List of Essendon Coaches

Coaches who have coached in at least one match for Essendon in a premiership.

VFL/AFL Coach List (1897-2024)

Coaches who have coached in at least one match for Essendon in a VFL/AFL premiership.

No. Coach Seasons Matches Finals Wins Draws Losses
1 Dave Smith 1908-1909 39 3 26 0 13
2 Allan Belcher 1910 19 1 12 0 7
3 Jack Worrall 1911-1920 135 5 65 3 67
4 Percy Ogden 1920-1921 20 0 3 2 15
5 Sam Gravenall 1922 12 0 7 1 4
6 Syd Barker 1922-1926 81 10 57 1 23
7 Frank Maher 1927 18 0 6 1 11
8 Charlie Hardy 1928-1930 54 0 30 1 23
9 Garnet Campbell 1931-1933 54 0 22 0 32
10 Charlie May 1934-1935 36 0 12 0 24
11 Jack Baggott 1936-1939 60 0 22 0 38
12 Dick Reynolds 1939-1960 415 37 275 6 134
13 Harry Hunter 1939 2 0 2 0 0
14 Les Griggs 1941 1 0 1 0 0
15 Elton Plummer 1944 7 0 3 1 3
16 Cec Ruddell 1945-1946 2 0 0 0 2
17 Alan Thaw 1959 1 0 1 0 0
18 John Coleman 1961-1967 133 8 90 3 40
19 Greg Sewell 1965 1 0 1 0 0
20 Jack Clarke 1968-1970 65 3 33 2 30
21 Johnny Birt 1971 22 0 4 1 17
22 Des Tuddenham 1972-1975 90 2 47 0 43
23 Bill Stephen 1976-1977 44 0 16 1 27
24 Barry Davis 1978-1980 67 1 30 1 36
25 Kevin Sheedy 1981-2007 634 43 386 6 242
26 Gary O'Donnell 2006 1 0 0 1 0
27 Matthew Knights 2008-2010 67 1 25 1 41
28 James Hird 2011-2015 85 1 41 1 43
29 Simon Goodwin 2013 1 0 0 0 1
30 Mark Thompson 2014 23 1 12 1 10
31 Matthew Egan 2015 3 0 1 0 2
32 John Worsfold 2016-2020 107 2 45 1 61
33 Ben Rutten 2021-2022 44 1 17 0 27
34 Blake Caracella 2022 1 0 1 0 0
35 Brad Scott 2023-2024 46 0 22 1 23

Coach History

VFL/AFL Coach History (1897-2024)

