Essendon are not ruling out a return of James Hird as head coach, despite president Andrew Welsh insisting he's not just bringing back an 'old Essendon' boys' club.
Welsh, who stood by the call to block Zach Merrett's trade request last year, is adamant the Bombers "won't be pushed around" even as they have sunk further into the doldrums.
Brad Scott was sacked as coach with more than a year remaining on his contract, with former Bombers premiership star Dean Solomon - an ex-teammate of Hird and Welsh - named in the interim role.
There has long been an agitation among powerful groups of Essendon fans for club champion Hird, who was among those to miss out to Scott in 2022, to return to the hot seat.
