I don’t think Jobe would be interested. He seems quite detached from the club and football in general.
what would make them good appointments ?
I could understand it if the players were say people who barracked for the club at some point in their life, but didn’t play for it, say like a bartel.
but why would players from one of our worst eras in the clubs history, that achieved nothing be good for the board ?
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How can Hird come onto the Board as ‘Football Director’ if he can’t attend many games due to his role at Port Melbourne? I don’t know how he can be 100% ‘all in, all heart’ if he’s ’not There’.
Think about it..
I suspect he’d recuse himself of his Port Melbourne role if he wanted to be football director at Essendon.
But I suspect Hird is quite happy not being involved at Essendon, and rather getting all the joy of football without the pressure (plus getting to watch his son play) at Port Melbourne.
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The point is not to find the reasons why it makes no sense and wouldn’t work. The point is to shoehorn James Hird’s name into every vacancy at Essendon. I’m pretty sure over the last 36 months he’s been suggested for the board, CEO, head coach, assistant coach and head of football.
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This is particularly evident when he performs the “expert comments” role.
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You forgot president.
I’d also add captain.
Too early and too disruptive for Hird. He’s got plenty of time. Preferably a non Essendon person like Bartel, Selwood, Hodge, Reiwoldt….
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I like the Jobe Watson suggestion. Listened to him at Shopping Town with his old man, Hirdy and Heppell and he impressed me with the way he spoke. Very smart young man.
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That’s what you get when your dad is Father of the Year.
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Fark Tim Lane.
That comment shows he knows nothing of history. Davis/Shelton/Epis introduced the concept of the attacking half back line which is so important even down to the current day.
And of course he would have placed a FCFC lineup above Essendon’s too.
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Really, not a lot new in this article but thought I would post it anyway.
New Essendon president Andrew Welsh faces re-election as Dean Solomon exits board for coaching
Andrew Welsh has made some big decisions during his first few months at the helm of Essendon, but how much support he has will be tested. Plus, the latest on Dean Solomon and David Barham.
Essendon is confident its replacement for departing board member Dean Solomon will have elite football expertise as new president Andrew Welsh prepares to test his support from the fans with re-election at December’s annual general meeting.
Welsh will be joined by board members Andrew Muir and Kate O’Sullivan, who are also up for re-election as their current three-year terms expire.
Solomon has decided to relocate from his home of Kingscliff in northern NSW and join Brad Scott’s team as an assistant coach in a shock move announced last week.
Solomon was to be a key lieutenant for former teammate Welsh and another sounding board on football matters but instead the club made clear he was better used in the football department.
Welsh and Muir were both elected in 2022 so under Essendon board rules have to go before the members this year, with nominations closing on November 12 for a December 17 AGM.
David Barham handed over the reins to Welsh this year amid speculation over a potential board challenge, having worked on a succession plan for most of the season.
Barham is expected to step off the board at some stage in the near future after helping affect significant change at Essendon.
Welsh told the Herald Sun recently he had spoken to those who had considered a boardroom challenge and they had made clear they were backing him in.
Welsh said last week the club would quickly move to identify another director with football experience given Solomon’s change in position.
“A process is already underway to fill Dean’s vacant board position, with that person having a football background to ensure we still maintain football expertise at board level. We expect to make an announcement on the new director in the coming weeks,” he said.
At last year’s election, 2000 premiership player Solomon drew the most votes from all members, securing his board position with 7459 votes as Barham was re-elected with 5560 votes.
Premiership hero Paul Weston was unsuccessful in his bid to secure a director’s role after winning 3829 votes.
Weston had said Essendon was no longer feared or respected but just fell short of securing a board role.
Since last year’s election the Dons have endured a torrid 2025 season with a record injury toll before holding captain Zach Merrett to his contract despite his desire to be traded.
But Merrett has already made clear he supports Solomon’s move to the football department, with the club hiring a new fitness boss and strength and conditioning coach.
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As long as Zach supports it…
Smith - Busbridge - Bowe.
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Interesting Tim Lane’s view as he would have been aged about 10, living in Tassie at the time our greats played!!
Was told by one of those guys that Epis & Davis would rotate the flank they played on as Bluey’s blind side could leave you vulnerable to being cleaned up!
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Whens dororthy hisgroves term expiring? ■■■■ her off already
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She joined in Aug 2021 as an appointment. Her term would have been up in 2024, but I can’t find info on her reappointment.
I think she’s locked in (unless there is a board spill or she resigns) until the 2027 AGM. Where, if she wants to retain her spot, it would be in an elected position.
That’s how I had it in my notes too but looking at it again, I think Hisgrove’s current term may actually expire in 2026…maybe.
It’s a bit confusing because when she joined the board in August 2021, it was announced as filling the casual vacancy created by Lindsay Tanner who stepped down from his elected position at the 2020 AGM, with one year left in his term.
So, Hisgrove would have been expected to be up for election at the 2021 AGM. Instead it appears there was some swapping around and Melissa Verner Green, who was into her 4th year in an appointed seat, moved to an elected seat (standing unopposed along w/ Paul Brasher).
When Welsh was announced as Vice-President in January 2024, the article stated that Hisgrove had extended her term for another 3 years.
So if appointed terms last until the 3rd AGM after commencing, that would explain why Hisgrove’s term had already been extended by January 2024 which would seemingly put it through to the 2026 AGM.
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But is he “ all in “ on this though?