Season Coach Matches Rounds
1897 VFL Season unknown 17 R01-14, RF1-3
1898 VFL Season unknown 18 R01-14, RF1-3, GF
1899 VFL Season unknown 17 R01-14, RF1-3
1900 VFL Season unknown 18 R01-14, RF1-3, PF
1901 VFL Season unknown 19 R01-14, S01-03, SF, GF
1902 VFL Season unknown 20 R01-14, S01-03, SF, PF, GF
1903 VFL Season unknown 17 R01-14, S01-03
1904 VFL Season unknown 18 R01-14, S01-03, SF
1905 VFL Season unknown 18 R01-14, S01-03, SF
1906 VFL Season unknown 18 R01-14, S01-03, SF
1907 VFL Season unknown 17 R01-14, S01-03
1908 VFL Season Dave Smith 20 R01-18, SF, GF
1909 VFL Season Dave Smith 19 R01-18, SF
1910 VFL Season Allan Belcher 19 R01-18, SF
1911 VFL Season Jack Worrall 20 R01-18, SF, GF
1912 VFL Season Jack Worrall 21 R01-18, SF, PF, GF
1913 VFL Season Jack Worrall 18 R01-18
1914 VFL Season Jack Worrall 18 R01-18
1915 VFL Season Jack Worrall 16 R01, R03-10, R12-18
1918 VFL Season Jack Worrall 14 R01-14
1919 VFL Season Jack Worrall 16 R01-05, R07-14, R16-18
1920 VFL Season Jack Worrall 12 R01-07, R09-13
Percy Ogden 4 R14-16, R18
1921 VFL Season Percy Ogden 16 R01-04, R06-13, R15-18
1922 VFL Season Sam Gravenall 12 R01-07, R09-13
Syd Barker 6 R14-16, R18, SF, PF
1923 VFL Season Syd Barker 18 R01-08, R10-17, SF, GF
1924 VFL Season Syd Barker 19 R01-06, R08-15, R17-18, RF1-3
1925 VFL Season Syd Barker 18 R01-17, SF
1926 VFL Season Syd Barker 20 R01-18, SF, PF
1927 VFL Season Frank Maher 18 R01-18
1928 VFL Season Charlie Hardy 18 R01-18
1929 VFL Season Charlie Hardy 18 R01-18
1930 VFL Season Charlie Hardy 18 R01-18
1931 VFL Season Garnet Campbell 18 R01-18
1932 VFL Season Garnet Campbell 18 R01-18
1933 VFL Season Garnet Campbell 18 R01-18
1934 VFL Season Charlie May 18 R01-18
1935 VFL Season Charlie May 18 R01-18
1936 VFL Season Jack Baggott 18 R01-18
1937 VFL Season Jack Baggott 18 R01-18
1938 VFL Season Jack Baggott 18 R01-18
1939 VFL Season Jack Baggott 6 R01-06
Dick Reynolds 10 R07-08, R11-18
Harry Hunter 2 R09-10
1940 VFL Season Dick Reynolds 20 R01-18, SF, PF
1941 VFL Season Dick Reynolds 20 R01-10, R12-18, SF, PF, GF
Les Griggs 1 R11
1942 VFL Season Dick Reynolds 18 R01-06, R08-16, SF, PF, GF
1943 VFL Season Dick Reynolds 17 R01-08, R10-11, Q01-05, SF, GF
1944 VFL Season Elton Plummer 7 R01-07
Dick Reynolds 13 R08-18, SF, PF
1945 VFL Season Dick Reynolds 19 R01-11, R13-20
Cec Ruddell 1 R12
1946 VFL Season Dick Reynolds 21 R01-13, R15-19, SF, SR, GF
Cec Ruddell 1 R14
1947 VFL Season Dick Reynolds 22 R01-19, SF, PF, GF
1948 VFL Season Dick Reynolds 22 R01-19, SF, GF, GR
1949 VFL Season Dick Reynolds 22 R01-19, SF, PF, GF
1950 VFL Season Dick Reynolds 20 R01-18, SF, GF
1951 VFL Season Dick Reynolds 21 R01-18, SF, PF, GF
1952 VFL Season Dick Reynolds 19 R01-19
1953 VFL Season Dick Reynolds 19 R01-18, SF
1954 VFL Season Dick Reynolds 18 R01-18
1955 VFL Season Dick Reynolds 19 R01-18, SF
1956 VFL Season Dick Reynolds 18 R01-18
1957 VFL Season Dick Reynolds 20 R01-18, SF, GF
1958 VFL Season Dick Reynolds 18 R01-18
1959 VFL Season Dick Reynolds 20 R01-11, R13-18, SF, PF, GF
Alan Thaw 1 R12
