Hawthorn great Luke Hodge believes his former Hawks teammate Jordan Lewis will prove a great appointment for Essendon as they embark on a search for a new coach.
Lewis, 36, has joined the likes of Robert Walls, Josh Mahoney, Simone McKinnis, Andrew Thorburn and Dorothy Hisgrove on a six-person sub-committee that will select the Bombers’ next coach.
Having spent 12 years alongside the former midfielder in brown and gold, Hodge knows Lewis better than most and he expects his football nous to come to the fore in the coaching search.
“I feel he is a great appointment,” Hodge said of Lewis on SEN Whateley.
“I’ve worked with him a lot over the years, he’s a very calculated person, he understands football as good as anyone.
“The rift of a Hawthorn and Essendon rivalry for a few years I think that maybe would’ve softened it a little bit.
“I think it was great that they’ve asked him to go in on there.”
With the Hawks and Bombers considered historical rivals, Hodge said tongue-in-cheek that he hopes Lewis acts as somewhat of a double agent from Hawthorn’s point of view.
“Let’s hope for all Hawthorn supporters, he goes in and picks the wrong person (laughs),” Hodge joked.
The Bombers are set to target a coach with a “long CV” of AFL experience with the likes of Ross Lyon, James Hird, Leon Cameron and Adem Yze linked to the role, among others.