ESSENDON is interested in adding Western Bulldogs midfield coach Brendon Lade to its coaching panel for 2027 under new senior coach Mark McVeigh. 

The Bombers have quickly started chasing assistants and development coaches to work with first-time senior coach McVeigh since he was hired on August 24.

McVeigh has relocated to Melbourne and started working out of The Hangar this week.

Lade interviewed for the vacancy at Carlton earlier this year and was shortlisted for the job at Melbourne in 2025, before Steven King was appointed. 

The Port Adelaide great has worked at the Mission Whitten Oval since 2022 and is one of the more highly regarded assistants in the AFL. 

Lade, 50, spent four seasons before that as senior assistant at St Kilda, following stints at Alberton and Richmond. 

Dean Solomon has been offered a position to remain on the coaching panel at the Bombers after stepping up as caretaker coach when Brad Scott parted ways with the club at round 10. 

The former Essendon board member and backline coach is yet to make a decision with his family and business still based in Kingscliff in northern New South Wales.

The Bombers have plenty of positions to fill following the departures of Ben Jacobs, Cam Roberts, David Rath and Dan McPherson. 

While some targets, like Amon Buchanan, are still working for clubs still alive in September the Bombers are expected to approach Lade now the Western Bulldogs are out of the finals. 

Triple Richmond premiership star Dion Prestia is also being considered for a role at the club in 2027, most likely as a development coach, but a spot on the playing list is yet to be ruled out. 

Prestia wants to play on again next year at a third club after his decorated time at Punt Road came to an end last month.