ESSENDON'S final contenders for its senior coaching job will each meet with former Australian soccer player and current manager Kevin Muscat in the next steps of the Bombers' process.
Sydney's Mark McVeigh, Fremantle's Jaymie Graham and Adelaide's Murray Davis are understood to be the assistant coaches through to the next round of interviews at Essendon, as well as former Bombers coach James Hird.
Interim coach Dean Solomon is deciding whether he joins in the process or not, with a call likely on coming days.
AFL.com.au can reveal the Bombers have set up their process so that each of the candidates in the next round of interviews will also speak to two experts: Muscat for a view on coaching and leadership styles; and John Wardrop, who was a long-term pro scout at Hawthorn, West Coast and Collingwood, about their game style plans and philosophies.
Each coaching candidate will speak individually with Muscat and also Wardrop, with the pair then to report back to the Bombers' coaching selection committee. The shortlist interviews will occur over the next fortnight, with a view the Bombers will appoint their next coach in August.
Muscat was a club legend of Melbourne Victory in the A-League before taking on the reins as Victory manager for seven years, where he won titles in 2015 and 2018, before managerial stints in Belgium, Japan and China. He is currently the manager at Shanghai Port in the Chinese Super League, where he has won the past two league titles.
The former Socceroo's link to the Bombers is via Anthony Di Pietro, who is Essendon's vice-president after being chairman of Melbourne Victory for 13 years.
Wardrop was at Hawthorn during its golden premiership run as its opposition analyst, having previously worked under Mick Malthouse at the Eagles and Collingwood. He returned to the Eagles in 2015 to work alongside Adam Simpson as the head of game analysis and opposition strategy, playing a key role in West Coast's 2018 flag triumph.
The Bombers were keen for the addition of the subject matter experts to be a part of their process as they get to the pointy end of finding Brad Scott's permanent replacement, with both Muscat and Wardrop independent from the club and non-Essendon people.
The Andrew Welsh-led Bombers committee also wanted to get extra advice in areas where they felt the selection committee needed more support beyond their current experience.