Welsh was elevated to the presidency in September earlier than being on the helm for the ugly interval wherein then captain Zach Merrett tried to stop the Bombers in frustration, however couldn’t get to most well-liked new membership Hawthorn when a deal couldn’t be reached.
Merrett has since given up the captaincy with Andrew McGrath named as his alternative. Essendon additionally introduced on Wednesday that chief government Craig Vozzo was ending up.
Andrew Welsh stated Zach Merrett’s angle after returning to Essendon for pre-season coaching was “completely top quality”.Credit: Essendon FC
Highly profitable businessman Welsh was glad to answer Sheedy’s probing on Wednesday night time, reiterating that he’s steadfast on making Essendon a vacation spot membership.
“Each of these former Essendon gamers that you simply spoke about [have] for a wide range of causes, whether or not it was for them personally or us as a membership … acquired their very own particular person causes as to why these strikes had been made,” Welsh stated.
“We don’t simply wish to have a membership that’s huge and glossy, Sheeds. We wish to be certain that we’ve acquired an setting the place gamers don’t even take into consideration leaving.
“We [want] an setting the place different golf equipment don’t even take into consideration coming in and attempting to speak to our gamers.
“When I got here to this membership that was the setting that you simply created for myself.”
Welsh highlighted the arrival of growth membership Tasmania Devils, who will be a part of the AFL in 2028, as a looming downside for Essendon.
“We’re doing plenty of work within the background round a few of our gamers [who] are coming into the Tassie [expansion] interval for the time being,” Welsh stated.
“They’ve going to be fairly scorching property, so we’re ensuring that we’ve acquired a technique in place to retain them and never get picked off.”
Welsh stated Merrett’s angle after returning to Essendon for pre-season coaching was “completely top quality”.
“We’ve all seen Zach and the way he goes about his soccer on discipline. He’s an absolute skilled and needs to win,” Welsh stated in response to a member query.
“And the truth is we haven’t had the listing that’s been capable of present the wins that he wished to see.
“But the best way he’s come again to the membership has been completely top quality – his selfless choice across the captaincy … and wanting to assist youthful guys coming by way of is an actual progress space we’ve seen in Zach in current months.
“We are persevering with to verify on him. He’s coaching the home down, he seems to be like a brand new participant which could be very thrilling for us.
“He’s not going to be a 30-year-old with solely a few years in him. He’s acquired 5, six, seven years nonetheless in him of elite soccer.”
King’s harm curse continues
Russell Bennett
Injury-cursed St Kilda spearhead Max King has had extra knee surgical procedure, disrupting his preparations for the 2026 season.
King, who’s locked in on the Saints on huge cash till the tip of 2032, didn’t play a recreation for the membership this yr and performed simply 12 and 11 matches respectively in 2024 and 2023.
Luckless St Kilda spearhead Max King.Credit: AFL Photos
In an harm replace on the membership’s web site on Wednesday, the Saints introduced that King had “undergone a minor process on his knee, nevertheless is anticipated to be again in full coaching finish of January”.
The 25-year-old star was dominated out for the rest of 2025 after surgical procedure in June – his third operation in a matter of months after injuring his knee in an intra-club recreation in February. He had an arthroscope then, earlier than a setback meant he required extra surgical procedure in April.
His most up-to-date senior look was in spherical 16, 2024, and he has solely performed 83 video games (for 159 targets) since being drafted with decide No.4 within the 2018 nationwide draft. His twin, Ben, has kicked 255 targets from 120 video games since being chosen by the Suns at No.6 in that very same draft.
Max King has an extended historical past of knee accidents. He ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his proper knee in his draft yr. He suffered a season-ending posterior cruciate ligament tear in his left knee final June.
The Saints additionally offered updates on Carlton recruits Jack Silvagni and Tom De Koning on Wednesday.
“Tom De Koning [calf] has built-in into coaching pre-Christmas and is anticipated to renew full coaching following the break, whereas Jack Silvagni continues to make optimistic progress by way of his present groin rehabilitation program,” the membership stated.
Vozzo steps down as CEO, McGrath named new Essendon captain
Michael Gleeson, Russell Bennett
There is change on the high at Essendon, each on discipline and off, with Andrew McGrath unveiled as Zach Merrett’s alternative as skipper on the identical day CEO Craig Vozzo stepped down from his function.
This masthead confirmed that Vozzo had stepped down after three years as CEO to return to South Australia to be together with his household, whereas McGrath was introduced because the Bombers’ forty second skipper – changing Zach Merrett after his failed commerce to Hawthorn.
