Essendon has appointed Paul Thomas as an Assistant Coach ahead of the 2027 Toyota AFL Premiership Season.

Thomas returns to the Bombers after a decorated career at Central District, where he played 269 SANFL games, won six premierships and was the 2004 Magarey Medallist.

Rookie-listed by Adelaide in 2002, Thomas was drafted by Essendon in the 2004 AFL Draft and played eight senior games in 2005, debuting alongside Senior Coach Mark McVeigh.

He returned to Central District and captained the club from 2007, leading it to four consecutive premierships from 2007 to 2010. He also captained South Australia.

A qualified teacher, Thomas joined the Adelaide Crows as a development coach in 2015 and spent more than four years in coaching roles at the club. He also ran specialist football programs in schools.

He returned to Central District as Senior Coach in 2021, overseeing player development across the club’s men’s and women’s programs.

General Manager of Football Performance John Longmire said Thomas’s combination of teaching experience, player development expertise and senior coaching experience would strengthen Essendon’s coaching group.

“Paul has a terrific background in teaching and coaching, and a real passion for helping young players learn and improve,” Longmire said.

“Having also led his own program as a senior coach, he understands what it takes to bring people together and build a strong football environment. We’re focused on building an environment that gives our players the best opportunity to develop, and Paul will play an important role in that as we continue to build under Mark.

“We’re delighted to welcome Paul back to Essendon, along with his wife Rachael and their sons Austin, Archer and Cohen.”

Thomas said returning to Essendon and reuniting with McVeigh made the opportunity particularly special.

“I played alongside Mark at Essendon, so it’s special to be coming back to the Club and helping him build the program he has in mind,” Thomas said.

“I love working with young players and helping them develop, and I’m excited by the opportunity to return to the AFL system at a club with such a proud history and a talented young list.

“I’ve got a strong relationship with Dyson Sharp and I’m looking forward to working with him again, as well as getting to know the rest of the playing group and the players who join us through this year’s draft.

“I’m also looking forward to learning from John. He’s been part of a highly successful program for a long time, and having the opportunity to work alongside him will be great for my own development as a coach.

“I want to thank everyone at Central District for what the club has given me, both as a player and a coach. It’s been a huge part of my life, and I’m incredibly grateful for that experience.

“It’s exciting to be back in the red and black and to share this next chapter with my family.”

Thomas will join the Club ahead of the start of pre-season training.