Coaching great John Longmire has given Mark McVeigh his endorsement to become a senior coach, saying the Essendon candidate is as ready as he will ever be.

McVeigh is considered the favourite to beat Bombers great James Hird for the top job at The Hangar, but as a Swans assistant is in the unusual position this Sunday of coaching against his potential new employer.

A 232-game player for the Bombers, McVeigh spent seven years coaching at Greater Western Sydney, including a 13-game stint as caretaker in 2022 after Leon Cameron’s departure. He joined the Swans as their academy coach in 2023 and was Longmire’s backline coach in 2024.

Longmire says this wide range of experience has McVeigh well-placed to become a senior coach, though he warned untried coaches never know what the job is like until they are in the hot seat.

“He’s been involved at the coalface of the AFL industry for a long time, so he’s very experienced,” Longmire said at the launch of his autobiography Pain, Perspective & Premierships at the Swans’ Victorian base in South Melbourne on Friday.