Home

Hird, Solomon help out GWS' AFL coach

Oliver CaffreyAAP
James Hird (pic) and Dean Solomon will help former Essendon teammate Mark McVeigh coach GWS.
Camera IconJames Hird (pic) and Dean Solomon will help former Essendon teammate Mark McVeigh coach GWS. Credit: AAP

There will be an Essendon reunion at GWS with James Hird and Dean Solomon stepping up to help former Bombers teammate Mark McVeigh coach the Giants.

McVeigh will lead GWS on an interim basis for the rest of the season after Leon Cameron's resignation as Giants coach last week.

Hird will move into an expanded assistant coaching role after becoming a leadership advisor for the Giants ahead of the season.

It ended a seven-year exodus from AFL after Hird's tumultuous time as Essendon coach came to an end in 2015.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

The two-time Bombers premiership hero has been thrust into contention as an outside chance to become the Giants' third full-time coach.

Solomon and Hird will help out McVeigh in part-time roles, with the trio playing a crucial role together with the Bombers during the 2000s.

The Game AFL 2024

Solomon spent time as an assistant coach with Fremantle and Gold Coast, even filling in as interim coach of the Suns in 2017 when Rodney Eade was sacked.

"As we head into the next 13 weeks, it's a great opportunity to have Dean and James join the club's coaching department," Giants football boss Jason McCartney said.

"They're both obviously close with our interim senior coach Mark McVeigh and jumped at the opportunity to support him, our coaching group and the players over the remainder of the season.

"They both bring a fresh perspective and new ideas and we're excited to have them join the Giants."

Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.

Sign up for our emails