Former Essendon player Matthew Lloyd and former AFL coach Ross Lyon have critiqued the Bombers' decision to extend by two years the contract of chief executive Xavier Campbell. 

Given Essendon's poor start to the season - sitting 16th on the ladder at 2-7 - Campbell has been coming under increasing scrutiny to rectify the club's on-field performances, with the timing of the extension thrust into the spotlight.

The contract revelation sees Campbell remain in his post for an additional two seasons to the end of 2024, in a deal understood to be worth $850,000 per year.

"I think the question you have to ask is: can you be very good at one thing, that is the off-field and building your club with sponsors and all that, but not be as good in other aspects of football," Matthew Lloyd told Nine's Footy Classified.

Campbell was appointed as Essendon CEO in 2014 during the club's supplements saga, and has been credited with a significant financial recovery from the saga in the ensuing seasons.

But he has been retained for an 11th season, even after directing a mediocre on-field side during his time at the club - with not one finals victory occurring in that time despite four attempts (2014, 2017, 2019 and 2021).

Campbell's contract was extended silently, with Ross Lyon telling Footy Classified that it was a "very curious extension".

"It happened at Carlton. Cain (Liddle) was very good at sponsorship, but at the end of the day, the football piece was sadly lacking," he said.

"That’s his number one KPI, establishing a football culture and program as a CEO.

"I’m curious of the timing. How could you possibly appoint someone who’s got that KPI in the middle of what they’re going through?

"It’s a very curious extension."

However, Essendon legend Tim Watson on Wednesday said the blame for the club's on-field woes should be directed at its performance under Ben Rutten.

"Essendon’s problem right now is that they display an inconsistent brand of football, their effort is inconsistent to win the ball, they can’t move the ball freely when they have the ball, and they can’t defend the ground when the opposition has the ball," Watson said on SEN Breakfast.

"Right now, I don’t think they need a review into any other part of their football club other than the coaching department and the players and find out why they’re getting that part of the game so wrong.

"Am I completely misreading the situation? You can talk about all the other stuff. When Paul Brasher (president) came to the club he conducted a rigorous review and he interviewed everybody around the club and inside the club and he did it personally.

"Let’s give them a little bit of time to fix this, but right now, as I see it, my view of this is that it is an on-field problem about the way they play, and the people at the club who are given that responsibility to fix it are the coaches and the players. They’re the ones who can do something about this."


Essendon face a resurgent Richmond on Saturday night in the traditional Dreamtime at the 'G game, with the first bounce set for 7.30pm (AEST).