New general manager of football Josh Mahoney says the opportunity to work with a first-time senior coach was a big drawcard in his move from Melbourne to Essendon.

Mahoney, who captained the Bombers’ VFL side in 2001 and ’02, returned to Bomberland in December after seven seasons in charge of the Demons’ football department.

Having overseen Melbourne’s coaching succession plan that saw Simon Goodwin take over from Paul Roos in 2017, the 2004 Port Adelaide premiership player lands in a similar situation at Essendon alongside John Worsfold’s successor Ben Rutten.

Mahoney said he would be a vital sounding board for Rutten, as the senior coach navigates his first season at the helm.

“It’s good to work with a new senior coach. I was able to do that with Simon Goodwin in his first year as well,” Mahoney said.

“I think there’s a lot of things Ben (Rutten) is prepared for, but there’s also a lot of things he doesn’t know yet going into his first year. Being able to anticipate those things and bounce ideas off him (will be important).”

Lining up in opposing colours for several Showdowns from 2004 to ’07, Mahoney and Rutten were familiar foes during their playing days.

Now united in their quest to achieve success in the red and black, the pair have wasted no time building a bond as comrades.

Mahoney said his early observations of Rutten were heartening.

“He’s very clear on what he wants the club and environment to look like,” he said.

“One of the great things he’s doing already is embracing the history. That’s a really important part of what you need to do when you’re at a club like Essendon. He’s done little things with the imagery around the football department, and starting to identify who we are as the Essendon Football Club.

“You expect his knowledge of the game to be really sound. He certainly shows that. He knows the modern part of the game and how to play it.

“He has a focus on his relationship with the players. I think that’s the way coaching is heading – you have to have strong relationships with the players, and that’s not just the senior coach, but everyone in the football department."

With the departures of Joe Daniher, Adam Saad and Orazio Fantasia, and the arrival of eight new players and new assistant coach Daniel Giansiracusa, the Bombers’ football department underwent change in the off-season.

Mahoney said development was his priority as the club begins a new chapter.

“I’d been involved in the journey at Melbourne in building a club from a period where they weren’t successful. There are similarities (at Essendon), he said.

“There are a lot of opportunities here. The list is at an interesting stage with a lot of good talent and also some young guys coming through. There are a lot of people in new roles, so it’s a great opportunity to come and be involved.

“We want to get a stage where people come to Essendon to get better. That’s going to mean we’re going to have the best development programs, not just for players but also for staff. We need to be that club that people get attracted to for those reasons.”