AFL 2025: Essendon set to welcome back All-Australian midfielder
Essendon will welcome star midfielder Darcy Parish back for its crunch clash with Carlton on Sunday night.
Parish has not played at senior level since the Bombers' final home-and-away match of last season.
The All-Australian, who had sustained yet another soft tissue setback, played two matches on managed minutes in the VFL last month.
Essendon coach Brad Scott said Parish's addition would provide further flexibility to the Bombers' midfield.
'We planned for this for quite some time and he's had an uninterrupted month in terms of his build,' he said.
'He played two games in the VFL, played really well, so barring an incident today he'll be available.
'It's probably one part of the ground where we do have great flexibility at the moment. It's a good thing, you want to have multiple options running through the midfield.'
The Bombers used star captain Zach Merrett across half back last week in their brave loss to reigning premier Brisbane.
Merrett found plenty of the ball but didn't have his usual impact, recording only two clearances and one inside 50.
With their pile of injuries, particularly in defence, Scott said the Bombers could use Merrett back again.
'Look, maybe, it's a bit of a reality, Zak Johnson came in for his first game and played in defence,' he said.
'Our VFL team had a really good performance, but we didn't really have any AFL-listed players playing in defence.
'Merrett we would like to use in about four different places, he's a really flexible player.
'We'll just assess where we play him based on the opposition and what suits us best.'
Essendon veteran ruck Todd Goldstein will have his hands full with brilliant Blue Tom De Koning on Sunday.
Scott praised the efforts of Goldstein since he resurgence back into the side and said the Bombers would only give the 335-gamer a rest 'only if we need to'.
'I've known Goldy long enough to know what he's capable of and we just monitor him really closely,' he said.
'I don't think we will go down the path of pre-planning anything, obviously have some ideas in mind.
'But most of our time will be directed towards assessing how he is recovering from games, how he's performing. I thought he was outstanding on the weekend.'
The Bombers also have Vigo Visentini and mid-season draftee Lachlan Blakiston waiting in the wings.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
4 hours ago
- News.com.au
Rumours fly over list of candidates to replace Simon Goodwin as Demons coach
The race to find a replacement for Simon Goodwin is on. Melbourne dropped a bombshell on Tuesday, sacking the 2021 premiership winning coach with three games left this season and despite Goodwin having a contract for 2026. However, club president Brad Green said the Demons wanted a change made instantly for the club to go in a new direction. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1. According to Code Sports, 48-year-old Goodwin will receive a one-million dollar payout as part of the contract termination. Assistant coach Troy Chaplin will step in as caretaker coach for the remainder of the 2025 season for games against the Western Bulldogs, Hawthorn and Collingwood. Attention will now turn to the Demons' search to appoint a replacement for Goodwin, with a range of candidates believed to be in the mix. Fox Footy reports former Sydney Swans coach John Longmire is Melbourne's top choice on a list featuring as many of 22 candidates to take over as Demons coach. Veteran footy reporter Caroline Wilson said Goodwin's sacking may have been made before the end of the season to allow the Demons to get a head start on other clubs who may also be looking for a new coach in the off-season. 'The coaching landscape has rarely looked richer,' Wilson said on Channel 7's Agenda Setters. 'Fox Footy is reporting John Longmire is their No. 1 target. I'm not sure about that. He hasn't been approached yet. I do agree he is wooable, although will Melbourne be a palatable option for him? 'Do Melbourne want to jump in and get the best coach before Carlton steps in? We know Michael Voss isn't safe. There is definitely a view from Melbourne that they're not the only club (looking for a new coach).' Speaking on Fox Footy's Midweek Tackle, the Herald Sun's Jon Ralph said the leading first-time coaching candidates were Brisbane football boss Danny Daly, Essendon assistant Daniel Giansiracusa and Collingwood's Hayden Skipworth. Ralph said former Essendon coach James Hird is 'very much a person of interest' for the Demons, while premiership coaches Longmire and Adam Simpson are also in the mix, along with Port Adelaide's Ken Hinkley and ex-Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley. Hird said he was 'flattered' but ruled himself out of contention for the Demons job. On Footy Classified, Eddie McGuire described Longmire, Simpson, Buckley and Hinkley as 'the big four' candidates. 'Here's the thing. They've very aware that not many coaches have won a flag, moved clubs and won another one — Leigh Matthews and Mick Malthouse only in this century,' Ralph said. Buckley is widely viewed as the leading candidate to be Tasmania's inaugural coach when the Devils enter the AFL in 2028. A subcommittee comprised of incoming CEO Paul Guerra, Brad Green, Steven Smith and Alan Richardson will make the final call on choosing Melbourne's new coach. 'There are issues cultural, with the board and stability,' Ralph added. 'There's an enormous amount of change there. It's not an incredible gig. 'If someone like John Longmire was really thinking about it, I think he might look for a better position out there. I'm sure he'll take the phone call, but I'd probably prefer Carlton than Melbourne.' Demons legend Garry Lyon said on AFL 360 about Longmire: 'You can sell 'Horse' to anyone.' The Demons are set to have significant change off the field, with a new CEO, a new president and perhaps a new footy boss. Lyon, who was shocked by Goodwin's sacking, said a void of leadership at the club in recent times set Goodwin up to fail as he attempted to rebuild on the run. 'It was the sameness (on-field) for a long time — and that was a frustration of him … it's sort of greater than that though,' Lyon continued. 'It's a football club that's confused at the moment (with) exactly where they are. It's a football club that's disconnected; I don't think there's any doubt about that. It has been for a long time. 'It was pertinent that he mentioned it four or five times today — you must have a strong, stable off-field support mechanism. I doubt he's felt that over the past couple of years.' AFL 360 host Gerard Whateley added: 'It would have been a miracle if a coach had been successful in these circumstances … the next president is not in the job, and the chief executive was appointed in April and doesn't start until September. There's no elite program in the world that has those pillars absent, and achieves success. 'I think it undermined his capacity to do the job that he knew needed to be done.' Melbourne's off-field structure has also grabbed headlines in recent years, including tensions between former chief executive Gary Pert and key club personnel. 'When they won the premiership, they were the most selfless team in the competition and it was trotted out everywhere. I don't think they are now, and I'm not sure whether the board over the journey has been particularly selfless as well.' Lyon said. 'They are screaming out for a figurehead. A strong, strong, decisive leader of this football club — apart from the coach.'
