Essendon managing director Peter Jackson said today he was disappointed with media reports that suggested the Club was set to drop its alignment with the Bendigo Bombers and field a stand-alone side in the VFL competition. Jackson said the Club was meeting with Bendigo to assess the current model.
The Age newspaper reported it was ""likely"" Essendon would field a stand-alone team in the VFL but Jackson said that report was without foundation.
“We want to identify a way forward that maintains the core relationship between Essendon and Bendigo and delivers the right outcomes. Recent news reports regarding the alignment have been irresponsible and unhelpful,” Jackson said.
“It is sensible that both Essendon and Bendigo review the current model and how we can most effectively drive the outcomes we want moving forward. We do that annually.
“We need to ask ourselves what model gives us the best opportunity of success? What model gives us the best opportunity of developing players? What model gives us the best chance of developing a robust pathway for talented Bendigo players to access the elite level.""
