Jun 3, 2026 · 29 min · 12 segments
The Bombers Clubcast pulls back the curtain on a club in coaching chaos. • Zander Maguire reveals what the board really thinks about James Hird - and it's not what you'd expect • The getaway driver…
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Caroline WilsonPanelistZander MaguireGuest
Craig HutchisonHost
Kane CornesPanelist
Geez, it was a tumultuous week at the club last year, ah, last week, and, uh, there was a revolving door of changes as well, all in the space of a few days.
Last week, Brad Scott was sacked, then his two lieutenants, Ben Jacobs and Ben Robins, tendered their resignations at the same time.
And then last October, Dave Barham, the president, departed as well, the fitness boss left, and the captain was changed.
Uh, where are we going for here? Where are we going from here for Essendon, Caro?
Well, in the short term, they need to bring some more people into the footy department short term.
I mean, this is no knock on Dean Solomon, but he hasn't coached full time, uh, for nearly three years, and he's come in as an assistant this year.
I know he and Brad Scott both denied that there were fractures there, but I have absolutely no doubt that there were.
... definitely fractures, and I, even though Essendon are denying it, things were becoming pretty toxic within that footy club up until last week.
The AFL Players Association, I'm told, have stepped in and offered their services, their psychological services, because this is a big problem at a time that the AFL is mandating.
Although they've backed away from a full-time psych, and they've admitted that that was never realistic behind the scenes, but that, that was a publicity stunt.
So in th- in governance terms of looking after your players, they need extra people in that footy department now.
It's not enough to say they've brought up Brent Stanton and Michael Hurley, and it- it's pretty incredible that two people would leave in protest.
Now, no one at Essendon will tell me whether there'll be soft cap relief because of those departures or whether Robins and also, um-
Geez, it was a tumultuous week at the club last year, ah, last week, and, uh, there was a revolving door of changes as well, all in the space of a few days.
Last week, Brad Scott was sacked, then his two lieutenants, Ben Jacobs and Ben Robins, tendered their resignations at the same time.
And then last October, Dave Barham, the president, departed as well, the fitness boss left, and the captain was changed.
Uh, where are we going for here? Where are we going from here for Essendon, Caro?
Well, in the short term, they need to bring some more people into the footy department short term.
I mean, this is no knock on Dean Solomon, but he hasn't coached full time, uh, for nearly three years, and he's come in as an assistant this year.
I know he and Brad Scott both denied that there were fractures there, but I have absolutely no doubt that there were.
... definitely fractures, and I, even though Essendon are denying it, things were becoming pretty toxic within that footy club up until last week.
The AFL Players Association, I'm told, have stepped in and offered their services, their psychological services, because this is a big problem at a time that the AFL is mandating.
Although they've backed away from a full-time psych, and they've admitted that that was never realistic behind the scenes, but that, that was a publicity stunt.
So in th- in governance terms of looking after your players, they need extra people in that footy department now.
It's not enough to say they've brought up Brent Stanton and Michael Hurley, and it- it's pretty incredible that two people would leave in protest.
Now, no one at Essendon will tell me whether there'll be soft cap relief because of those departures or whether Robins and also, um-
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