GUY McKenna will join West Coast premiership teammate John Worsfold on Essendon's new-look coaching panel, having been appointed the Bombers' final assistant for 2016.

The former Gold Coast senior coach was axed at the end of the 2014 season and spent this year in a number of media roles, but will return to coaching to work alongside Worsfold in his first season in charge of Essendon.

McKenna has been long linked to the assistant's position to work in tandem with Worsfold, with whom he shared the 1992 and 1994 Eagles premierships.

Essendon said McKenna had been "the standout candidate" in a "thorough" selection process to appoint the line coach.

"We believe Guy's football and coaching philosophy aligns well with the demographic and needs of our playing list," football manager Rob Kerr said.

"We've said from the outset, as a club we want to build towards a period of sustained success and Guy is going to plan an important role in achieving that."

McKenna will start with the Bombers next week, and said he was looking forward to resuming a coaching career that has encompassed three clubs – the Suns, and as an assistant at West Coast and Collingwood.

"When you look at the club’s coaching group, there’s no shortage of experience. To work alongside John is exciting, we achieved success as players, and hopefully we can achieve success as a coaching team," McKenna said.

"When you combine the exciting and talented playing list, with the framework, resources and culture, I'm really excited about what Essendon can achieve in the coming seasons."

Essendon will have a restructured coaching set-up in 2015, with Mark Neeld taking on the role of game performance manager and interim senior coach Matthew Egan being named VFL coach and the head of development.