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MADDEN BACK WHERE HE BELONGS
Former champion Essendon ruckman Simon Madden has come home. Madden – who holds both the games and goals record at Essendon - was today appointed the Bombers’ ruck coach for season 2003. And Kevin Sheedy, the man who oversaw much of Madden career, couldn’t be happier. “What better way to train up the young ruckmen we have than with one of the greatest ruckman of all time?” Sheedy said. “He is up there with Farmer and Nicholls – no doubt.”
Former champion Essendon ruckman Simon Madden has come home. Madden – who holds both the games and goals record at Essendon - was today appointed the Bombers’ ruck coach for season 2003. And Kevin Sheedy, the man who oversaw much of Madden career, couldn’t be happier. “What better way to train up the young ruckmen we have than with one of the greatest ruckman of all time?” Sheedy said. “He is up there with Farmer and Nicholls – no doubt.”
Madden takes over from John Barnes who, along with Peter Cransberg, will be the team runner this season. “We have some of the best young ruck talent around at the moment in David Hille, Aaron Henneman, Simon O’Keefe, Jason Laycock and Tristan Cartledge,” Sheedy said. “This is the start of a three-to-five year plan to strengthen the ruck stocks at this club.” Engine Room members should keep an eye out for our exclusive chat with Simon Madden.
Simon Madden Height: 196cm Games: 378 Goals: 575 Crichton Medallist: Four times Premiership Player: 1984, 1985 All Australian: Three times Norm Smith Medal: 1985
While the unearthing of young talent remains the priority of this pre-season, Essendon will have an almost full list to choose from this Saturday for its practice match against the Western Bulldogs at Queen Elizabeth Oval in Bendigo. Mark Mercuri, Dean Rioli and Paul Barnard all returned from injury and played in the curtain raiser match for the Bendigo Bombers last Saturday.
