Footy Dept. AFL Program Dan McPherson & associates: 2024 soft cap changes

[Lore]

AFL Talent & Operations Manager - Matt Rosa
National Recruiting Manager - Rob Forster-Knight
Scouting team - Rohan O’Brien

Coaching Innovation & Strategy Manager – David Rath
Head of Psychology and Wellbeing – Dr Ben Robbins

Ben Robbins

Age

48

Ht

181cm

Wt

77kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.7

4star

K

6.7

3star

HB

8.0

5star

M

2.2

2star

T

2.7

4star

No current season stats available

D

10.0

3star

K

5.2

2star

HB

4.8

4star

M

2.2

3star

T

0.8

3star

Performance Coach – Jona Segal (part-time, Strength & Conditioning Coach & Overseeing Dietician Services)

 

[Duckworth]

OK Weiderman, JUMP!

 

[Lore]

McPherson, Ward to lead Essendon’s Football Department

Essendon Football Club is delighted to announce the appointments of Daniel McPherson to General Manager – AFL and Aysha Ward to General Manager – AFLW.

These appointments have been made as part of a revised structure within the football department, with the club now having two senior executive positions focused solely on each of the AFL and the AFLW programs.

This structure allows for a concentrated approach on each elite program, as the club looks to maximise performance and build winning cultures in both areas.

Essendon CEO Craig Vozzo congratulated Daniel McPherson and Aysha Ward on their elevations to the club executive.

“We feel that these are two great appointments that will strengthen both our AFL and AFLW programs. Dan and Aysha are both high quality people and we look forward to their leadership in driving each area forward and having a significant impact on the club more generally,” Vozzo said.

“The updated structure is designed to create clear accountabilities within each elite program and to ensure both programs have an executive member solely focused on their success.

“Both Dan and Aysha were standout candidates for these positions, and we’re delighted to be able to promote our people from within and I congratulate them on their appointments.”

McPherson, Ward to lead Essendon's Football Department

New GMs of football announced.

www.essendonfc.com.au

As General Manager – AFL, McPherson will work with Brad Scott to lead the AFL program.

He joined the Bombers at the end of 2022 as the GM of Football Performance. Prior to this, he was the GM of Football Operations at the Melbourne Football Club, responsible for each of the AFL, AFLW, VFL and VFLW programs for four years. He was a significant contributor to the Melbourne football program during their build which culminated in the AFL Premiership in 2021 before he joined North Melbourne for the 2022 AFL season as General Manager of Football Performance.

McPherson also played 111 games for the Sydney Swans between 1994 to 2003.

"Dan is an intelligent and driven individual who has more than 20 years of experience as a player, coach and administrator at AFL level,” Vozzo said.

“He has played an important role in driving a winning football program and in the build of a successful off-field structure.

“Our AFL program continues to develop and evolve under Brad Scott and the alignment between our coaching group, players and football department will be driven by Dan in this role.”

McPherson said he can't wait to continue driving the men's program towards sustained success.

“I’m grateful to be given this opportunity at the Essendon Football Club, and look forward to working closely with Brad and the rest of the football department to continue to build and drive a world-class football program for our players," he said.

“We’ve been very active in the off-season, both on-field and off-field, to bring in quality people who we believe can help build on the foundations which are already in place.

“We have a lot of work in front of us to get to where we want to get to, but I’m confident and incredibly excited about what’s ahead for our footy club.”

McPherson, Ward to lead Essendon's Football Department

New GMs of football announced.

www.essendonfc.com.au

 

[The Donners]

Did we head hunt him for this role in mind post-2022?

I just want to know whether we did an extensive search and interview process or we just looked at McPherson - nothing against McPherson. If he’s the best available then great appointment.

I just don’t trust this club.

 

[eth-dog]

An internal appointment again. Not sure if it's a great move. Let's see how it goes.

 

[MarkJohnson#1]

An internal appointment again. Not sure if it's a great move. Let's see how it goes.

What are your concerns?

 

[eth-dog]

What are your concerns?

We're promoting someone internally when our FD has been a shitshow for 20 years, whose previous experience was at North, who haven't exactly set the world alight in the back room either.

 

[fairbump_playon]

We're promoting someone internally when our FD has been a shitshow for 20 years, whose previous experience was at North, who haven't exactly set the world alight in the back room either.

Come on. Hardly an internal promotion in the true sense when he has experience for years leading up to late 2022 as GM at two other clubs.

He succeeded at Melbourne with a flag. He went to a basketcase North for one year. Hard to lay the blame on him for all the idiocy there.

 

[eth-dog]

Come on. Hardly an internal promotion in the true sense when he has experience for years leading up to late 2022 as GM at two other clubs.

He succeeded at Melbourne with a flag. He went to a basketcase North for one year. Hard to lay the blame on him for all the idiocy there.

He was in that role for Melbourne for a year before moving to North for a year and since then has been with us in High Performance, one of our problem departments.

Sorry but I'm not sold on this appointment.

 

[Inspecta Gadget]

What are your concerns?

Making internal appointments at Essendon is like kicking the dog shit around your backyard rather than picking it up

 

[MarkJohnson#1]

We're promoting someone internally when our FD has been a shitshow for 20 years, whose previous experience was at North, who haven't exactly set the world alight in the back room either.

He has only just walked in the door and was at Melbourne for 8 years including when they won the flag. Has also been at Sydney. Being harsh on a decent resume.

 

[ant555]

He was in that role for Melbourne for a year before moving to North for a year and since then has been with us in High Performance, one of our problem departments.

Sorry but I'm not sold on this appointment.

Not sure what he could have done in his one year at North when the coach could not get a connection with the players. Spent a lot of time working at the Swans and he has not had any chance to make any moves with us. May not be your cup of tea but his last two years he has had limited opportunities to make any moves at all .

 

[ant555]

And for the record.

Kangaroos poach long-time Demon for new-look footy department

Daniel McPherson will join North Melbourne after helping steer Melbourne to the 2021 premiership

www.afl.com.au

"
McPherson joined Melbourne as an assistant coach in 2014 and became the club's general manager of football operations two years later.

He filled that role until the Demons broke a 57-year AFL/VFL premiership drought this year. "

 

[Lore]

It’s not like we haven’t interviewed him in the last 12 months

 

[Godzke]

We're promoting someone internally when our FD has been a shitshow for 20 years, whose previous experience was at North, who haven't exactly set the world alight in the back room either.

Yeah but his appointment would've been ratified by both Scott and Vozzo, who are not Essendon people.

Wouldn't use North as a yardstick, as their FD would've been heavily under resourced.

 

[DERO]

He was in that role for Melbourne for a year before moving to North for a year and since then has been with us in High Performance, one of our problem departments.

Sorry but I'm not sold on this appointment.

He was moved out of North due to the arrival of Clarko and Clarko wanting to bring his mate Viney with him. Not a lot he could do in that situation.

 

[TheFrenchCut]

This is just speculation (a shock for bigfooty, I know) but I'm guessing a part of why we went for an untried list boss at afl level is that Vozzo (as a former list manager himself) and Brad are both very hands on with list management and are keen on having a much bigger role in it than our CEOs + coaches have had in the past.

 

[Atavistic]

What, no 20 year probationary period?

25 years probationary period, and even if he fails hard, we treat him like he's been a success and let him mentor the next guy.

 

[Lore]

This is just speculation (a shock for bigfooty, I know) but I'm guessing a part of why we went for an untried list boss at afl level is that Vozzo (as a former list manager himself) and Brad are both very hands on with list management and are keen on having a much bigger role in it than our CEOs + coaches have had in the past.

Yep and it's also a restructure of the football department, the list manager is no longer sitting next to the department head at the executive table.

 

[faible]

Yep and it's also a restructure of the football department, the list manager is no longer sitting next to the department head at the executive table.

Also the list of 'tried afl list bosses' is extremely short, even shorter if you want a competent one.

 

[ant555]

This is just speculation (a shock for bigfooty, I know) but I'm guessing a part of why we went for an untried list boss at afl level is that Vozzo (as a former list manager himself) and Brad are both very hands on with list management and are keen on having a much bigger role in it than our CEOs + coaches have had in the past.

I think there would be some truth in it.

 

[ghostdog]

This is just speculation (a shock for bigfooty, I know) but I'm guessing a part of why we went for an untried list boss at afl level is that Vozzo (as a former list manager himself) and Brad are both very hands on with list management and are keen on having a much bigger role in it than our CEOs + coaches have had in the past.

Yep. I don't mind that at all.

 

[Godzke]

Are we now all done for FD or coaching roles, or are there some still need filling?

 

[Mootsy]

already seeing some results, not even pre-season.

 

[Lore]

He will relocate to Melbourne with his young family and commence in the role as the club’s AFL Talent & Operations Manager in the pre-Christmas period, ahead of the 2024 AFL Season.

Should be starting soon if he hasn't already Guessing by 'pre-Christmas' they mean after the draft when we have that first bit of pre-season training and such.

 

[joey_jo_jo]

also not sure if this is the right thread but just saw this news too. Anyone have any idea how he went at North?

Dons add former North fitness boss amid off-season overhaul

Another familiar face joins the Bombers' football department under coach Brad Scott

www.afl.com.au