Essendon has announced that Dean Solomon will take on a role in Brad Scott's coaching panel after resigning from the club's board.
Solomon, who is the current Bombers director, will take care of the backline and team defence in 2026.
With over 20 years of AFL experience as a player and coach, Solomon played 158 games for Essendon, including the 2000 Grand Final victory, and added a further 51 for Fremantle.
He also coached at Fremantle, Gold Coast and most recently, GWS, in assistant roles, whilst also acting as the interim mentor at the Suns after Rodney Eade departed in 2017.
"Firstly, I love this Football Club and I'll be forever indebted for what it has given me from a professional and personal point of view. I'm incredibly grateful and humbled to be considered for such a role," Solomon said.
"After 12 years of coaching at the AFL level, I recently set off in a different direction, started and established my own business, and on the side coached my own team. Coaching is something I've always loved, and I'm incredibly passionate about.
"A year ago, I made a decision to give back to our Football Club at a Board level. After much consideration and discussion, it has become clear that my time is best spent in a coaching capacity.
"I'm excited to work with and learn off Brad and the other coaches. I'm looking forward to rolling my sleeves up and building strong relationships with all staff and our players.
"I'm genuinely excited about the direction of our footy club."
Scott revealed he'd been attempting to "recruit" Solomon for a while, and knows the type of character he is, and what he'll bring to the playing list.
"I've tried to recruit 'Solly' in the past as an assistant coach, and I'm rapt that we've been able to secure his services this time around. We have been working on this plan for several weeks now, and it's great that he has been able to jump out of his Board role and back into our Football Department," Scott said.
"He is vastly experienced as a football person who will add a layer of strength to our coaching group and be a key pillar in helping to develop and grow our list.
"Having coached and played against him, we have aligned philosophy on how the game should be played, and his addition to our group makes us stronger, which we are all excited about."
Essendon president Andrew Welsh explained the reasoning behind the board member's appointment as the new assistant coach.
"When looking to fill the vacant position within our coaching team, Brad (Scott), 'Vozz' (Craig Vozzo), Daniel (McPherson), and I were considering who is out there and the best available talent across the industry," Welsh said.
"When it was first raised to me about 'Solly' joining the coaching group, it made me consider what the best use for him at the Club was. He has been invaluable to us on the Board, but taking into account everyone's views, it was clear that it was an opportunity that we couldn't pass up, and that's when we first approached 'Solly' about the role.
“'Solly' needed to take a lot into consideration, including relocating from NSW, but after careful thought, he embraced the opportunity, and we were rapt that he accepted this role as an Assistant Coach to get back into the trenches and help fast-track the development of the team."
