Essendon has put together a list of candidates for the vacant coaching job.

A Bombers great is warming to the idea of James Hird returning to the club, and why he thinks Essendon is in the "lowest ebb" in its history.

The AFL Commission is considering reverting back to a three-umpire system, while the AFL Umpires Association has delivered a statement regarding the increase in umpire contact and the lack of ability to suspend players.

All that and more from media buzz...

The Bombers have at least 10 candidates for coaching vacancy

Essendon is set to begin contacting who they believe could be in the running for the vacant coaching job, and former Sydney coach John Longmire is understood to be one of them.

Longmire departed the Swans at the end of 2024 and has remained at the club in an off-field role, while adding media duties to his weekly schedule.

James Hird and Dean Solomon have been deemed the leading candidates for the role, given their long history with the Bombers.

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Highly-credentialed assistant coaches James Kelly, James Rahilly, Brendon Lade and Hayden Skipworth are among the other names set to be assessed for the job.

Essendon great "coming around" to Hird

Bombers goal-kicking legend Matthew Lloyd is warming to the idea of welcoming back James Hird to the club as senior coach.

Lloyd had previously been against the idea but has opened 

"I want to be really strong they go through the right process," Lloyd said on Footy Classified.

"It's going to be a really rough couple of years and that's where James Hird, coming in, can probably buffer that for a year or two, whereas another coach won't.

"The supporters are at breaking point. Kevin Sheedy is trying to stop people leaving the footy. That's how low it's got. It's been like that for a number of weeks.

"I call it sad. I call it a hopeless situation. You're at that point where do you turn to next. What gives us hope? He is the only hope. That is why I'm coming around to James Hird.

"Because the club is at the lowest ebb in the history of the club, and supplements (saga) was massive and people say he was part of it.

"I think that (supplements saga) is why the club is in this position, and it would take 10 years to get over. But now it's an excuse."

North and Clarkson deal

Alastair Clarkson will be the coach of North Melbourne in Round 1, 2027, but where to after that?

The Kangaroos and Clarkson are believed to be holding off talks until the end of the season in which they've secured eight wins, the most they've had since 2019.

Conversations beyond next year haven't begun, but according to Footy Classified, he could be extended before the start of the 2027 campaign.

Buckley reveals dual chats with Tasmania

Nathan Buckley is keen on the inaugural Tasmania coaching job, and he revealed he caught up with the powers-at-be last October, as well as a few weeks ago.

Buckley is in the running for the coaching role at the soon-to-be AFL's 19th club. Former AFL coaches Ken Hinkley and John Longmire are also deemed as genuine candidates.

“If I put myself in Brendon Gale's shoes and the rest of the Devils' selection committee, I don't think there's been any need to have a senior coach appointed at this stage,” he said.

“The director of footy, potentially, but you've got to understand there's still a season and a half away from starting and about 15 months away from pre-season beginning.

“So there's still lots of time now for list build and I suppose the figurehead status on that side to build the momentum into 2028 is going to be important, but I still think there's a long runway for that to happen.”

AFL considering reverting back to three umpires

The AFL is understood to be looking into reverting back to the three umpire system as more issues arise with adjudicators.

Reported by The Agenda Setters, the AFL commission is genuinely considering reducing the amount of field umpires as four is deemed to not have worked as well as they'd hoped.

It comes as field umpire Nick Brown was caught in the crosshairs of the half-time melee between Gold Coast and Collingwood, with Brayden Maynard and Touk Miller fined for making incidental contact.

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA - JULY 04: Brayden Maynard of the Magpies reacts during the round 17 AFL match between Gold Coast Suns and Collingwood Magpies at People First Stadium, on July 04, 2026, in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA - JULY 04: Brayden Maynard of the Magpies reacts during the round 17 AFL match between Gold Coast Suns and Collingwood Magpies at People First Stadium, on July 04, 2026, in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

A statement from the AFL Umpires Association was revealed: The AFLUA and AFL have been discussing and debating player contact with umpires over the last 2 seasons. We have expressed our view that the current MRO guidelines are deficient because they provide no ability to suspend a player unless contact with the umpire is intentional. The increases of umpire contact over recent years has proven that fines are not an effective deterrent. Where contact with an umpire is forceful or avoidable there needs to be an ability to suspend players. This is important not only protect AFL umpires but also to make it clear at community level that contact with an umpire is not acceptable."

Longmuir is unpoachable

Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir wouldn't sign a four-year deal if one was put in front of him. He was asked because of the peculiarity surrounding his ongoing contract that many don't seem to understand.

Longmuir's name has been thrown up by the media as a target for Carlton and Essendon, as the two Victorian powerhouses hunt for a new coach.

The Dockers coach, by technicality, isn't contracted for next year, but the ladder leaders won't be giving up their man at all.

“I'm really happy with my agreement with the club. I think it suits both parties, clearly I am not in the market to leave Fremantle, because I wouldn't want to but also my contract would not allow me to do that either,” he said.

“No I wouldn't,” the coach responded to signing a four-year deal.

“I'm really comfortable with the way my contract is structured. I don't want to tell the football world the details of my contract and neither does the club.”

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