7NEWS
5 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Fresh vision emerges of Carlton coach Michael Voss and new Blues chief Graham Wright
Embattled Carlton coach Michael Voss has been spotted having an eye-catching meeting with the Blues incoming CEO Graham Wright. The vision emerged on Tuesday, the same day Melbourne's coach Simon Goodwin was sacked. Speculation has been rife this year that Carlton might also take action on Voss with Blues having a disastrous season and missing out on finals. 7NEWS chief AFL reporter Mitch Cleary unearthed the vision on Channel 7's The Agenda Setters on Tuesday. 'We've seen today Graham Wright having a coffee with Michael Voss,' Cleary said. 'So this is quite interesting today. (They were) spotted in Richmond this morning (on Tuesday). 'There, you can see Graham Wright on the left with Michael Voss in the cap and the hoodie. 'The club tells me that these conversations have been going on weekly for the last five or six weeks, and that dates back to (president) Rob Priestley coming out and saying that they will put the call off on Michael Voss's future until the end of the year. 'But clearly this is reaching a pointy end.' Cleary said it was unclear if Voss would remain in the job but believed the position of the club's football boss Brad Lloyd was 'well and truly under threat'. Asked if he thought the coffee catch-up was a 'good sign' for Voss, Cleary thought it was not definitive. 'I don't think it's a bad sign, is it?' Cleary said. 'The fact that he's having the (catch-ups over the) last five weeks ... it's the players' day off today, it's off-site.' Wright, however, has a reputation for being an agent of change and veteran AFL journalist Caroline Wilson said she still feared for Voss's future. 'I just keep remembering the way (Wright) so subtly and cleverly and, in a way, quite politely, indicated to Nathan Buckley that maybe his time was up (at Collingwood),' Wilson said. Cleary said the Goodwin sacking could 'hasten the situation'. 'Both clubs could be in the market (for a new coach) by the end of the year.'
7NEWS
6 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Sacked Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin takes aim at Casey with parting ‘backhander'
Sacked Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin is expected to find his feet back in the AFL world in the not too distant future, and could even be at the Sydney Swans next year. The decision to dismiss the premiership-winning coach on Tuesday sent shockwaves through the AFL industry, with Goodwin himself being 'blindsided' by the decision. Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today There were many reasons behind the bombshell call, and the coach is not without blame. 'If you're looking at all the important factors, the way that they play has been the same issue for four years,' expert commentator Kane Cornes said on Channel 7's The Agenda Setters. 'They are stuck in 2015 with their game styles, contest and defence, he hasn't been able to evolve that. He hasn't had a game style that stacks up in 2025 ... 'He hasn't been able to solve that. The culture is a mess, like the senior players appear to do whatever they want ...' But veteran AFL journalist Caroline Wilson said Goodwin had been let down by the club's list managers and senior leaders. '(On the weekend) Simon Goodwin was working with his footy boss Alan Richardson fully in the belief he will be coaching out the season and fulfilling his contract next year,' she said on The Agenda Setters. 'He was sitting at home last night watching Netflix and he gets a call from (acting president) Brad Green .... completely blindsided. '(But) I would say his list management has let him down. I would say Gary Pert (the former) CEO let him down with all those cultural comments and, you know, the failure to deliver on a home (base). 'And (Goodwin) gave them a clip today mentioning Casey. I mean, he didn't exactly paint Melbourne in the rosiest light, did he?' It is well known the club has been searching for permanent base for years, with the senior team often hiking all the way out to Casey Fields in Cranbourne, more than 50kms away from the city, for training sessions. Goodwin made mention of Casey when he was asked what he would miss about the Demons in Tuesday's media conference. 'I'm going to miss the players first and foremost,' Goodwin said. 'I have some amazing relationships with some blokes I've coached for an incredibly long time .... probably what I won't miss is driving down to Casey.' The Agenda Setters believed that parting shot was a decent whack at the club. 'Well that's a problem for them now. Good luck getting getting players from other clubs to want to go and play at Melbourne now,' Cornes said. Hawthorn great Luke Hodge agreed. 'Especially when former coach gives Casey a bit of a backhander on the way out,' Hodge said. 7NEWS chief AFL reporter Mitch Cleary said Goodwin 'won't be lost to football for long'. Cleary said the former Adelaide crows star would have a quick break, but would be back in football 'without too long out of the game'. 'And I believe that the Sydney clubs will make a big play for Simon Goodwin,' Cleary said. 'Now his wife is a high-flyer in the Sydney finance world, and has been based in Sydney in recent times. The feeling is that the Swans and Giants will come hard for a person of Simon Goodwin's calibre, and we know that Sydney will have at least one, potentially two, openings under Dean Cox at the end of this year ... and there's potentially one at the Giants as well. 'So keep an eye on the Swans and the Giants for Simon Goodwin for his next move.'