1960 VFL Season Dick Reynolds 19 R01-18, SF
1961 VFL Season John Coleman 18 R01-18
1962 VFL Season John Coleman 20 R01-18, SF, GF
1963 VFL Season John Coleman 18 R01-18
1964 VFL Season John Coleman 19 R01-18, SF
1965 VFL Season John Coleman 20 R01-10, R12-18, SF, PF, GF
Greg Sewell 1 R11
1966 VFL Season John Coleman 20 R01-18, SF, PF
1967 VFL Season John Coleman 18 R01-18
1968 VFL Season Jack Clarke 23 R01-20, SF, PF, GF
1969 VFL Season Jack Clarke 20 R01-20
1970 VFL Season Jack Clarke 22 R01-22
1971 VFL Season Johnny Birt 22 R01-22
1972 VFL Season Des Tuddenham 23 R01-22, EF
1973 VFL Season Des Tuddenham 23 R01-22, EF
1974 VFL Season Des Tuddenham 22 R01-22
1975 VFL Season Des Tuddenham 22 R01-22
1976 VFL Season Bill Stephen 22 R01-22
1977 VFL Season Bill Stephen 22 R01-22
1978 VFL Season Barry Davis 22 R01-22
1979 VFL Season Barry Davis 23 R01-22, EF
1980 VFL Season Barry Davis 22 R01-22
1981 VFL Season Kevin Sheedy 23 R01-22, EF
1982 VFL Season Kevin Sheedy 23 R01-22, EF
1983 VFL Season Kevin Sheedy 26 R01-22, EF, SF, PF, GF
1984 VFL Season Kevin Sheedy 25 R01-22, SF, PF, GF
1985 VFL Season Kevin Sheedy 24 R01-22, SF, GF
1986 VFL Season Kevin Sheedy 23 R01-22, EF
1987 VFL Season Kevin Sheedy 22 R01-22
1988 VFL Season Kevin Sheedy 22 R01-22
1989 VFL Season Kevin Sheedy 25 R01-22, QF, SF, PF
1990 AFL Season Kevin Sheedy 25 R01-22, SF, PF, GF
1991 AFL Season Kevin Sheedy 23 R02-11, R13-24, EF
1992 AFL Season Kevin Sheedy 22 R01-06, R08-21, R23-24
1993 AFL Season Kevin Sheedy 24 R01-06, R08-21, QF, SF, PF, GF
1994 AFL Season Kevin Sheedy 22 R01-05, R07-20, R22-24
1995 AFL Season Kevin Sheedy 24 R01-22, QF, SF
1996 AFL Season Kevin Sheedy 25 R01-22, QF, SF, PF
1997 AFL Season Kevin Sheedy 22 R01-22
1998 AFL Season Kevin Sheedy 23 R01-22, QF
1999 AFL Season Kevin Sheedy 24 R01-22, QF, PF
2000 AFL Season Kevin Sheedy 25 R01-22, QF, PF, GF
2001 AFL Season Kevin Sheedy 25 R01-22, QF, PF, GF
2002 AFL Season Kevin Sheedy 24 R01-22, EF, SF
2003 AFL Season Kevin Sheedy 24 R01-22, EF, SF
2004 AFL Season Kevin Sheedy 24 R01-22, EF, SF
2005 AFL Season Kevin Sheedy 22 R01-22
2006 AFL Season Kevin Sheedy 21 R01-15, R17-22
Gary O'Donnell 1 R16
2007 AFL Season Kevin Sheedy 22 R01-22
2008 AFL Season Matthew Knights 22 R01-22
2009 AFL Season Matthew Knights 23 R01-22, EF
2010 AFL Season Matthew Knights 22 R01-22
2011 AFL Season James Hird 23 R01-09, R11-23, EF
2012 AFL Season James Hird 22 R01-11, R13-23
2013 AFL Season James Hird 21 R01-12, R14-22
Simon Goodwin 1 R23
2014 AFL Season Mark Thompson 23 R01-09, R11-23, EF
2015 AFL Season James Hird 19 R01-11, R13-20
Matthew Egan 3 R21-23
2016 AFL Season John Worsfold 22 R01-13, R15-23
2017 AFL Season John Worsfold 23 R01-12, R14-23, EF
2018 AFL Season John Worsfold 22 R01-12, R14-23
2019 AFL Season John Worsfold 23 R01-11, R13-23, EF
2020 AFL Season John Worsfold 17 R01-02, R04-18
2021 AFL Season Ben Rutten 23 R01-12, R14-23, EF
2022 AFL Season Ben Rutten 21 R01-03, R05-11, R13-23
Blake Caracella 1 R04
2023 AFL Season Brad Scott 23 R01-13, R15-24
2024 AFL Season Brad Scott 23 R02-14, R16-25