Essendon fitness boss Sean Murphy departs, Andrew Russell a potential replacement

Essendon’s head of high performance will depart after the Bombers’ horror 2025 campaign — and his potential replacement has worked at the club before.

Essendon has gone to market in the search for a new fitness boss amid its horror injury run ahead of the departure of fitness boss Sean Murphy.

Murphy’s contract as head of high performance was due to expire at the end of this year and the Bombers announced on Friday he would be moving on after six years at the club.

The fitness boss has told the Bombers he is happy to stay in the job in coming weeks until a new hire is made if need be and he remains in the role for now as a long list of players work through injury rehab.

The Bombers have had a horror year with injuries. Picture: James Wiltshire/AFL Photos

Essendon has started its search for Murphy’s replacement, which would oversee the club’s medical department as head of high performance and medical.

While Murphy’s title did not contain the medical aspect of the football department, the addition of the ‘medical’ role is not necessarily part of a revamp of the job.

Highly respected veteran fitness boss Andrew Russell is set to be a person of interest in the Bombers’ search.

Andrew Russell (L) is a potential replacement. Picture: Michael Klein

Russell has had stints at Carlton, Hawthorn, Port Adelaide and even Essendon under coach Kevin Sheedy and has been praised by past players such as Shane Crawford and Luke Hodge for guiding their bodies through long careers.

Murphy’s departure comes amid a disastrous campaign for the Bombers, which has been defined by a constantly growing injury list.

The Herald Sun revealed in May the club would launch an investigation into its fitness woes.

The club’s wide-ranging review is set to take in aspects including player warm ups, facilities and the club’s grounds at its Tullamarine base.

The 16 players on the current Essendon injury list include long term setbacks such as ACL injuries (Nic Martin, Tom Edwards, Lewis Hayes and Nick Bryan), achilles (Sam Draper) and foot (Ben McKay, Will Setterfield).

But soft tissue problems have also plagued the club, with three players pulling up sore after training with soft tissue problems during the recent bye week.

Soft tissue injuries are seen as more commonly a result of training loads and more avoidable.

Essendon footy boss Dan McPherson thanked Murphy for six years of service to the club and the “professionalism and integrity that he has carried himself with, particularly throughout what has been a really challenging season in 2025”.

Murphy said he was “proud of the support shown within our high performance team” during the tough season.

Originally published as Essendon fitness boss Sean Murphy departs, Andrew Russell a potential replacement