Egan joins Bombers' coaching ranks

Updated October 06, 2011 13:37:08

Geelong assistant coach Matthew Egan has joined Essendon, the Bombers have confirmed.

The 28-year-old leaves the Cats less than a week after Geelong clinched its third AFL premiership in five years with victory over Collingwood in the 2011 grand final.

The Bombers have lost assistant coach Brendan McCartney, who switched to Essendon from Geelong in 2011, but has now claimed the senior-coaching job at Western Bulldogs for next season.

Essendon Football operations manager Paul Hamilton said Egan's knowledge of the game and ability to develop players would be a huge boost for the Bombers.

"We are very lucky to have secured someone of Matt's experience who will be able to relate to our young playing list through his experiences as a player and as a young coach," Hamilton said.

Egan, who also worked with Geelong's VFL team in 2011, was reportedly being chased by McCartney to link up with the Bulldogs in 2012.

"I am very excited to get the opportunity to work with Essendon," Egan said.

"They are obviously a young and exciting playing group and a group that I feel I can have an impact with given my experiences.

"It's a great opportunity for my career. I am also rapt to work with some young and dynamic coaches and that's what excited me to work with James Hird and the rest of the coaching group."

Egan played 59 games for the Cats before a foot injury cut short his career.

He worked as a VFL assistant coach in 2009 and joined Geelong's AFL coaching staff the following year.

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, essendon-3040, vic, australia, geelong-west-3218, geelong-3220

First posted October 06, 2011 13:37:08

View the original article here

Egan joins Bombers' coaching ranks

Updated October 06, 2011 13:37:08

Geelong assistant coach Matthew Egan has joined Essendon, the Bombers have confirmed.

The 28-year-old leaves the Cats less than a week after Geelong clinched its third AFL premiership in five years with victory over Collingwood in the 2011 grand final.

The Bombers have lost assistant coach Brendan McCartney, who switched to Essendon from Geelong in 2011, but has now claimed the senior-coaching job at Western Bulldogs for next season.

Essendon Football operations manager Paul Hamilton said Egan's knowledge of the game and ability to develop players would be a huge boost for the Bombers.

"We are very lucky to have secured someone of Matt's experience who will be able to relate to our young playing list through his experiences as a player and as a young coach," Hamilton said.

Egan, who also worked with Geelong's VFL team in 2011, was reportedly being chased by McCartney to link up with the Bulldogs in 2012.

"I am very excited to get the opportunity to work with Essendon," Egan said.

"They are obviously a young and exciting playing group and a group that I feel I can have an impact with given my experiences.

"It's a great opportunity for my career. I am also rapt to work with some young and dynamic coaches and that's what excited me to work with James Hird and the rest of the coaching group."

Egan played 59 games for the Cats before a foot injury cut short his career.

He worked as a VFL assistant coach in 2009 and joined Geelong's AFL coaching staff the following year.

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, essendon-3040, vic, australia, geelong-west-3218, geelong-3220

First posted October 06, 2011 13:37:08

View the original article here

Malthouse breaks ranks on Anzac Day

Posted April 20, 2011 20:00:00

Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse has broken ranks on the thorny issue of whether the AFL Anzac Day blockbuster should be shared among clubs.

While league chief executive Andrew Demetriou wants the Magpies and Essendon to continue the tradition they started in 1995, Malthouse admits he has become uneasy about the hugely-successful annual fixture.

The clash attracts a capacity MCG crowd and has become the league's biggest match outside the finals.

But Malthouse notes the success of the match has as much to do with the occasion as the big followings that Collingwood and Essendon bring to the match.

The playing of the Last Post and the minute's silence in honour of Anzac Day make the build-up to the opening bounce one of the great spectacles in Australian sport.

"I feel very privileged, but I feel a bit selfish at times," Malthouse said after training on Wednesday.

"I wonder what it's like for other clubs who are looking in, going 'we've got every right to be part of it as well, why aren't we?'

"So that bites into me a little bit.

"Is it a right, or do we treat it as a privilege? Certainly in my eyes, it's a great honour and privilege to do it."

His comments came after a suggestion from former Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy, who helped start this Anzac Day tradition, for games in every state on the day.

Malthouse is in his last year as Collingwood coach, but denied he was making the comments because he will not have the role next year.

He also readily acknowledged Magpies president Eddie McGuire will disagree with him.

The two clubs have fiercely opposed calls from other clubs to share the MCG fixture on Anzac Day.

Malthouse theatrically looked behind him during his media conference in the Collingwood boardroom, as if he was fearful that McGuire might be listening.

"It's probably now I've only had the intestinal fortitude to come out and say ... is there a photograph of Eddie in here anywhere?," Malthouse said

"He's probably looking over my shoulder, probably stabbing me somewhere."

But Demetriou has no such doubts about the future of the blockbuster.

"I know it gets up people's noses, but hopefully Collingwood and Essendon are playing it long into the future," he told the Ten Network.

As for the game itself on Monday, Malthouse said ruckman Darren Jolly was a good chance to return from the knee injury that sidelined him last weekend.

This year's Anzac Day blockbuster will also be a rare instance where the form of the two teams will come close to matching the occasion itself.

Collingwood, the reigning premiers, are unbeaten after four rounds and Essendon have shown great improvement to hold sixth spot.

"I can be super-critical of our player group, we're sitting on top of the ladder with (187) per cent and we've had moments where we've been ordinary," Malthouse said.

"But we're human ... if we play to our best (of) what we've done in the last four weeks, then we'll win.

"If we play to our worst, we won't - if we play somewhere in the middle, it's going to be a very good game."

- AAP

View the original article here