Essendon's search for a new coach has officially begun following the sacking of Ben Rutten on Sunday afternoon, with the former Bombers coach having spent just two seasons in the top job at Tullamarine.
Rutten's exit continues what has been a tumultuous decade for the club, with the Bombers now seeking an experienced coach to help put a stop to their graceless fall down the ladder.
Alastair Clarkson has now committed to North Melbourne, while the Giants are set to announce their new coach in the coming days, leaving Essendon, and those conducting an external review into the club, a difficult task to find their next coach.
With time not on their side to find a suitable candidate prior to the trade and draft period, Zero Hanger has had a look at who the most likely candidates are for the top job.
5. Adem Yze
The man many had as the frontrunner for the GWS top job is now suddenly available following the appointment of Adam Kingsley.
Yze is the only man on the list to have no senior coaching experience (aside from one match as caretaker coach in 2022), but has an impressive resume as an assistant coach at the Hawks and Demons.
The current Melbourne assistant coach is highly rated as a coach in waiting, having first joined Hawthorn in a part-time role ten years ago and playing an instrumental role in the Demons' 2021 premiership success.
While the Bombers have signalled their intent to find an "experienced" coach, the very broad nature of that call leaves Yze as a possible contender.
Elsewhere in the assistant coaching sphere, Mark McVeigh may also firm as an option for the Bombers after serving as interim coach for the Giants for much of the season.
