Essendon president Andrew Welsh has not ruled out a return for club champion James Hird as head coach, despite insisting the club is not simply reviving an 'old Essendon boys' club'. Welsh made the comments after the Bombers sacked Brad Scott with more than a year remaining on his contract, following a disastrous start to the season.
Dean Solomon, a former Essendon premiership player and ex-teammate of Hird and Welsh, has been named interim coach. Solomon took training on Tuesday ahead of Sunday's away game against West Coast. Welsh confirmed that no candidates have been ruled in or out, including Hird, who previously coached the club from 2010 to 2015, missing the 2014 season due to suspension over the Essendon drugs saga.
Welsh defended the decision to sack Scott, who won just one of his first 11 games this season, leaving the Bombers at the bottom of the ladder. The board met on Monday and unanimously decided to part ways with Scott, despite extending his contract last March. Scott leaves after 80 games, with 29 wins, 50 losses and one draw since his 2022 appointment.
The Bombers have not won a final since the 2004 elimination final and equalled their club-record losing streak of 17 games this year. Welsh also backed the club's decision to block Zach Merrett's trade request last year, stating the Bombers 'won't be pushed around'. Merrett is widely expected to again seek a move at season's end.
