Essendon's new senior coach Ben Rutten says he is excited to finally be in the "hot seat" in his "own right".

Rutten has officially taken the reins from John Worsfold after being the senior assistant coach throughout the Bombers' well-publicised coaching succession plan in 2020.

Ahead of his first pre-season in the top job, Rutten said the opportunity to lead the red and black as the club’s 33rd senior coach was a "privilege". 

“Last year I was involved in the transition/succession plan and it was a really unique opportunity that not a lot of senior coaches in-waiting get the opportunity to be part of. That was something I was really grateful for and always will be,” Rutten told RSN Breakfast. 

“I have a lot of respect for John (Worsfold) and the responsibility and empowerment he gave me last (season) as an assistant coach. But now, I’m excited to take over in my own right ... it’s a privilege.

"To have that responsibility to be senior coach in my own right is really exciting, but it’s important that I get marked from now moving forward and I’m really looking forward to coaching my first game being in the hot seat in March."

Rutten said he's been buoyed by some of his Bombers returning early to training, revealing a number of players were already back at the NEC Hangar.

The Bombers’ first to fourth-year players don’t formally return to pre-season training until Monday, December 7, but Rutten said the early return was critical in building chemistry among the younger brigade.  

“I’ve been down the club a bit over the past month or so and the amount of guys that are in there already training and working hard and building that chemistry over the off-season has been really fantastic,” Rutten said. 

“It’s probably because a lot of them haven’t been able to get away as they typically would have over the off-season which actually means they’re spending more time with each other now and I think that’s going to be a real advantage for us.

"It’s been great to see how hungry our players are already.”

The new senior coach has been buoyed following the conclusion of a busy trade period for the Bombers, with the club securing the services of Jye Caldwell (from GWS), Peter Wright (from Gold Coast) and Nick Hind (from St Kilda), as well as boasting three top-10 draft picks. 

Rutten says the addition of three quality players and a club-first draft hand will hold the Bombers in good stead for their 2021 season preparations.

“We’ve just finished a trade period where we’ve brought in some really quality people first and foremost, who are also quality footballers," he said.

"Jye Caldwell and Peter Wright are both former first-round draft picks (and) Nick Hind who is a former Bomber and he’s a player I was keen to bring in (who has) great character and is a hard worker who is going to do a lot to our club.

“These are three players who were desperate to come to our club and will bring a different element to what we’ve had previously. You add Josh Dunkley who was really keen to become a Bomber and although that didn’t happen, you put them alongside Dylan Shiel, Devon Smith and Jake Stringer in recent years I think it shows it’s a really desirable place to be.

"At the moment, there’s some real excitement and anticipation about what we can do moving forward and now, we’re going to put high performance at the front and centre of everything we do.”