After one meeting with Mark McVeigh and the Essendon hierarchy, Keidean Coleman knew exactly where he wanted to be. 

The classy defender told SEN’s Adam White that a family-oriented, homely atmosphere aided the approach from the Bombers, along with McVeigh’s pitch for an exciting, fast-paced brand of footy that was very aligned to the left-footer.

After three injury-riddled campaigns, Coleman and his family were quick to put the Dons atop the list of new landing spots – the 26-year-old will now get his fresh start in the competition’s youngest list of 2027 and is enticed by the prospect.

Coleman’s full chat from SEN: 

Kiddy on… last-minute trade euphoria

(It makes me feel) very excited, to be honest. Even last night when the news broke that I was traded, there was a lot of happiness, a lot of joy. 

It went down to the last couple of minutes, so I didn't think it would go through. There’s a very good young crop of players at the Bombers - I'm excited to go share my knowledge with them, hopefully win a few more games and push for the finals.

Kiddy on… the meeting that ‘made him feel at home’ 

I had a great meeting with Mark McVeigh, Matt Rosa and a few others at the club. 

They flew my family down as well, which was a great initiative, they just made me feel like I was at home. They really valued my family, which was the main thing for me. I walked away from the meeting very confident. 

They’ve got a new coaching structure there and just listening to what ‘Spike’ had to say was what excited me about joining this team. Hopefully we can give back to the Bombers faithful that have been hanging around for a bit. 

He's very family-orientated and every time he talked to me, he always made sure how my kids were going and was always checking in with my partner, which was so great.

That sort of won me over, and then the way he wants the Bombers to play really excites me on-field as well. He's also changing a lot of things off-field, which will hold the club in great stead. 

Kiddy on… excitement for the Essendon list

Hopefully I can be that half back working along there with Archie Roberts and a few others to generate a bit more ball movement, be a bit more creative from the back half and just generate offence to hurt teams on the rebound.

I'm excited to learn under Andy McGrath, work alongside Archie, and then just the young guys - Caddy, Kako - Sam Durham is a guy that I've always admired from afar, watching them play.

Especially Caddy, you just watch him and go, wow, what a talent.

Kiddy on… a fresh start 

I rocked up last year in pretty good nick to set myself up for a great year and I was able to play the first 11 or 12 games - unfortunately, just done a hammy - obviously, that was pretty tough on me.

Around maybe round 15 or 16 this year I believe, when I got concussed. We were just driving into (the Lions facility), knowing I had to do rehab again was very tough. My partner brought it up with me, she just said, ‘do you think it's best for a fresh start somewhere else?’

We had a great discussion and walked away from that very confident that we had to look elsewhere. Thankfully the Bombers took the chance on me.

I've got great love and appreciation for those lads (at Brisbane). I'm very grateful for them and seeing them winning, there was no better feeling. For myself at this stage of my career at 26, I feel as though I just need to be playing more AFL games. 

I was grateful to be part of a successful team for three or four years, learning the ropes and what it takes to get there. 

Kiddy on… Essendon’s rich Indigenous history, the fixture that ‘gives him goosebumps’ 

That was another thing that (the Club) also said, they’ve had Michael Long, Gavin Wanganeen, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti a few years ago.

It was enticing on my behalf. Hopefully I can create something for the faithful and make a name for myself as a Bomber, etch my name in their history.

Yeah mate, (playing in Dreamtime) will be a dream come true. I remember sitting down watching all those games as a youngster. Anzac Day is another one you always watch every year, I get goosebumps just thinking about it right now.

Hopefully next year, I get to be a part of those and it'll be a bucket list thing for myself and my family to be a part of. 

It's funny enough, I did get a couple of phone calls, but (Longy) called me when I was on the plane on the way to Melbourne and then he called me on the plane on the way back to Brisbane, so I didn't actually catch him. 

‘Spike’ did say he was trying to get a hold of me. I’ll actually give him a call today. It’s been a whirlwind 24 hours.