RICHO’S TOP 10: The AFL has changed a lot since James Hird last coached after Bombers sack Brad Scott

1. I have my doubts over the return of the King.

It’s been a tough couple of years for the Essendon footy club and here they are yet again looking for another coach. It felt like mixed messages from the Essendon board on their future, calling Brad Scott their next premiership coach before sacking him six weeks later. Either they were all on the same page about the task ahead or they were not. Scott had said as much just last week.

Clearly they were not. I feel for Scott. Moving forward now the club simply must go through an extensive search. If that’s James Hird so be it.

Keep in mind Hird has not been sitting at the coalface in a coaches box at AFL level for a decade, apart from a short stint with GWS as an assistant in 2022. The game has changed a hell of a lot since then so his presentation to the board would have to be compelling in other areas.

There has also been criticism of their recruiting strategy at the national draft. Let’s be honest the draft is still a hit or miss proposition, but the Bombers hit the bullseye with Archie Roberts at pick 54 in the 2023 draft, a runner-up in the best and fairest in his second year.

In his third year he has to be a sneaky All-Australian chance. He’s doing it all from half-back and has finished with 40 disposals three times this season.

2. Vale Neale Daniher, what an extraordinary human being.

The work he did to raise awareness and research funds for motor neurone disease while fighting it himself says everything about the man.

A leader of people his whole adult life. I was lucky to have Neale as our coach of the Allies in 1996 and 1997. We beat Western Australia at Subiaco in ‘97. I remember those days very well because of the enjoyment Neale brought to our team.

He had a huge charismatic personality. You knew when Neale was in a room. Later, like a lot of people in footy, I got to be involved in the Big Freeze at the ‘G.

What an honour to be asked by Neale to go down the slide. Like everyone across the country, I want to send lots of love to the entire Daniher clan. They are great people.

3. With the legal issues around concussion, a player receiving a head knock needs to get off the ground ASAP to be assessed.

For the obvious ones that we see on TV where the player doesn’t come off, it’s a bad look.

It happened with Essendon’s Sam Durham during Dreamtime at the ‘G. He suffered a head knock from a knee to the head. He stayed out there. I am not blaming the Bombers’ medical staff as they are not watching the replays in real time.

The player rarely wants to come straight off as well. I have a solution. The ARC simply notifies the umpire, and the umpire stops play and orders the player off.

4. All eyes will be on the Gabba on Saturday arvo.

Brisbane have lost two in a row. The first to a red-hot Cats you can understand but the loss to GWS was a disaster.

Giving up 14 goals in a quarter is alarming for any team, let alone the reigning back-to-back premiers. Questions are being asked about whether the Lions are still hungry enough after playing in the past three grand finals.

We know it’s not talent or age. Brisbane can answer the question with a committed performance. Who are they playing? The top-of-the-table Fremantle. Having won a club record 10 games in a row. So, get the job done and it’s business as usual, another loss and the pressure will continue to mount.

I reckon Chris Fagan is happy to be playing the Dockers and not a bottom side. Win and the hunger question quickly fades away.

5. There have been negative reports around the Tasmania Devils’ entry into the AFL over the past few weeks.

A lot of it continues to be surrounding the cost of the Macquarie Point Stadium.

I’ve heard some saying the cost will blow out an extra $700 million. I’m just not sure where these figures are coming from. The last estimate that was released from the Tasmanian Government sat at $1.13 billion.

These costings were presented to parliament with full transparency in September 2025. There has been no update since then. So, the figures being talked about are not actual facts.

From what I can see from AFL House, it’s full steam ahead for the Devils. They’ve announced the Hawks’ exit from the Apple Isle, Devils draft concessions and father/son eligibility. It’s happening and I can’t wait.

6. Last week’s pet hate of mine was the lack of consistency in enforcing the push-in-the-back rule.

This week, it’s players getting stuck on the interchange bench when play is on the other side of the ground.

One recent example was Sydney’s Isaac Heeney against Collingwood two weeks ago. During a tense and tight last quarter Heeney spent 10 minutes on the bench. At least half of that time he was standing waiting to come on.

Even after the Swans scored a goal, he still didn’t come on because it wasn’t a “like for like” interchange. In the end, Sydney runner Brett Kirk ran on to the other side of the ground to get a player off and Heeney on. This had to happen earlier. This will cost a team a huge game one day.

7. What a brutal loss that was for the Suns at Marvel last Saturday, giving up a 43-point lead to the Roos.

Two wins in Darwin in the heat could be used as an excuse for the fadeout from Gold Coast.

Fatigue may have got them. So where are they at heading into the bye? I’m not sure to be honest and I’ll reserve judgement until 11pm on July 11.

Why then? Because they will have completed a stretch of games that includes Brisbane, Geelong, Hawthorn, Fremantle, Collingwood and Adelaide.

All top-10 teams as we speak. That’s a tough stretch. If they get through this stretch with as many wins as they have losses, or better, they remain a top-four chance.

8. A lot of clubs can be loath to take a ruckman with a first-round pick these days.

West Coast did with pick 4 last year on Cooper Duff-Tytler.

I think it will happen again this year with a young player called Harry Van Hattum who plays for Ivanhoe Grammar and the Northern Knights in Melbourne. This guy is 204cm and can complete the 20-metre sprint in 3.01 seconds. Think Nic Nat’s style, jumping with a vertical leap of 103cm.

From the vision available, it’s immediate to me that he has to be taken very early. Can mark and kick and can get after it on the ground. Very exciting.

9. As a father of three girls, I was thrilled to see the announcement of the female representative game between Australia and Ireland on August 1 at the picturesque North Sydney Oval.

With over 40 Irish girls playing in the AFLW, this is a great concept. The game will be played under AFLW rules and to be fair to the Aussies, we would have been in trouble if it was played with the International Rules concept.

I can’t wait for my girls to be inspired by it. The more we shine a light on woman’s footy the better.

10. My new favourite player for this week is the Saints’ Max Hall; I love players that had to do it the hard way.

He didn’t come into the AFL system until age 22. He was a mid-season draft pick in 2024, just like the players taken this week.

His game last week against Fremantle (25 disposals and two goals) highlighted just how far he has come in 34 games. His clearance game is evolving by the week.

Players that have over 20 and kick a goal are as rare as hen’s teeth. Max is doing this. Was a bargain pick by St Kilda. Yes, they went on a cash splurge, but they have found some diamonds in the rough as well.