‘A club divided’: Rutten, Brasher and what the future holds for Essendon

This week on the Real Footy podcast, Michael Gleeson, Jake Niall and Caroline Wilson discuss what’s behind the off-field moves at Essendon as president Paul Brasher steps down.

The Bombers are a club divided, at footy level and at board level, and the division has been festering for months. The loss to GWS in round 21 was a lightning rod for a club that was still in dispute over whether its review should be internal or external. And then came the 84-point loss to Port Adelaide.

The future of coach Ben Rutten, whose power base has been eroded, hangs in the balance. Is Alastair Clarkson too far down the road with North Melbourne to be any chance to coach Essendon? Or will the Bombers, whose problems are not financial, be a lure for Clarkson? There had been doubts about Rutten since early this season. Should they have made a call and joined the race for Clarkson’s services much earlier? And how does the future of CEO Xavier Campbell tie into all of this? We also discuss Brasher’s expected replacement as president.

Also in the podcast this week, Carlton fumbled the chance to secure a finals spot against the Demons, but it has set up a blockbuster against great rivals Collingwood next Sunday.

The Blues can deny the Pies a top-four finish if they win; if the Pies win, it’s likely season over for Carlton. In front of an expected massive crowd, this is the most consequential home-and-away game between the two teams in decades. Was the loss against the Swans one the Pies had to have? How big would Jordan De Goey’s absence through injury be? Will it be a wasted season for Carlton if they miss finals?

Also among the huge clashes this round will be Friday night’s game between Melbourne and Brisbane, which will shape the top four and help decide what could be some very big finals in week one. Have the Demons regained their good form, despite the loss to Collingwood two weeks ago? Were the Lions lucky to win against St Kilda? And will their home-ground advantage be enough to help them win in round 23?

Plus, where things stand in Tasmania’s chase for the 19th licence, Max King’s goalkicking and whether the Saints are being too stubborn, the teams that could pose a threat to Geelong in finals and much more.

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