New Essendon Line Coach Guy McKenna is excited about working with the Club’s young midfielders and bullish about the side’s prospects over the next few years.
The Bombers announced McKenna as the final piece of their Senior Coaching panel yesterday.
McKenna joins a coaches box boasting ten premierships and more than 500 games of senior coaching experience.
“That experience is going to be so important to lay some great foundations for this playing group going forward,” he said.
“Obviously the facilities are first class and the support of the football club from its members is massive so it’s really exciting times.”
After a 267 game playing career that included two premierships, McKenna worked as an Assistant Coach at West Coast and Collingwood.
He was then appointed the Gold Coast Suns first ever Senior Coach.
The 46 year old spent 2015 working in the media after about a quarter of a century working and playing in the AFL.
“The time in the media certainly helps you to articulate messaging and coaching and talking,” he said.
“But also just getting a handle on all of the other sides from a style and personnel point of view.
“It’s certainly going to help me going in to this new role.”
The Bombers are coming off a season where they won six games and finished 15th on the ladder.
But McKenna said there is still plenty of talent on the list.
“Twelve months ago this side was seven goals up against North Melbourne in a final,” he said.
“North has gone on to play in a preliminary final.
“The quality is there, the talent is clearly there – it’s just that ability to endure a season.
“We know that’s difficult with a young list, but another 12 months on, I think it’s going to be exciting times for the Bombers.”