As anticipated, Andrew McGrath is the brand new Essendon captain.Credit: AFL Photos
McGrath was extensively anticipated to tackle the function, however in a shocking transfer the Bombers introduced Brayden Fiorini will step into the management group regardless of not having but performed a recreation within the crimson and black following his low season transfer from the Suns.
The full management group additionally consists of Kyle Langford, Mason Redman, Sam Durham, Jye Caldwell and the injured Nic Martin, who’ll miss the entire 2026 marketing campaign with an ACL harm.
Vozzo, in the meantime, will end up as CEO instantly and return to stay in Adelaide to be together with his youngsters and wider household.
His contract was arising for renewal and two sources with data of his choice stated he had been weighing up a return to Adelaide for six months.
Former Essendon government Justin Rodski, who served because the chief industrial and buyer officer earlier than his transfer to the Melbourne Storm as CEO in 2021, could be anticipated to be on an inventory of candidates approached by the Bombers following Vozzo’s departure.
Craig Vozzo has known as time on his stint as Essendon chief government officer.Credit: Justin McManus
In a membership assertion on Wednesday, Vozzo stated that he was assured within the path the Bombers had been heading, and that selecting to depart was the among the many most tough choices he had made as he would “all the time be a Bomber”.
“It’s been an amazing honour and privilege to serve the membership as CEO, a chance that I’m extremely grateful for,” Vozzo stated.
“I’ve been dwelling away from my house and my wider household and buddies again in South Australia for 15-plus years now.
“My preliminary three-year contract was coming to an finish, which gave me the chance to mirror on my future.
“Following the conclusion of our AFLW season and males’s draft, I returned to South Australia for a number of weeks to be round household and my closest buddies, to have some quiet time to deeply mirror.
“In that point, it actually strengthened to me that it’s the proper time in my life to take a step again from the CEO function and additional prioritise my household forward of my profession.
Loading
“This has been some of the tough choices I’ve ever needed to make, as a result of I like this soccer membership and every thing it stands for to so many … But it’s time for me to start out the subsequent chapter of my life again house in South Australia.”
The membership is keen for Vozzo to remain on no less than in a part-time consultancy capability in soccer.
Chief working officer Nick Ryan will step in as performing chief government whereas the membership searches for a everlasting alternative for Vozzo.
Vozzo arrived at Essendon, having been head of soccer at West Coast, with a short as CEO to focus on fixing the soccer division as his precedence.
Vozzo spent three years as Bombers CEO, taking up the function after the ill-fated appointment of Andrew Thorburn, who solely lasted sooner or later within the job. Before Thorburn, the membership’s CEO was Xavier Campbell.
Loading
A lawyer by commerce, Vozzo’s profession in soccer began in participant administration earlier than he spent near a decade at West Coast, most of that point as head of soccer.
He acquired the job shortly after the arrival of senior coach Brad Scott and chairman David Barham, who stepped down and was changed by Andrew Welsh earlier this yr.
Welsh paid tribute to Vozzo’s acumen in reshaping the membership’s AFL and AFLW applications, and in main it in a difficult time.
“His deep understanding of soccer has been pivotal in reshaping our soccer applications, which underwent important transformation below his management,” Welsh stated.
“The foundations he has helped set up throughout our AFL and AFLW applications, our industrial operations and our amenities put us in a robust place.
Essendon president Andrew Welsh.Credit: Stephen McKenzie
“Craig has labored extremely onerous main this membership and we recognise his distinctive experience in soccer operations. We are actively exploring choices to retain him at Essendon in a consultancy capability, notably in our listing administration and recruiting areas the place his data and expertise would proceed to be invaluable.
“I wish to personally thank Craig for his service to our membership. He has navigated some difficult intervals with integrity and professionalism and leaves us in a stronger place than when he arrived.”
In a separate announcement saying McGrath’s appointment as skipper, Essendon’s GM of soccer Daniel McPherson stated the 2016 No.1 decide had “overwhelming approval from the enjoying group and training workers”.
Loading
“This is a well-deserved achievement and a becoming honour for somebody who’s ceaselessly set the instance of precisely what an Essendon individual needs to be,” McPherson stated.
“We’re thrilled for Andy and we all know he’ll deal with the duty with the extent of character and dedication we’ve grown accustomed to seeing from him.”
Merrett received’t have any management title transferring ahead, however McPherson stated he “did himself proud” in his time as captain.
“Although he received’t be in a proper function this season, he stays an integral individual for our gamers to look as much as and study from,” McPherson stated.
“We can’t wait to throw our help behind Andy and the group as they lead our membership ahead to larger and higher issues.”
Keep updated with one of the best AFL protection within the nation. Sign up for the Real Footy e-newsletter.
