John Longmire revealed that the chance to work alongside Mark 'Spike' McVeigh was a major factor in his decision to leave Sydney, where he had spent the previous 25 years.
McVeigh worked as an assistant under Longmire at the Swans towards the end of his tenure, and shared a special relationship with his brother, Jarrad, who was a Bloods stalwart.
"It certainly made it a lot easier on me (McVeigh being at the club)," Longmire said.
"I wasn't looking at moving out of Sydney. Been there for 25 years and really enjoying the role and the people I was doing it with. But I just felt like after two years of being out of coaching, getting back into football was something I wanted to really explore.
"And to be able to work with someone I know is really important. I know Spike really well, so to be able to come down and give him a hand in his coaching journey at the Bombers was something that really excited me."
Longmire joins the Bombers in a newly created position, bringing his wealth of experience to the General Manager of Performance role.
"Supporting the coach. I know how important that is," he said.
"I know when I had senior people around me as a coach, it really helped. And so the role itself was really exciting role. It leant into the things I was really interested in, so I was keen on that.
"It's working with the coaches. It's working with the leaders, the player leaders.
"Working with a lot of the football staff on the football performance side of it. So it's the team, game plan, what it looks like, just really helping Spike. Shouldering some of that load the senior coach takes. It's a big job these days. It's all-encompassing. He needs to spend time working with the players and having great relationship with the players, so if I can support him in that way, and he and the other coaches, that's my job."
There's a Sydney flavour building at Tullamarine.
Longmire's arrival comes as McVeigh and Shane Mumford (2010-2013) joined the coaching staff.
Premiership defender Ted Richards, who is a former Bomber, is on the Bombers board.
Both Richards and Mumford played in Sydney's 2012 premiership, which was coached by Longmire.
Essendon great Mark Harvey said 2 people are needed for the AFL coaching role.
Mark McVeigh (ex-Bomber) and John Longmire (newly created role) weren't the first names that came to mind when he said this in June.
But the pair will work closely, similar to what Harvey suggested. https://t.co/wg0z1I2cDN
— Aidan Cellini (@aidancellini4) September 30, 2026
Essendon great Mark Harvey said in June that the Bombers should consider two people for the coaching vacancy left by Brad Scott after he was sacked.
Harvey suggested at the time an ex-Bomber and "someone else" should fill the position, although Longmire wasn't part of the conversation.
The premiership coach's appointment will provide McVeigh plenty of support and experience in the role.
