Gerard Whateley is predicting mass change at Essendon following a turbulent and chaotic week at Tullamarine.
Following the club’s 84-point loss against Port Adelaide last Sunday, the Bombers launched a last-minute-ditch bid to lure four-time premiership coach Alastair Clarkson, a move which ultimately failed after he signed a long-term deal with North Melbourne on Friday.
New president David Barham – who only assumed the role earlier this week – moved to apologise to current coach Ben Rutten, after not contacting him about the club’s pursuit of Clarkson.
Whateley said Rutten, who remains contracted for 2023, hasn’t been treated with “any dignity” this week, saying his role as senior coach has been undermined so much that it was hard to see him continuing on in the role.
“It’s impossible (to see Ben Rutten continuing to coach on),” he said on AFL Nation.
“They haven’t treated (Rutten) with any dignity at all. Once you’re undermined to that point, I’m not sure any coach can ever rebound from that.
Barham confirmed on Friday that a board meeting on Sunday will decide whether Rutten will coach in 2023, while the fall out of this week’s events could see several other casualties according to Whateley.
“The CEO’s (Xavier Campbell) masterplan has failed and it was his succession plan (with John Worsfold handing over the reins to Ben Rutten),” Whateley continued.
“He drove it, sold it and has now watched it been dismantled. Whether they still believe in him or not is almost redundant.
“They gave (the CEO) the license for the plan and now the rug has been pulled from under him, it is hard to imagine the football boss (surviving).
“The casualties from this are going to be numerous and I suspect they’re going to be very quick.”
Essendon plays their final game of the season on Saturday night, when they take on Richmond at the MCG.