Entering his 14^th season of AFL-level coaching, Daniel Pratt is as energised as ever in the opening weeks of his new role as Mark McVeigh’s Senior Assistant at Essendon.

A key figure in West Coast’s 2018 premiership as backline coach and the AFLCA’s Assistant Coach of the Year in 2024 at the Western Bulldogs, Pratt’s move to the Bombers immediately followed the acquisition of John Longmire in bolstering a new-look football department.

Freshly appointed in October, the 43-year-old has wasted very little time jumping right into the nitty-gritty at the Dons, working closely with McVeigh in establishing a new gameplan for his side and filtering it through the first-to-fourth year brigade in week one of pre-season.

Pratt told essendonfc.com.au the early signs were promising midweek.

“We've only had a couple of sessions, so we’ve started on some of our new concepts and getting players some understanding of what we're trying to achieve,” Pratt said.

“So far, they've taken everything we've given them. We’ve still got to keep working on execution but there's some positive signs.”

Renowned for his leadership and teaching credentials – he’s been an AFLW Senior Coach in the past and is a Professional Mentor with his Impact Zone Australia organisation – Pratt is big on getting the players across detail and educating youngsters.

With the youngest list in the competition, that’ll be a key component in the early weeks of training.

“Education is going to be really important,” Pratt said.

“Obviously we've got a lot of work to do. Firstly, we've got to get our hands dirty with the fundamentals but conceptually it's just spending time with the players, educating, making sure they understand (our vision) and then seeing if we can transfer that onto the track.”

“Because they're a young group, they're pretty impressionable and they're energised, so it hasn't been hard to have a conversation in the hallway or the corridor, and they're all light-hearted as well.

“Our job is to make sure they understand that we've got a lot of work to do, and we've got to work hard, but we've also got to have fun while we're doing it.”

Pratt’s exposure to successful environments early in his coaching tenure has allowed him to cross paths with different leaders of the current group at the Bombers.

Keeping the connection growing across the entire department will be at the forefront for the wider coaching panel.

“There's obviously the new game plan. Fundamentally sound football teams are usually competitive, so that's the first thing we’ll focus on in that space. The relationship and connection is the other piece,” Pratt said.

“Game style, fundamentals and connection as a group are probably the three things that we’ll focus on and then keep looking to evolve as we get close to Christmas, into the new year and closer to games.

“It is a small industry, so a lot of us (coaches) know each other from other lives. We have those external relationships, but how tight we become is probably going to be critical on how well we go as a coaching group and then setting a good example for the players. We're working really hard on our relationships and that will set it up well for the players as well.

“It's been a long (coaching journey) now coming into my 16th year out of playing, but I know it's exciting creating a new environment, which is what we get to do here led by Spike - his vision is really clear, so that's an exciting piece for me.

“Again, I get a chance to do this and it keeps my motivation high to coach.”