The playing careers of James Hird and Nathan Buckley ran side by side, both starting in the early 1990s, both retiring in 2007, both superstars, a Brownlow Medal apiece, both adored by their respective fans.
During that time there were often debates about who was the better player, with Michael Voss the other champion in that conversation at that time.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Hird’s public campaign contrasts with quiet Buckley
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Fast forward to 2026, and Buckley and Hird are once again being compared, this time as coaches as they both make bids to return to the hot seat.
Of course, Buckley’s return has been well considered and there are no surprises. After guiding Collingwood to a grand final in 2018, then returning to the media, he is now an assistant at Geelong as he prepares to throw his hat in the ring one more time.
Hird, of course, made the bombshell announcement only last week that he too was ready to return.
However, as the Hird “campaign” goes into overdrive, there also many questions about his lack of experience. He last coached in 2015 and his desire to help his beloved club, Essendon, is behind his motivation.
Buckley’s motivation is simply to be the best coach he can be.
Hird, of course, won two premierships during his playing days, Buckley agonisingly missed out as player and coach … silverware drives Buckley.
Now 53, Buckley said on Fox Footy on Monday: “I’m very deliberate in getting back into coaching to prepare myself for a senior coaching opportunity. And as you said, I’ve made no secret of the fact of where or what I’m preparing for or what role I wish to be in. But I don’t have that role. So, I mean, I’ll look at different options.”
Looking at the two greats, veteran journalist Caroline Wilson said the difference was chalk and cheese.
“It’s just such a big comparison, isn’t it?” Wilson said on Channel 7’s The Agenda Setters.
“I mean, there’s someone who’s gone back to another club to learn his craft again. And, you know, Geelong people are loving him. They’re raving about the work he’s doing. They say he hasn’t put a foot wrong. He’s a great yin and yang with Chris Scott.”
Collingwood premiership hero Dale Thomas, who was a temmate of Buckley’s at the start of his career and was also coached by Buckley, said the emotion had to be taken out of it.
“I’m just flummoxed by the whole emotion around the Essendon campaign. Because if you take the emotion out of it, there’s no way that they can sit there and look any (candidate) in the eye and say this is a fair race until they come out (and explained) what is going to be the process,” Thomas said.
“Because right now, if you’re comparing Nathan Buckley to James Hird, and again, take out the emotion of Collingwood v Essendon … there’s no way you can pick James Hird ahead of Nathan Buckley on what we’ve seen from other processes that have (decided) coaches.
“So unless Essendon’s is completely different, and I’m not just saying Nathan Buckley, you can chuck all the other coaches who have just out of the game, Ken Hinkley in there as well, Adam Simpson who has come out and said, ‘no, I won’t be a part of it because of this noise,’ it’s almost as if it’s blown up slightly before it’s even started.”
If this was a political campaign, you could suggest Hird has taken a page out the Donald Trump playbook. His is stirring up the Essendon “base” and the media is going along for the ride.
Essendon great Terry Daniher has welcomed the prospect of Hird returning as coach, but has implored the embattled club to run “the right process” to appoint Brad Scott’s replacement.
Daniher addressed the Bombers’ playing group at Tullamarine on Tuesday as he helped launch the club’s Big Freeze event, ahead of a clash with old rivals Carlton on Sunday night.
The 1984-85 premiership captain urged Essendon to “fight on” through a tough period, after Scott was sacked last week with just one win in his last 24 games at the helm.
Hird wants to return for another stint as coach and looms large over the process, with backing from famous club figures Kevin Sheedy and Michael Long.
But Daniher echoed the thoughts of champion full-forward Matthew Lloyd, who simply wants the best candidate to take over.
“If you’re running the right process, it’s only fair that James should have to go through it too,” Daniher told reporters on Tuesday.
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“If he’s putting his hand up, which he says in the media he wants to coach, well, OK James, you want to coach, just like the others, line up and put your best foot forward.
“I’d love to have him back but I also want it done the right way.”
Essendon, now under interim coach Dean Solomon, sit last on the ladder with a 1-11 record after last week’s loss to West Coast.
Bombers defender Archie Roberts said the players needed “someone we trust and inspires us” as their next coach, and welcomed the prospect of playing under Hird.
“If James gets the opportunity, I’m looking forward to it. I’ve only heard great things about him,” Roberts said.
Addressing the Essendon playing group, Daniher said they could take lessons from his brother Neale’s legacy, after Neale lost his long battle with motor neurone disease last week.
“(You’re) going through a tough period at the moment. There’s no question about it,” Daniher said.
“(You) can’t be much lower … you’ve got to face the facts. You’ve got to face them head on, as Nealo would.
“As he’s shown us, there’s only one way. You’ve got to be resilient enough and take it on, take the challenges on.
“Nealo tried to keep a level playing field from start to whoa (as a player and coach), and I reckon he showed that all the way through.
“(He) never fell down, never dropped his bundle.”
Essendon take on a Carlton side that is also operating with an interim coach in Josh Fraser.
The Blues have won three consecutive games under Fraser since Voss was sacked last month.
– With AAP
