Essendon announces appointment of new VFL coach for 2024 season

Essendon has announced the appointment of Blake Caracella as the club’s new VFL senior coach.

Caracella, an AFL industry veteran, has served as a Bombers assistant for the past four seasons, with an emphasis on strengthening Essendon’s backline.

The seasoned assistant played 126 games with the Bombers and has also coached under Damien Hardwick at Richmond.

Caracella expressed his excitement at taking on this new challenge and getting to work on developing Essendon’s playing group.

“I am excited about this challenge and opportunity to coach the VFL team,” Caracella said as part of a Friday afternoon club statement.

“Together with fellow coaches, we will create an environment in which our players can enjoy themselves, develop and reach their potential together.”

New Essendon General Manager of AFL Daniel McPherson offered his thoughts on Caracella’s appointment.

“Our VFL program plays a vital role in the development of our players and prepares them for AFL-level football,” McPherson said on Friday.

“To have someone of Blake’s calibre and experience leading this program is extremely beneficial. His extensive experience at the elite level will ensure he sets the standards and expectations for our players to get the most out of themselves and the programs.

“Importantly, Blake will continue to work closely with Brad and the AFL coaching staff to ensure continued alignment between both programs.

“Blake and Matt (Rosa; Essendon’s recently appointed AFL Talent & Operations Manager) will work closely with our Head of Development Cam Roberts, to build a program that not only accelerates the development of our AFL-listed players but also attracts strong talent who have the drive to become the best players they can.”

The Bombers also welcomed Jona Segal to the Hangar on Friday as a Performance Coach. According to Essendon, Segal will work within the high-performance team and will oversee the AFL program’s dietician services, as well as assist the strength and conditioning team.

The Bombers are preparing to embark on this year’s National Draft, which commences on November 20 and continues into the evening of November 21.

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Essendon recruit Ben McKay could be one of the highest-paid players in the AFL next season after details of the Bombers’ shrewd structuring of the key defender’s deal were revealed.

The Bombers during the recent trade period won the race for McKay, signing the former Kangaroo as a restricted free agent on a six-year deal, with a reported trigger for a seventh season.

Essendon’s contract offer to McKay – believed to be worth around $850,000, on average, per season – was significant enough to trigger a band one free agency compensation selection, which handed the Kangaroos Pick 3.

But AFL Media reported on Thursday that McKay’s Bombers contract was heavily front-ended, meaning he’ll be paid around $1.4 million to $1.5 million in 2024.

It comes at a time when the Bombers are in a healthy salary cap position – they also acquired two more free agents in Jade Gresham and Todd Goldstein, as well as traded in contracted Power winger Xavier Duursma – ahead of the expansion of Total Player Payments (TPP) for clubs next year under the AFL’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

Front-ending McKay’s deal, according to AFL Media, allows the Bombers to make the most of their cash reserves ahead of the TPP increase, especially with clubs expected to use at least 95 per cent of the salary cap every year.

It would mean McKay’s 2024 salary would be higher than triple Norm Smith Medallist Dustin Martin’s 2023 wage, which was between $1.25m and $1.35m, according to the Herald Sun’s annual AFL Rich 100 list. Fremantle’s dual Brownlow Medallist Nat Fyfe ($1.05m to $1.15m) was the second-highest earner.

The AFL in February this year released the summary of TPP earnings across the competition for the 2022 year, with only three players earning more than $1.2m.

McKay joins the Bombers after playing 71 games across six seasons with the Kangaroos.

He chose Essendon over keen suitors Sydney and Hawthorn, while Port Adelaide was linked to him early but instead opted to pursue Esava Ratugolea and Brandon Zerk-Thatcher.

Dual All-Australian Leigh Montagna believes McKay, who’s averaged the most intercept marks per game over the past two seasons, will play a crucial role in Essendon’s bid to return to the finals in 2024.

“I’m surprised at some of the commentary about Ben McKay’s football,” Montagna told Fox Footy’s Trading Day earlier this month.

“The suggestion he’s only played a handful of good games or he’s not a top liner is way off the mark.

“I think we’ve seen that his best is very, very good.

“His numbers stack up as well as anyone.

“You’ve got to remember he’s played in a team who is seeing more ball come into their backline without a real defensive system than any other side. I think going to a team that will have a better defensive set up, he’ll have better defenders around him. I think we’ll see the very best of this guy.”