John Longmire has joined Essendon as head of performance, a move described by AFL commentators as arguably the most important appointment the club has made in decades. Longmire brings unimpeachable football credentials as both a player and a coach, and his arrival gives immediate authority to Essendon's football department.
According to reporting in the Brisbane Times and Sydney Morning Herald, Longmire is exactly the sort of football figure Essendon has needed but could not attract for years. His hiring changes the image of an organisation that has faced sustained criticism over its operations and culture.
While the appointment is not expected to single-handedly transform results on the field, it enhances the club's ability to bring in football people of gravitas. Longmire's tenure at Sydney, alongside predecessor Paul Roos, established a football program and playing culture that was the envy of other clubs, though the Swans' reputation has more recently been damaged by the Pullman sexual assault investigation.