First match under caretaker Solomon
Essendon faces West Coast on Sunday night after parting ways with Brad Scott.
Dean Solomon steps into the caretaker role for Essendon's Sunday night clash against West Coast, following the sacking of Brad Scott. This marks Solomon's second interim stint in the AFL, having previously taken the reins at Gold Coast in 2017 after Rodney Eade was dismissed. He lost all three games in charge that year, beginning with a 58-point defeat to Brisbane.
Since 2017, 14 caretaker coaches have taken over mid-season, with seven winning their first game. Recent examples include:
- Josh Fraser (Carlton, 2026): beat Western Bulldogs by 12 points
- Troy Chaplin (Melbourne, 2025): lost to Western Bulldogs by 6 points
- Jarrad Schofield (West Coast, 2024): lost to Brisbane by 13 points
Essendon's win rate over the past 12 months stands at just 4.17%, underscoring the scale of the challenge facing Solomon in his return to the senior coach's box.