Essendon VFL captain Dan Coghlan likely to move on after four years in red and black
ESSENDON appears set to have a new VFL captain next season with midfielder Dan Coghlan “unlikely” to extend his four-year stay at the club.
The 25-year-old led the Bombers throughout 2016, replacing Marcus Marigliani after he switched to the Northern Football League.
Essendon VFL operations manager Ash Brown said Coghlan was likely to leave Melbourne.
“It’s looking unlikely at this stage Cogs will be with us for next year,” Brown said.
“That’s for a variety of reasons, if he still wants to play VFL.
“Personal and life circumstances are probably going to take him away from Melbourne. He will be a big loss to our club and our program but we wish him all the best.
“If there is a change in those circumstances we will be certainly doing everything we can to have Cogs playing with us next year.”
However, Essendon has confirmed the return of former senior-listed midfielder Nick O’Brien, who spent 2016 with SANFL side Woodville-West Torrens.
O’Brien finished second in the competition’s Magarey Medal count, five votes behind Sturt’s Zane Kirkwood.
“Nick is a proven state-league player,” Brown said.
“He is going to be a massive addition to our playing group.
“He obviously spent four years on Essendon’s AFL list and knows the club really well. He’s going to be a great asset in also bringing that AFL group and VFL group closer together.
“He will be a real leader and driver of our VFL program, but also our VFL midfield.”
The 23-year-old featured in 14 AFL games before being delisted at the end of 2015.
Best-and-fairest winner Aaron Heppell, midfielder Nash Holmes and defender James Ferry are the club’s top prospects for the AFL national and rookie drafts, which are on November 25 and 28.
Brown said the club hoped to unveil more VFL recruits for 2017 over the next week.