Danny Frawley reveals he had doubts about Mark Thompson replacing James Hird as Essendon coach
DANNY Frawley says he was forced to “walk away” from his role on a panel to select a replacement for James Hird as Essendon coach because he did not believe Mark Thompson was fit to take on the job.
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FORMER AFL Coaches’ Association president Danny Frawley says he was forced to “walk away” from his role on a panel to select a replacement for James Hird as Essendon coach in 2014, in the wake of the supplements scandal, because he did not believe Mark “Bomber” Thompson was fit to take on the job.
Frawley, then president of the AFLCA, was a non-voting member of a panel that included Essendon football director Chris Heffernan, interim chief executive Ray Gunston, human resources manager Hailey Grimes and Terry Wallace, the former coach of Richmond and the Western Bulldogs.
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A press release on the Essendon website announcing the panel said the club would go through a “rigorous process of interviewing a number of quality applicants”, but Frawley said it quickly became clear a decision had been made to appoint Thompson, who now faces drug-related charges.
“I said I’m walking away because of what I’ve heard and because I’m led to believe it’s a boat race putting guys like Mark Harvey and Mark Williams through the process when you’ve already picked the guy,” Frawley said on SEN radio.
“Ray Gunston is a very smart operator and he resigned two days after he was appointed.”
Frawley said he had doubts about former Essendon champion and dual Geelong premiership coach Thompson.
“I did my own scouting on not the coaching scenario, (but) the health and wellbeing of guys and maybe not making great life choices,” Frawley said.
“I heard about huge nights at Crown night after night and I had to walk away when I heard ‘Bomber’ was going to get the job.”
Asked if he believed Thompson had a drug problem at the time, Frawley said he, “couldn’t see it, but I heard a lot of it”.
Meanwhile, Geelong president Colin Carter said Thompson was welcome at the club and hoped he would be at next year’s 2009 premiership team reunion.
“We wish him well and hope the best for him,” Carter said. “We don’t have a premiership function this year ... there will be another one in 2019. Obviously he would be a welcome guest.
“My understanding there are a lot of people including those at the club who have offered help but they are all a bit nonplussed.
“Everyone who has known him and been close to him says they have struggled to be in contact with him for some time.”
Last year he returned to the club for the 10-year reunion of the 2007 premiership, his first meaningful interaction with many players since he left in 2010.
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Originally published as Danny Frawley reveals he had doubts about Mark Thompson replacing James Hird as Essendon coach