Essendon great Tim Watson said this week that he believed Hird was “100 per cent” keen on coaching at senior level again.

It creates an intriguing dynamic at the Giants as they begin their hunt for a new senior coach,both Hird and McVeigh looming as applicants for the job - although McVeigh said he had not spoken to Hird about his interest in doing so,and did not say whether he himself would throw his CV in the mix when asked.

“I love coaching,and the opportunity that’s been presented to me is amazing,and I’m very fortunate,” McVeigh said.

“My job right now is to stabilise everyone in the football department,and make sure that we’re building in the right direction. Where that leads to,I don’t know,but I love coaching. My sole focus is week-to-week at the moment for me because there’s a lot of things coming at me and I need to make sure I’m making the right decisions for the footy club.

“[Hird has] been away in Europe and it’s been via text - ‘mate,can I help you,what do you need?’ That’s how it’s evolved and I haven’t spoken to him about that at all,and that’s not my job to do that. That’s something he will discuss with his family.”

McVeigh said it was a “no-brainer” to also call up Solomon,a popular assistant coach at the Gold Coast Suns for almost a decade,to beef up the GWS football department.

“The Essendon players of that era are very close,we all talk,” he said.

“It was a simple phone call saying,‘mate,I’d love to get you involved if you would,love your experience’ - I know he’s good with people,I know he has a great footy brain,he’s been in my situation before[as an interim coach],he’s coached for over 10 years,premiership player,200-game player. I love what he brings to a football program.”

Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country.Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter.