Series of shambolic errors that have plagued Essendon

Brad Scott will be Dyson Heppell’s seventh coach, and he has also seen five presidents and four CEO’s. And the trainwreck of costly decisions has continued this year.

The Bombers’ errors have continued in 2022. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nicki Connolly

Most who left Essendon’s best and fairest count on Monday night probably thought Peter Wright winning the Crichton Medal was going to be the strangest thing that happened.

No disrespect to two-metre Peter who kicked 50 odd goals and certainly had the best season of his career, but the fact a full-forward won the B&F in a team which finished 15th doesn’t say a lot about the rest of them.

It was an underwhelming affair – why the Bombers waited until the first week of October to have the medal count is a whole other discussion – with the clear highlight being new coach Brad Scott’s maiden speech to the faithful.

Fellow newcomer president David Barham had kicked things off earlier trying his best to rev up the fans before new CEO Andrew Thorburn took to the stage to introduce himself.

Peter Wright was the surprise winner of Essendon’s best and fairest. Picture: Wayne Taylor

Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

It had a real kumbaya feel about it with Barham spouting that it was a pivotal moment in the football club’s history.

“This is the reset we had to have and I promise you this is just the beginning,” he said.

“We can become an unstoppable force in football again but we will need a mighty team effort.

“Everyone has to put the club first in everything you do, we have to keep our heads down, work hard and stay united.”

Twenty hours later Thorburn was gone and Barham’s position is under threat. Talk about some reset.

Essendon’s ability to lurch from one scandal to another over the past decade is unrivalled. What must the players be thinking?

It’s hard to paint a picture to say they’ve been given every chance to succeed. What would captain Dyson Heppell be thinking watching Geelong march to another premiership?

This century the Cats have had two coaches, two CEOs and three presidents. Scott will be Heppell’s seventh coach, he has also seen five presidents and four CEO’s if you count Thorburn’s one day in the job.

Barham was highly rated as a TV executive, particularly around cricket’s Big Bash, with everything he touched seemingly turning to gold. Unfortunately for him, it’s been the opposite in his two month stint in the top job.

David Barham has had his fair share of controversy since becoming president. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Nicki Connolly

The dismissal of Ben Rutten came straight out of the ‘How not to sack a coach’ manual. Keeping him hanging before the inevitable chop didn’t go down well with the football world.

Then making a last-minute lunge at Alastair Clarkson was amateurish particularly when one of your board members, club great Kevin Sheedy, was publicly running interference in the pursuit.

And then launching an external review into the whole club’s operations using former NAB boss Thorburn, a known Bombers fan, as a key player in it.

Thorburn, who had an inglorious exit from NAB, then proceeded to interview prospective candidates for the vacant CEO job – Xavier Campbell fell on his sword after backing Rutten in – before suddenly deciding he wanted to put his hand up for the job.

That “comprehensive” process saw Thornburn appointed on Monday. He was gone by Tuesday after his links to a church organisation, the City on The Hill, were exposed.

While the Herald Sun was able to scan the church’s website and find material outlining its offensive views to abortion, homosexuality and same-sex marriage, apparently Barham and anyone else at Essendon weren’t able to do so in their “thorough” due diligence in checking the CEO’s background.

Thorburn even tried to say he didn’t know about the material even though he was the chairman of the whole set-up. A trainwreck radio interview to try and change the narrative against him on Tuesday morning didn’t work and by mid-afternoon Essendon were looking for another CEO.

His dismissal has turned into a political debate about religious freedom but that’s the least of Essendon’s concerns.

Barham is now facing potential challenges while his board is all over the place, including Sheedy, who broke ranks after the club said Scott’s appointment was unanimous given he’d actually voted for James Hird.

Meanwhile, that external review is due to be handed down next week and word has it that long-time recruiting manager Adrian Dodoro is finally on the nose, even though he’s currently trying to negotiate deals for the future of the club in trade week.

But Essendon fans shouldn’t fret, remember this was just the reset the club needed. It’s just that it’s another reset on the original reset from Monday.

Confused? Just ask Dyson Heppell because by now he must be an expert in all things shambolic at Essendon.