Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd has declared he would “love” to make a return to clubland in some capacity.
The goalkicking legend has long denied an interest in an official role with an AFL club, insistent that the balance his media commitments and coaching job at Haileybury College give him in life is too good to give up.
Lloyd juggles commitments with Nine, 3AW and AFL.com.au, while also leading a star-studded Haileybury coaching group that includes Scott Pendlebury, Cale Hooker, Aaron Hamill and Nathan Burke.
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He has previously held part-time roles at Essendon but found it too difficult balancing his work as a media pundit with being involved at clubland, and chose to prioritise the former.
Now though, the 48-year-old has for the first time hinted that a change of heart is not without a chance.
Asked by a 3AW caller on Friday if he would entertain pursuing a job with his beloved Bombers, or any other club, Lloyd left the door very much ajar.
“If I wasn’t doing what I was doing, I’d love to get back involved,” he said.
“I would like, at some stage in my lifetime, I’d love to get back into a club. I’m not sure what the role would be.
“I’ve done so much coaching that I’m not sure assistant coaching is what I would like to do, because I’ve done so much of it. Culture, leadership, standards — those types of things within a club.”
Essendon are at the pointy end of a thorough process to appoint their next senior coach after the sacking of Brad Scott in May.
Lloyd’s former Bombers teammates Mark McVeigh and James Hird are among four candidates remaining in the race for the job, with Fremantle assistant Jaymie Graham and Adelaide coaching director Murray Davis also still in the running.
But Lloyd said a return to Essendon, or any other club in the competition, would not be as soon as 2027.
“Not next year, no,” he said.
On Sunday, Lloyd was asked about his response to the caller, clarifying that he would love to a role at the highest level at some point, but not as senior coach.
“What I love about coaching Haileybury is win-loss and obviously the development of people and seeing them get better and trying to help them develop,” Lloyd told Nine.
“A caller did ring and ask if I would go back to Essendon, and at some point in my life I would like to be involved at clubland. Not as a senior coach, some role within a football department.
“Standards have been pretty low (at Essendon). You see what Collingwood has — there’s something within their club that is so special that allows them to keep performing.
“I’d love to be involved with players’ standards, driving culture, sticking to game-plan, supporting the coaches … I’m not sure exactly (what the role would be) I haven’t put any more thought into it.”
