Essendon have appointed Mark McVeigh as their new AFL coach, calling him the "clear standout" among the four candidates.
Within minutes of the Bombers' announcement, a report emerged that former captain Zach Merrett would have stayed had they gone with James Hird. Merrett now appears certain to seek a trade to Hawthorn after his unsuccessful bid a year ago.
Four-time Essendon premiership coach Kevin Sheedy congratulated McVeigh, but also expressed disappointment that Hird had not been appointed.
A strongly-worded club statement confirming the new coach's appointment -- and the immediate reaction to it -- showed the deep divisions at the club, and the challenges McVeigh will face.
Hird had congratulated his former teammate on Sunday night for winning the role. That prompted a wave of talkback calls through Monday that supported Hird, Essendon's former coach and one of the greatest players in their history.
Speculation also arose of a board challenge in the wake of the failed bid of Hird, whose first stint as Bombers coach was marred by the club's infamous supplements scandal.
McVeigh's appointment came a day after a narrow loss to Port Adelaide confirmed Essendon took the wooden spoon. Their 2-21 record is the worst in the club's history.
But the Bombers are adamant that with McVeigh's appointment, the club will soon rise again.
"Everything he presented to us aligned with the strategy this board has already set. We weighed every candidate against what this role actually demands, and Mark was the clear standout," said president Andrew Welsh, also a former Essendon teammate of McVeigh and Hird.
"We know the last few years have been hard for Essendon people, and we feel that deeply.
"But I want to be clear: we are not going backwards from here.
"We have taken the hard path in this process, and we believe it is the right one.
"This club is resilient, our direction is strong, and I have never been more confident that Essendon's best days are ahead of us. We need to all unite together to ascend back up the AFL ladder."
Welsh added McVeigh's appointment came after a unanimous board decision.
Likewise, McVeigh was bullish about the future.
"We're building the next great era of this football club. That's not built on promises. It's built on our standards, our actions and the work we put in every single day," he said.
Another Essendon great, Matthew Lloyd, said McVeigh was acutely aware of the tough road ahead. He added McVeigh would try to bring Hird back to the club as an assistant coach.
"He understands just how big this job is, he's not naive. He understands that it's not going to be easy," Lloyd told the Nine Network.
"Mark is the type, there's no ego ... I know he would love James to be part of his coaching group.
"But it's just how James feels about that, when you miss out on the top job."
Lloyd added McVeigh had already been in Essendon's list management process on Monday.
McVeigh and Welsh will front a media conference at the club on Tuesday.
McVeigh, who has quit his job as a Sydney assistant coach, won the role ahead of Hird, as well as Fremantle assistant Jaymie Graham and Adelaide coaching director Murray Davis.
Brad Scott was sacked on May 25, with Dean Solomon interim coach for the rest of the season.
The search for a new coach has involved a tumultuous selection process, with opinion sharply divided on whether Hird should win another tenure in the role.
McVeigh, 45, played 232 games for Essendon and returns to the club on a three-year contract after nearly 14 years away, which also included working as an assistant coach at GWS.
He also acted as caretaker coach at the Giants in 2022.
On Sunday night, a disappointed Hird revealed he had missed out on the job.
"Congratulations to Mark. He's a great friend of mine and I'm very proud of him that he's going to be named the coach, so good on him," Hird told Nine.