John Worsfold - Senior coach
John Worsfold has enjoyed a long and successful career as both a player and coach. He played 209 games for the West Coast Eagles between 1987 and 1998, captaining the team to two premierships (1992 and 1994). Worsfold became the Eagles' coach in 2002, leading the team to eight finals series including a premiership in 2006. His tenure at West Coast came to an end in 2013. Worsfold took a senior role at the Adelaide Crows in 2015 following the death of coach Phil Walsh. He was announced as Essendon senior coach in October 2015. In his second season (2017), the Bombers rose from the wooden spoon to a finals appearance, while a strong finish to 2018 saw Worsfold re-signed until the end of 2020. 2020 will mark the 51-year-old's fifth and final season at the helm at the Bombers.
Ben Rutten - Senior assistant coach and team defence
The Bombers secured Rutten from Richmond, where he had a strong role in helping build the Tigers' defensive press that had been crucial to their recent success. The former All-Australian defender, who retired at the end of 2014 after 229 games with the Crows, will enter his second season at Essendon in 2020 in a more senior role, taking over from senior coach John Worsfold at the end of 2020.
Blake Caracella - Assistant coach (midfield and attack)
A vital member of the Bombers’ 2000 premiership team, Blake Caracella enjoyed a decorated career as a player that spanned 187 games at Essendon, Brisbane and Collingwood before he embarked on his coaching career. Caracella served as an assistant coach at Collingwood in 2007, before moving to Geelong in a seven-season stint under Chris Scott, including the Cats’ 2011 premiership campaign. In 2017, he joined Richmond under former teammate and Tigers senior coach Damien Hardwick, serving as offence coach for their two premiership seasons. 2020 will mark Caracella’s first season on the Bombers’ senior coaching panel, where he will oversee the midfield and attack.
Mark Harvey - Assistant coach (stoppages)
Three-time Essendon premiership player Mark Harvey has an extensive history in coaching, having been a long-term assistant to Kevin Sheedy and then having senior stints at Fremantle and the Brisbane Lions before returning to the Bombers in 2015. 2020 will mark Harvey's sixth successive season on the Bombers' coaching panel, where he will oversee stoppages.
Dan Jordan - Assistant coach (forwards)
Dan Jordan joined Essendon at the start of 2016, having two seasons with the development group. He was then appointed Essendon VFL's head coach prior to the 2018 season, guiding the VFL Bombers to consecutive preliminary finals. Jordan has now left his VFL post to step up into an assistant coaching role in 2020, taking care of the Bombers' forward line.
James Kelly - Assistant coach (backline)
James Kelly is highly regarded inside Essendon for his work with the development group, focusing on the younger players. The triple Geelong premiership player and ex-Bombers defender retired at the end of 2017, and will take care of the Bombers' backline in 2020.
Mark Corrigan - VFL head coach and development coach
Mark Corrigan started at the Bombers as a development coach in 2015. Prior to joining Essendon, he had an extensive background in coaching and opposition analysis at the Geelong Football Club and is a qualified teacher with a degree in sports science. Corrigan will take over from Dan Jordan as VFL head coach in 2020, while also serving as an AFL development coach.
Leigh Tudor - Development coach
Leigh Tudor joined Essendon in December 2019, leading the Bombers’ development program - the Jack Jones Academy - for the first-to-fourth-year players. He arrives at the club with a wealth of playing and coaching experience, playing 68 games for North Melbourne (eight) and Geelong (60) respectively, before transitioning into a coaching role. During his time as a coach, Tudor steered Geelong’s VFL side to a premiership in 2007 before making the move to St Kilda where he was involved in the Saints’ two Grand Final appearances in 2009 and 2010. Tudor then worked at Sydney alongside John Longmire in 2012 where he was involved in their premiership the same year. Tudor joined the Kangaroos’ coaching panel in 2013 where he led the midfield line and most recently the forward line, in what was a seven-year stint at Arden Street.
Cam Roberts - Development coach
In what is a non-traditional pathway to the coaching ranks, Cam Roberts brings a wide range of experience working both in football and the corporate world.
Joining Essendon in December 2019, Roberts' most recent position involved leading the Melbourne University Blacks Football Club in the Victorian Amateur Football Association.
His experience off-field includes working at the Australian Prostate Centre, focusing on developing help-seeking behaviours to address health and wellbeing. His understanding and passion for welfare will assist in his role working closely with the Bombers’ development players.