Overview

• Essendon confirmed Sean Murphy’s six-year tenure as head of high performance will end when his contract expires at season’s close
• The club has recorded an AFL-era equalling 13 debutants and currently lists 15 players as unavailable under its worst injury run in recent memory
• General manager Daniel McPherson said revamping the high performance and medical teams is essential to reversing ongoing injury issues and boosting competitiveness
• An internal review into the season’s spate of soft-tissue and long-term injuries is underway to identify systemic failures in conditioning programs
• Sitting 14th with a 6-11 record, Essendon aims to complete the high performance overhaul in the off-season to strengthen its support structures for 2026