By Sam McClure
Leon Cameron has emerged as one of the last remaining candidates with senior coaching experience who is considering coaching Essendon, after Ross Lyon and Brad Scott declined to be part of the selection process.
Although he is yet to be contacted, club sources have confirmed that Essendon has discussed a potential approach of Cameron, who parted ways with Greater Western Sydney midway through this season.
People close to Cameron believe his preference is to stay in Sydney - where his children are at school - but that he could be convinced to coach again in 2023, despite it being so soon after leaving the Giants.
Former GWS coach Leon Cameron.Credit: Kate Geraghty
It remains unclear whether James Hird will apply for the job, while former Adelaide coach and Sydney assistant Don Pyke, according to sources, wants to stay in New South Wales.
Untried coaches Adem Yze, current Essendon defensive coach Daniel Giansiracusa, and former West Coast and Fremantle caretaker Jaymie Graham are all likely to apply. Yze recently finished runner-up to Adam Kingsley in the race for Cameron’s replacement at GWS.
Lyon – who coached 305 games between 2007 and 2019, including 20 finals, and appears on Triple M radio and Nine’s Footy Classified – told Bombers football boss Josh Mahoney that he was happy with his work in real estate and the football media, while sources indicated Scott was concentrating on his relatively new role as league football boss.
Ken Hinkley has not been sounded out by Essendon and is committed to coaching Port Adelaide in 2023.
New Essendon president David Barham said late last month that an experienced coach “might be able to get more out of this list”.
If Cameron decides to move forward with Essendon, his previous experience as a senior coach would allow him to skip the first of three stages.
Former St Kilda and Fremantle coach Ross Lyon.Credit: Getty Images
The process will begin next week, with premiership coach Robert Walls and Hawthorn stalwart Jordan Lewis heading up a six-person selection panel.
Lyon was seen as a key contender for the Essendon job, following the departure of Ben Rutten.
But he declined to be part of the process, explaining that he only needed 90 minutes to make his decision.
On Wednesday afternoon, Lyon confirmed an initial report by The Age that he had declined to take part in the process at Essendon, but said he couldn’t articulate the reasons behind his decision.
“It wasn’t vibing,” he told Triple M. “Sometimes there’s just no vibe.”
Lyon explained how he had responded to the approach from the Bombers.
“There was a missed call on Sunday night, checked the message bank, [it’s Essendon football boss] Josh Mahoney,” Ross said.
“I just text him and said ‘look I’m really busy tomorrow with work … I’ll call you after 6.30’.
“So I rang him 6.30 Monday night … and off the bat I said ‘look, I don’t feel it’s the right fit for me, but can you just explain what it is?’
“And he was really good. Really simply, they’re going to have about five or six candidates, at least two steps, maybe three, but the first step I wouldn’t be in.
“I think that’s for guys who hadn’t coached before, there’s some hurdles for them to jump, and I think they narrow it down from there.
“The second round would be a couple of hours ... two hours with a presentation, how you connect with players sort of, build that relationship ... what your first 30 days would look like.”
He said it only took 90 minutes for him to make the decision.
Former Essendon coach Ben Rutten.Credit: AFL Photos
“I thought about it for an hour-and-a-half, and then I just emailed back and said ‘thanks for the call, I have no desire to take it any further’.”
Asked if the outcome would have been different had Essendon chose to drop their process and chase him as North Melbourne targeted Alastair Clarkson, Lyon said: “A lot of ... due diligence came to me. People reached out, they might have had Essendon connections.
“People that were supportive, with Essendon backgrounds, of me applying. And they just tried to soothe those waters a little bit ... I think it’s complex. But ultimately ... you need absolute backing. And it really, on the surface, I didn’t feel that that was probably possible. So, therefore, what’s the point?”
Lyon also said he had been offered a role at Geelong to work with coach Chris Scott last year but had turned it down.
Reports emerged last week that senior Essendon players had told senior people at the club that they wanted Lyon to be their next coach because they believed he would bring strength and stability.
Former Bomber Brendon Goddard, who played under Lyon at St Kilda, was among those pushing for Lyon to be considered, based on his defensive focus and ability to build a winning culture.
“It’s open and honest and brutal at times, but creating winning cultures is hard,” Goddard said.
Essendon want to announce their next coach by the grand final, which will be played on September 24.
with Claire Siracusa
Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter.