AFL great Kevin Sheedy to coach the Burleigh Bombers in a one-off appearance

AUSTRALIAN football icon Kevin Sheedy is to make a special return to coaching with the Bombers this weekend.

Essendon great Kevin Sheedy. Photo: George Salpigtidis

AUSTRALIAN football icon Kevin Sheedy is to make a special return to coaching with the Bombers this weekend.

But before those hundreds of thousands of Essendon supporters get excited, it’s a one-off gig as a guest coach of the Burleigh Bombers, a Gold Coast team that plays in the Queensland Football Association Division 1 competition.

Burleigh head coach Troy Crossley is stepping aside for the return to grassroots football for the inimitable Sheedy.

And the long-time Essendon coach (he was with the Bombers for 634 games before two seasons with the GWS Giants) has made it clear this is not a social thing when Burleigh tackle Caloundra at Bill Godfrey Oval in Burleigh Waters on Saturday.

“This is not going to be a fun thing, it will be full-on confrontational,” Sheedy said in a clear message to the Bomber players not to expect him to go easy on them.

Sheedy’s close association with Burleigh president Paul Fowles led to him agreeing to the short stint.

Former Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy. Photo: George Salpigtidis

“It’s important that grassroots footy on the Gold Coast gets some promotion,” Sheedy said.

“Don’t forget that a Burleigh junior Brayden Crossley was just picked in the All-Australian team after the national under-18 carnival.”

But the red and black army is just as important to the former master coach and ex-Richmond player.

“Burleigh is a black and red club and I want to get all the black and red clubs together,” Sheedy said.

“All the black and red clubs throughout Australia should be in the one great network.”

Now 69, Sheedy’s passion for Aussie rules resulted in him taking Essendon to Darwin, London, Florida, Tokyo and London, among other places, to promote Australia’s national code.

Burleigh’s head coach Troy Crossley does not mind at all taking a back seat to let Sheedy do his thing.

“It’s a terrific idea,” Crossley said.

“If he can improve individuals by 10 to 15 per cent it’ll be all worthwhile.