Essendon coach Brad Scott on a contract extension and the exciting teenager set to make his AFL debut

Essendon coach Brad Scott has had his contract extended on the eve of the season with the Bombers to show faith in their trajectory.

Essendon coach Brad Scott says a contract extension helps provide “stability and unity” as he tries to build the Bombers back into a destination club.

Scott was contracted for a further two years but has had his deal extended for one more, until the end of 2027 days out from the club’s season-opening clash with Hawthorn.

Club president David Barham said the deal was a “statement of stability and alignment” while Scott, who hadn’t thought about extending prior to an offer being made, was willing to show his faith in the Bombers’ path.

“The club has approached me about extending for another year to show the stability that the club has been yearning for for a long time,” Scott said on Tuesday.

Essendon coach Brad Scott is open to extending his contract with the Bombers. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

“This (contract extension) hasn’t been something that has been anywhere near my thinking.

“If the club think that for stability and unity, in a show of action, they want to put an extra year on my contract, then I’m open to that because I’m committed to what we’re doing here.

“Like a lot of clubs, we’re clearly going to be in the market to improve our list through all avenues.

“I don’t think clubs who don’t have stability are overly attractive.

“We’ve reset our football club over two years, and we want to show that we’ve got a stable base from which to build.”

Barham was emphatic that Scott has shown himself to be “an impressive leader” since being lured back in to coaching from his job at the AFL two seasons ago.

“He has selflessly overseen a reset of our list, with 20 list changes in just two years,” he sauid.

“His club-first mentality has impressed everyone, and he has accepted the challenge of rebuilding the Bombers - purposefully and respectfully - into a team that can compete at the highest level.”

Essendon will debut top draft pick Isaac Kako against Hawthorn on Friday night, while former Brisbane defender Jaxon Prior will play his first club game.

Scott says the bright lights of Friday night footy won’t bother the exciting Kako.

Exciting small forward Isaac Kako will make his debut on Friday night. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“It feels like Isaac’s been part of the fabric around here since he was 14 years of age,” Scott said of the Next Generation Academy talent.

“Playing round 1, his first game of his career, is a great achievement, but it’s felt for us like it’s been a long build for him.

“He’s an extremely level-headed young man.

“He stands out. He’s already a fan favourite, but he’s just shown a remarkable ability to focus on what we want him to focus on.”

The Bombers survived an injury scare to 2022 best and fairest winner Peter Wright on Saturday after he left a VFL practice match with an ankle issue.

The club initially feared the worst for Wright but have been blessed with much better news since.

“He will miss this week, he’s got an ankle injury. Syndesmosis seems to be the flavour of the month at the moment, it’s not that,” Scott said.

“It’s a lateral ankle injury, it means it won’t be long term but it means he won’t play this week and probably next week.

“The good thing for us is that it’s not a long-term injury.

“When he went down we had fears it was worse, so while a lateral ligament injury isn’t ideal, it was certainly a sense of relief.”

Originally published as Essendon coach Brad Scott on a contract extension and the exciting teenager set to make his AFL debut