New boss makes a mark to defuse tensions in the football department

A club spokesman confirmed the restructuring of the football department Age but did not want to comment further.

Age Dodoro and Mahoney also asked questions about the reorganization and their relationship, but Dodoro declined comment and Mahoney did not respond.

Club insiders suggest Mahoney is once again considering raising his hand for the vacant role of head of football at the AFL. Mahoney settled on the same role two years ago, which was eventually given to his current coach, Brad Scott.

The AFL will wait to find a replacement for Scott until a replacement for league CEO Gillon McLachlan is named, which league sources say will happen before the fifth round.

Essendon’s recruitment has drawn mixed reviews from Essendon fans in 18 seasons without a finals win, with the club’s decision to trade first-round draft picks for the likes of Dylan Shiel and Devon Smith being a point of contention.

But the recently revised list has given Essendon fans something to smile about. The draft’s addition of elite talent – like Archie Perkins, Harrison Jones and Nik Cox – gives Bombers insiders hope the roster is in solid shape over the long term.

Essendon have also had six Rising Star nominees over the last two seasons which is an impressive tally.

As for Scott, it was an interesting start.

Within weeks of landing the job, Scott’s director of football, Kevin Sheedy, who is still on the board, declared that he voted for James Hird.

Next, Scott had to watch as the club’s new chief executive officer, Andrew Thorburn, arrived and departed within 24 hours.

BACK THE TRUCK

We know from the latest AFL numbers that the average player salary is now a tad over $400,000. We also know that there is nobody better at bending a dollar than a professional athlete. But extra points should go to summer players who decided to get a little more internal support when they move.

You see, most clubs have their own truck that they use to store equipment and transport it to training sessions and games. But some players believe that it can also serve as a moving truck. So which Carlton player was spotted behind the wheel of the club’s truck recently? And no, it wasn’t Patrick Cripps.

OH DEE-R

With more than 85,000 spectators expected for Thursday night’s season opener between Carlton and Richmond at the MCG, the AFL is expecting a huge crowd for the first round.

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That is, except for Saturday night’s clash between flag fans Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs. Around 50,000 spectators are forecast for the game between two teams that are likely to fight for the top 4 places at the end of the season, according to MCC officials. That’s fewer than the 55,000 expected for Sunday afternoon’s game between Essendon and Hawthorn, which most experienced tipsters end up at the other end of the ladder.

Has the snow season come earlier?