AFL News: Why Bombers opted for Scott over Hird, departing Dog claims awkward B&F, Gunston to Lions

Former North Melbourne mentor Brad Scott has been appointed Essendon’s new coach, edging out the likes of club stalwarts James Hird and Adem Yze for the role. 

The Bombers’ coaching selection panel, which is headlined by football boss Josh Mahoney and includes Robert Walls and Jordan Lewis, interviewed Scott on Thursday.

Essendon formally announced the 46-year-old as their new coach via president Dave Barham in an email to members on Thursday.

­Dear Members,

On behalf of the Essendon Football Club Board, I am delighted to write and officially announce to you first, that Brad Scott has been appointed as the senior coach of our men’s AFL team.

This is a significant appointment and another important step forward in the progress of our club.

To reach this appointment, we established a clear and structured coaching recruitment process to ensure we found the right person to take our club forward.

The coaching process was diligent in its approach and detailed in its execution. It begun with a shortlist of over 22 candidates and included a demanding interview process, game style presentations and external personality profiling to ensure we had the full picture of the successful candidate. 

The coaching sub-committee met for the final time this afternoon to finalise their recommendation. This recommendation was then fully endorsed by the Board at a meeting this evening.

The group consisting of Robert Walls, Jordan Lewis, Simone McKinnis OAM, Andrew Thorburn, Dorothy Hisgrove and Josh Mahoney (Chair) all worked incredibly hard over the past month to reach their recommendation. I would like to thank each member of this group for their professionalism and commitment to confidentiality throughout this process.

The sub-committee was designed to bring a unique and diverse lens to the coaching process. I have been incredibly impressed with their work and as a Board, we have enormous confidence in the outcome it delivered.

Throughout the process, it was clear the club required a strong leader and Brad’s track record as a player, coach and administrator demonstrated this.

Brad is a two-time premiership player with the Brisbane Lions. He was an assistant coach at Collingwood for three years before becoming the senior coach of the North Melbourne Football Club for 10 seasons. He then transitioned to the GM of Football role at AFL House for the past 3 years. At the age of 46, Brad has an incredible resume, with a diverse range of roles and is the experienced figure the club required.

We believe Brad has all the attributes to be the long-term coach of the Essendon Football Club. He’s a strong leader who will drive standards and establish a winning culture.

We look forward to Brad getting started with us and working closely with the broader club and the football department for what will be an important pre-season.

To our players, staff and members, please join me in welcoming Brad, his wife Penny and his two children Fletcher and Charles into the Essendon family.

This is a clearly a significant day and another positive step forward for the club. We are under no illusions about the hard work ahead of us. By the same token, we are excited about the challenge of building a club that our members are proud of and one that delivers sustained on-field success.

Thank you and go Bombers,

Scott coached North Melbourne from 2010-19 but has most recently worked at the AFL, where this year he served as the league’s general manager of football.

He is now set to be tasked with helping Essendon overcome almost two decades of mediocrity.

Essendon have not won a final since 2004, and were widely panned for the way they sacked coach Ben Rutten this year.

Rutten was not told of his axing until after the club’s bid to land Alastair Clarkson had failed. 

Essendon’s decision to interview Hird for the role also raised eyebrows given the club great was the coach of the Bombers during last decade’s supplements scandal. 

Melbourne assistant Yze and former Gold Coast assistant Dean Solomon were others in the running for the role. 

Ex-St Kilda assistant Brendon Lade was also interviewed but pulled out to join the Western Bulldogs’ coaching ranks.

After Rutten was sacked, Essendon president David Barham made it clear he wanted an experienced hand at the helm, and Scott fits the bill.

Scott coached the Kangaroos 211 times between 2010 and 2019, and had a winning record of 50.24 per cent, with 106 victories and 105 defeats.

He led North Melbourne to preliminary finals in 2014 and 2015.

Scott is widely respected in the AFL, and is likely to be warmly received by Bombers fans.

But there is one notable person who may take some convincing about a new role for the former Kangaroos coach – his twin brother.

Dual Geelong premiership mentor Chris Scott said the stressful nature of coaching meant the role came at a cost.

“(Coaching) is not a very good job to be honest,” Chris Scott told Footy Classified, when asked about his brother’s potential return to the fold.  

“It’s just hard work. It’s a stressful existence. There’s a cost to that position and it needs to be weighed really carefully.”

