Bomber Thompson back at Essendon coaching kids, as Nick Stevens meets with AFL execs

Mark Thompson is back coaching at Essendon, with the club saying there’s no “better person” for the job than Bomber.

Former Carlton player Nick Stevens has been spotted at a secret meeting with AFL’s legal eagle Andrew Dillon.

The AFL’s executive general manager football operations, legal and integrity Andrew Dillon has been spotted in a not so secret meeting with former Carlton player Nick Stevens.

An eagle eyed passer-by snapped the catch up at a Hawthorn cafe in late February, showing the pair in serious discussion.

Nick Stevens attended a secret meeting with the AFL’s Andrew Dillon.

Sheahan Ink was sent images of the meeting but the details of the discussion remain confidential.

It’s believed Stevens is considering legal action and has employed a top Melbourne law firm to represent him after the AFL refused to rubber stamp Stevens’ application to coach again.

Stevens coached Gippsland Power in the U18’s, Glenelg in the SANFL and the NSW junior state side before his accreditation was cancelled due to assault charges.

The former AFL player, who laced up the boots with Port Adelaide and Carlton, refused to say anything about the meeting when contacted.

We reached out to the AFL too but they were also tight-lipped and wouldn’t comment.

Insiders from Carlton report Stevens has a good football brain and would like to rejoin the coaching ranks.

AFL's legal eagle at a secret meeting with carlton star Nick Stevens.

Bomber returns to Essendon

Former coach Mark ‘Bomber’ Thompson is returning to Essendon to coach local football team Doutta Stars and help the club’s youngsters.

Cheekily labelled the Essendon mafia, Doutta Stars boasts former Essendon footballers Paul Barnard as senior coach, David Calthorpe as head of football and Mark Johnson as U12’s coach.

Mark ‘Bomber’ Thompson has returned to Essendon to coach the club’s youngsters. Picture: Daniel Pockett

There are also a handful of listed Essendon VFL players at the club too, giving it a distinct real black and red flavour.

Doutta Stars U16’s coach Paul Roumeliotis reached out to coaching genius Thompson to assist the club in their on field fortunes this season with Bomber agreeing to attend two sessions a week.

Bomber is committed to a minimum six weeks of coaching the kids and will do it out of the goodness of his heart.

“I think he loves it and it’s sensational,” Barnard said.

“It’s terrific for the club and he’s doing it for nothing.

“Bomber has a smile on his face when he’s at training and he’s doing what he loves and why wouldn’t you.

“Everyone deserves a second chance and what better person could you have at the club than Bomber?

“We are investing in our kids and we are happy for him, and he is happy.”

Friends of the 58-year-old say he is in a much better headspace and greets friends warmly in intermittent phone calls.

All Australian recruiting

The AFL’s All Australian selection committee is on the hunt for two new selectors after Richmond legend Matthew Richardson and Port Adelaide premiership player Warren Tredrea handed in their resignations.

The pair both cited time with family as their reason for moving on, giving others a chance to impart their intellectual property on to the committee moving forward.

“I think it’s time to pass the baton,” Richardson told Sheahan Ink from Tasmania.

“I think they should rotate some fresh faces through.

“And I’ve got a young family now and want to spend more time with them.

“I’ve been on the committee some six to seven years so some new faces will be good and bring new ideas to it.”

Tredrea added: “I enjoyed my time on the All Australian committee, but after eight years it was time for fresh faces”.

AFL boss Gill McLachlan thanked the pair for their services writing each a letter highlighting their outstanding service to the game.

ABC win for NBA star

Michael Jordan, ESPN and Netflix’s decision to leave Australian Luc Longley out of the worldwide hit, The Last Dance, has paid dividends for the ABC.

Chicago Bull Luc Longley pictured here with Mike Sheahan, Will Fitzpatrick, Francesca Sheahan.

Longley and the ABC’s Australian Story program were honoured at Wednesday’s Sport Australia Media Awards for their insight into Jordan’s former teammate at the Chicago Bulls.

Chicago’s former centre was the only Bulls championship winner not to be interviewed in the ratings hit that shone a light on the inner sanctum of one of the most successful teams in sporting history.

Scottie Pippen, Denis Rodman, Steve Kerr, Toni Kukoc and Chicago coach Phil Jackson all played pivotal roles in the Jordan based doco.

Longley and the Australia Story team were in Sydney for the awards where they took home for best sports profile – broadcast.

Longley was captured in a picture after the honour with Hall of Fame inductee Mike Sheahan with his grandkids Will and Francesca.

Sheahan Ink secret short’s

• AFL commentator Nathan Buckley was spotted leaving former girlfriend Alex Pike’s Chapel St beauty salon last week fuelling speculation of a reunion for the former lovers.

• Which injured AFL player was out on the town on a recent Thursday night and became quite enamoured with a black haired girl who he is now bombarding with texts, unfortunately without much knowledge of her background?

• Rock star American group the Foo Fighters enjoyed Melbourne’s plush pillows at the Park Hyatt where they laid their heads before jetting out of Victoria. Hopefully they don’t come a cropper like Australian cricketer Steve Smith who was stuck in the hotel’s lift last year whilst in town for the Ashes, left with little more than a bag of chips and a mobile phone for company for an hour.