Two weeks of AFL coaches getting the chop

Brenton Sanderson and Guy McKenna have been sacked, while Essendon's plans for 2015 remain unclear in the annual AFL coaching circus.

Pundits usually refer to the AFL coaching merry-go-round.

At the moment it feels more like a vomitron.

Ever since Brenton Sanderson was sacked by Adelaide a fortnight ago, the coaching circus has been nothing short of frantic.

When Sanderson was fired, Crows powerbroker Mark Ricciuto called good friend Simon Goodwin to assess his interest.

A day later, Goodwin was signed up to be Paul Roos' protege and successor at Melbourne.

Mark Thompson was on the market, but he was filthy at the way Adelaide axed former colleague Sanderson and was never going to entertain their advances.

Brendon Bolton and Stuart Dew had a grand final to concentrate on, so the Crows waited.

As they did, Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna was put through the wringer.

A review was reviewed and McKenna's cards were marked.

But the Suns didn't want to act before the grand final, so McKenna was in limbo until the axe fell on Wednesday.

The industry is notoriously cut-throat, but this was more blood-thirsty than usual.

In the background, Essendon pondered the future and whether to appeal Justice John Middleton's emphatic ruling.

Thompson was hunted by the Suns.

Thompson was set to sign with the Suns.

Essendon had to act, but they were stuck in a muddle.

James Hird was at loggerheads with Essendon officials; he did not attend the club's best-and-fairest awards night.

Thompson was there and he spoke of his love for the Bombers.

Thompson flew out to the United States the next day, with a lot to think about and seemingly no clear idea of what he'd be doing in 2015.

Even by the supplements-saga standards of the past two years, Essendon were a schmozzle.

Senior assistant coach Goodwin is gone, Thompson may still be going and Hird is holding on for dear life.

What happens next is anyone's guess.

Former West Coach premiership coach John Worsfold insists he is not on the market.

Former Brisbane coach Michael Voss has said likewise in recent weeks.

Bolton and Dew appear leading candidates, both having premiership experience as right-hand men at Hawthorn and Sydney respectively.

Essendon assistant Nathan Bassett could attract interest.

Should Bassett leave the Bombers, the AFL club may well have to come up with a new coaching panel.

The sensational sacking of Scott Watters set the bar high in 2013, but this year's bloodletting has been even more chaotic.


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