Essendon is exploring options to bolster its coaching department, with new senior coach Mark McVeigh identifying several potential additions to his staff at Tullamarine.
Western Bulldogs' Brendon Lade, Sydney's Amon Buchanan and Fremantle's Tendai Mzungu have been targeted by the Bombers according to multiple reports.
Lade is currently working alongside Luke Beveridge at the Whitten Oval as the midfield coach.
He's previously gone for top jobs, such as the Carlton role, which was claimed by Josh Fraser after a stellar interim tenure, and was shortlisted for the Melbourne role.
The Port Adelaide great has spent the last five seasons at the Bulldogs, as well as another four years at St Kilda and brief periods at the Power and Richmond.
Buchanan is a key target for McVeigh and Essendon, with the pair spending time together at Sydney in recent years.
After 134 AFL games over 11 years, the small forward joined GWS as a development coach, and evolved into the club's midfield and stoppage coach before making the switch to the Swans in 2024.
Amon Buchanon, Brendon Lade, and Tendai Mzungu are among the coaches Essendon are chasing to join the club 👇
More coming up tonight on #9FootyClassified 🖥️ pic.twitter.com/DRUzIQPUvL
— Footy on Nine (@FootyonNine) September 8, 2026
Mzungu returned to the Dockers as a development coach, working closely with the backline.
Sydney premiership hero Nick Malcelski is also one to watch, with McVeigh putting the rebounding defender on the agenda shortly after he was appointed as senior coach.
Essendon is also keen on bringing in club great James Hird in some capacity, with a potential meeting between the two to determine Hird's future.
Caretaker coach Dean Solomon has also been offered a position at the club.
The Bombers have plenty of positions to fill following the departures of Ben Jacobs, Cam Roberts, David Rath and Dan McPherson.
Rath was the Bombers' coaching innovation and game strategy manager, joining the club ahead of the 2024 season. He worked closely alongside former coach Brad Scott.
He joined assistant coach Ben Jacobs and head of psychology and wellbeing Ben Robbins as they left Tullamarine. The pair, who were closely aligned with Scott, departed in May.
Roberts has performed a variety of roles over the course of his seven seasons in Tullamarine, with stints in development and the forwards room populating his record under five different head coaches - interim or otherwise.
