AFL 2023: Kevin Sheedy says Bombers’ on-field direction is as exciting as he has seen in a while

A year after backing James Hird over Brad Scott to take over as Essendon coach, Bombers legend Kevin Sheedy has provided a ringing endorsement of Scott’s direction for the Bombers.

Essendon legend and board member Kevin Sheedy has endorsed the Bombers’ on-field direction, saying coach Brad Scott’s team played some of the “most exciting football” he had seen at the club for some time during the stages of 2023.

Sheedy and fellow board member Tim Roberts, as well as challenger Graham Evans, will vie for two vacant spots on president David Barham’s board, with voting opening on Friday.

Barham was keen for Sheedy – who turns 76 next month – to continue on the board.

Fourteen months ago, Sheedy went public with his disappointment that a club statement suggested Scott had been “fully endorsed” as coach by the board, revealing he had voted instead for James Hird.

But the four-time premiership coach told the Herald Sun on Wednesday Scott had already made a positive imprint on the club’s football program.

Asked if he was happy with the Bombers’ pathway, Sheedy said: “Absolutely. We have played much better, more exciting football than we have played in a long time.”

Sheedy backed Hird to take over as Essendon coach in 2022. (AAP Image/Joe Castro)

“We’ve still got a lot of work to do. But we have gone past the junction to where I really think we are in a better position than we were in the footy areas.”

He said he had no issues with Scott, saying: “All I did (in September 2022) was (vote) for James Hird. That’s OK … it was 6-1 (in favour of Scott) and you move on.

“He (Scott) is an experienced coach and we are headed in the right direction.”

The Bombers won 11 games this year, but closed out 2023 with big losses to Greater Western Sydney and Collingwood in the final two rounds.

When quizzed about the Bombers’ trade and free agency haul that included the acquisition of Ben McKay, Jade Gresham, Xavier Duursma and Todd Goldstein, Sheedy said: “All those decisions were made by our team of recruiting staff and the coach, and that’s what we appointed them for.”

Sheedy believes he still has plenty to offer the Essendon board, having been encouraged to join the board when the club was struggling in late 2020.

“I still think I have a lot of knowledge and experience in the footy area,” he said.

“My main reason to (get) on the board was to get the footy criteria right and that’s why I supported David Barham, and the external review (in 2022).”

Voting closes on December 15.

Originally published as AFL 2023: Kevin Sheedy says Bombers’ on-field direction is as exciting as he has seen in a while