Is the former premiership champion the prodigal son who can resurrect the broken club, or a golden child who fell from grace and is destined for another false dawn?

The Bombers champion, who also oversaw the infamous supplements saga, wants to return as senior coach, adding he wants the club to be “the best club in the AFL again”.

Former Hawk Jordan Lewis, who was on the subcommittee to select Brad Scott as Essendon coach in 2022, talked Hird up on Tuesday.

Club great Kevin Sheedy has spoken about a potential James Hird return to Essendon, as the Bombers face calls to clarify whether Hird has all but been assured of the top role.

James Hird’s pitch is tribal. The brilliance of the campaign, intended or not, is that it creates momentum for him, may dissuade other candidates, and is founded in Essendon…

James Hird has been hands-on as coaching director at Port Melbourne in the VFL, but is it enough to ready himself to return as Essendon coach?

Is the former premiership champion the prodigal son who can resurrect the broken club, or a golden child who fell from grace and is destined for another false dawn?

It began with a telephone message from former Bombers chairman Paul Little to David Barham, who held the job then, in the days following Essendon’s 10-goal loss to Adelaide in…