Awkward best and fairest

Outgoing Western Bulldogs midfielder Josh Dunkley has farewelled the club by claiming their 2022 best and fairest award.

The 25-year old recently announced his desire to be traded to Brisbane, amid rumours of a cultural rift at the Bulldogs.

Dunkley claimed his maiden Charles Sutton Medal with 231 votes, narrowly ahead of runner-up Tom Liberatore (211), whose absence in the Dogs’ elimination final loss to Fremantle proved crucial.

Coach Luke Beveridge quipped while announcing Dunkley’s win that the Lions would now need to ‘pony up’ to bring in the star inside bull.

“It’s a real shame,” Beveridge said of his impending departure.

“I describe Josh as the glue in our team. He does all the hard team things unconditionally and we’re going to need more of that from his former teammates next year.

“He’s a real diamond that we discovered and pinched from under Sydney’s nose all those years ago.

“It’s difficult to come up and match market value when you’ve got to spread the financial load across your whole group. That’s part of it, but Josh has also made a life decision on where he sees his future and where he’s going to live and what it means to him at this point in time, and we respect that.

“The obvious thing is that the Lions are going to have to pony up!”

Dunkley, who played 116 games for the Dogs since making his debut in Round 1 of 2016, including the club’s drought-breaking premiership win in his first season, said there was ‘no bad blood’ between him and the team.

“This year has been the best year out of all of them,” Dunkley said.

“It was a good step in the right direction after the Grand Final, so there is no bad blood.

“Bevo was really good to speak to on the phone. We have had a great relationship from day one and before I was drafted he spoke to me about how much I can be a role model and leader, so Bevo has been great for me and he’s like a father figure.

“I said to Bevo it was more of a lifestyle choice. He backed it in and said he completely understands the long-term deal was appealing.”

Any trade between the Bulldogs and Lions is expected to be complicated by the latter’s looming bid for father-son star Will Ashcroft, which could require the Lions to find the draft points to match a Pick 1 bid.

Gunston turns back on Hawks to head to Lions

Hawthorn triple-premiership star Jack Gunston will finish his career in maroon, blue and gold, having reportedly snubbed a two-year offer to remain at the Hawks to head to Brisbane.

Gunston, who kicked 32 goals in 16 games in 2022 after managing just one in an injury-riddled 2021, becomes the third member of the Hawks’ dynasty to finish up at the Lions, following Luke Hodge and Grant Birchall.

The 30-year old has described the shift as a ‘change of lifestyle’, while the lure of finishing with a fourth premiership, in a similar vein to former Hawks teammate Isaac Smith at Geelong, also appeals.

“Jack has been an incredible servant during his 11 seasons here at Hawthorn,” Hawks football manager Rob McCartney said in a statement.

“He leaves the club as a three-time premiership player and a best and fairest winner, but more importantly, a person who is genuinely respected and loved by his teammates, staff and our Hawthorn fans.

“The Gunston family will always be part of the Hawthorn fabric and we thank them for contribution they have made to the brown and gold.”

Gunston is an unrestricted free agent, meaning the Hawks are unable to retain him or force a trade by matching the Lions’ bid. The deal is thus expected to be completed in the early days of the trade and free agency period, which starts on Friday.

(Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

‘Geenuine despair’ from former Hawthorn players over racism investigation: Wilson

Football journalist Caroline Wilson has reported the former Hawthorn players alleging the mistreatment of First Nations players at the club are unsatisfied with the AFL’s launching of an investigation into their claims.

Speaking on SEN, Wilson reported that the anonymous players, who gave evidence into the Hawks’ internal review and then spoke with ABC journalist Russell Jackson in bombshell allegations last week, were reluctant to give evidence to the AFL investigation.

According to her, the players and legal representation Leon Zwier want an ‘independent judicial enquiry’, rather than an AFL-commissioned one.

“That’s why it’s such a mess, because these people gave their evidence, are unwilling to do so again in an environment they don’t trust,” Wilson said.

Wilson went on to claim that a key reason for the players’ stance is the presence of former Hawks president Andrew Newbold as an AFL commissioner.

“Rightly or wrongly, they say that Andrew Newbold, who read his denials today, was an AFL commissioner, and the AFL have to be conflicted investigating one of their own,” Wilson said.

The stand-off looks set to delay or even destroy the allegations of racism against then-Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson and assistant Chris Fagan, now senior coaches at North Melbourne and Brisbane.