I think all the panel members today were really impressed by presentations.”
Earlier, former St Kilda and Fremantle coach Ross Lyon had rejected an invitation to go through the coaching process.
Speaking to Fox Sports commentator Mark Howard’s The Howie Games podcast earlier this year, Hird hinted at an interest in resuming his coaching career at the highest level.
“I was asked by a CEO of a footy club six weeks ago would I like to coach again – not his club but would I like to coach again,” Hird said.
“My honest answer was, there’s some elements about it I really like. I’d have to have some family considerations to do it.
“I love the fact that you get in deeply and you work with young people to create something really, really special and you create a great team environment. But I’ve worked very hard over the last six years to create another sort of business arm.
“I’m 50 – at 40 when it [being sacked] happened I could actually transition and go – at 50, you go down that then that’s almost it.
“You have to think very carefully about the path that I take and there has to be an opportunity too.”
Fremantle are holding firm on contracted key forward Rory Lobb, despite the 29-year old officially requesting a trade to the Western Bulldogs.
Lobb has been eyeing a move to the Bulldogs, on a reported three-year, $5 million deal, for a number of weeks, and Seven News Perth’s Ryan Daniels officially confirmed his intentions on Wednesday evening.
However, Daniels reported the Dockers are ‘not entertaining’ Lobb’s trade request, with the spearhead still under contract for 2023.
It has been reported that a Lobb trade could hinge on whether the Dockers retain swingman Griffin Logue, who has been heavily courted by North Melbourne and is yet to sign on for next season.
Lobb kicked a career-high 36 goals in 2022, missing only two matches, including a bag of four against the Bulldogs in Round 21.
He is one of a number of Dockers weighing up their future at the club, with wingman Blake Acres reportedly eyeing a move to Carlton and fringe outside runner Darcy Tucker attracting interest from the Kangaroos as well.
Both were seen clearing out their lockers on Wednesday, instantly sparking rumours.
Former great turned AFL commentator Wayne Carey will not be continuing with radio station Triple M in 2023, following his much-publicised ‘white powder’ incident at Crown Towers in Perth.
Carey has been stood down from his media rules, including at Channel 7 and Triple M, since news broke that he had been ejected from Crown after a small bag containing a powdered substance fell out of his pocket during a night out.
However, Carey has not, strictly speaking, been sacked by the network, with Triple M declining to renew his contract for next year instead.
“On behalf of Triple M, we would like to thank Wayne for his services to our football commentary team, and we wish him the best for the future,” Southern Cross Austereo chief content officer Dave Cameron told The Age.
Seven will wait until an official investigation into the incident concludes before determining Carey’s future at the network.
Former player and media presenter Wayne Carey is seen during the Round 21 AFL match between the Essendon Bombers and the St Kilda Saints at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, Friday, August 10, 2018. (AAP Image/Julian Smith)
North Melbourne have requested priority access to Tasmanian draft prospects as part of its pitch for an AFL assistance package.
According to AFL Media, the Kangaroos, who have now won two consecutive wooden spoons, have been working with the league to put together a list of draft concessions to lift the team out of the mire.
Part of the proposal was to increase the club’s access to its Next Generation Academy in Tasmania. Currently, the Roos are bound by the same rules as all other teams, which prevent them from matching a bid for a player should it come in the first 20 picks on draft night.
The club is reported to have modelled its pitch on the extensive assistance package handed to Gold Coast at the end of 2019, which saw the club receive picks 1 and 20 in the national draft and increase their Academy zone to include Darwin prospects, before the Academy drafting rules were tightened.
However, the AFL has rejected the request.
An official announcement as to the concessions the Roos will receive is expected as soon as next week.
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