Written by Megan Taylor, sports reporter covering international sports since 2020
The James Hird Essendon return push has taken another step, with details emerging of the coaching group he wants around him if he wins the race to replace Brad Scott.
Hird declared his interest in the Essendon senior coaching job just over 12 hours after Scott was sacked, and supporter calls for the club great to return have grown louder over the past week.
The coaching debate comes during another major AFL news cycle, with Luke Ryan Bunbury AFL Venue Record Set to Reach 19th Ground for Fremantle Dockers Star adding another storyline to the round.
Hird’s assistant plan takes shape
Herald Sun reporter Scott Gullan said Hird had been active in sounding out possible assistants as part of his pitch.
“He’s been a busy boy James. ‘Team Hird’, he’s got on the phone and spoken to a lot of his close associates — and I think it’s a genius move,” Gullan said on Fox Footy’s Midweek Tackle.
“As we know, the narrative has been: ‘There’s a lot to love about James ... (but) he hasn’t coached for 10 years, he’s not up to date with the modern game. So, what do you do? You put people who are modern-day experts around him.
“The names in his ideal dream team (are) Mark McVeigh, he’s a Sydney assistant coach. Dean Solomon obviously is a good friend who’s an interim coach at the moment.
“Development is a big problem at Essendon as we know. Brendan McCartney is one of the best in the business ever, and raised all the Geelong superstars. He’s working with ‘Hirdy’ at Port Melbourne.”
Heppell and Bartel linked to Bombers pitch
Gullan also named former Essendon captain Dyson Heppell and Brownlow Medallist Jimmy Bartel as possible figures in Hird’s preferred football department.
“The big one is Dyson Heppell — Essendon fans will love this. The former skipper is at Collingwood at the moment in a development role. Get him back in the team!” Gullan said.
Fans can follow official Essendon club news through the Essendon Football Club website.
Hird coached Essendon from 2011 to 2015 and briefly worked with Greater Western Sydney in 2022.
He is now director of coaching at Port Melbourne, but questions remain over whether Essendon will look back to a club legend or chase a more recent AFL coaching figure.