Essendon sacks Brad Scott after one win in a year, opens door to Hird return

In the long and turbulent history of Essendon Football Club, Tuesday brought another reckoning — the dismissal of Brad Scott after a season that yielded just one victory, leaving the Bombers stranded at the foot of the AFL ladder. With 18 months still on his contract, Scott became the second coach this year to be separated from his club, a reminder that in professional sport, patience and performance exist in constant, uneasy negotiation. The club now faces both a $1.3 million financial obligation and the deeper question of identity: who, and what kind of future, do the Bombers truly want?