MATTHEW Knights saved his best until last. Until Wednesday, the ruthless, single-minded Damien Hardwick was slightly in front in what had become a two-horse race for the Essendon coaching position.

Mark Thompson had not responded to a text message the previous week from club chief executive Peter Jackson and Peter Sumich had been the last to depart the official process, although there remains a strong chance he will be offered another senior football role by the Bombers.

So the decision was down to the former Richmond captain and Bendigo Bombers coach or the former Essendon and Port Adelaide premiership player who was now a highly-rated assistant coach. Clearly, Hardwick, who had been the most impressive following two long interviews, would have been the more popular choice with Bomber supporters.

Both presented for three hours of scrutiny from the Essendon board on Wednesday in one of the Crown complex's first-floor garden rooms. Knights went first and proved more positive about the state of the Essendon list.

While previously there had been doubts over the futures of Jobe Watson and David Hille, Knights made it clear both played a part in his long-term thinking. While Hardwick had Essendon roots, Knights had the benefit of inside knowledge, having been promoted this season to the club's development coach as well as VFL mentor.

Hille, Jason Johnson and Damien Peverill, all of whom had played for Bendigo this year, spoke highly of him. To the board and its consultant Stride, he fitted the bill of a youthful communicator, stressing that every player required different treatment and detailed communication.

Hardwick stumbled in a couple of areas, according to those in the room. When questioned regarding the club's indigenous players, he gave the impression he believed all players should be treated the same. Hardwick's tough uncompromising approach had won the Bombers' interest but perhaps hurt him in the end.

Knights responded by saying it was the club and coaches who needed more indigenous education and understanding and not the other way around. He made it clear which six players he felt should be discarded and said he would focus on securing a running tall defender.

Like Hardwick and Sumich, he said Matthew Lloyd was one of, if not the best leading forward in the game, and should be played as such. Knights said a fitter trio of Andrew Lovett, Courtenay Dempsey and Alwyn Davey would provide much-needed midfield pace.

Of course, even the tightest processes become a little loose at times. Throughout the Bombers' search for a replacement for Sheedy, the shadow of Mark Thompson hovered overhead. Essendon chairman Ray Horsburgh assured Frank Costa at yesterday's Essendon Women's Network lunch that the club had never approached Thompson. In fact, it had unofficially, via long-time club director Alex Epis, who had called Thompson.

Last week, chief executive Peter Jackson sent Thompson a text message along with a voice message in a bid to communicate that the club did not want to get in the way of a premiership campaign, but requesting that the Geelong coach's manager contact the club to let it know if Thompson would be available for an interview. Michael Quinlan did not respond to the club, so the option was shelved.

Horsburgh told Costa at the lunch yesterday that the club would be announcing its new coach in a matter of hours. Costa responded: "I know it's not Mark."

In another neat piece of timing, Sheedy, an integral and founding supporter of Essendon's Women's Network, was honoured by the group at the function and spoke for the last time as an Essendon man. Sheedy also had held a farewell barbecue at his Park Orchards home five days ago and shaken Knights' hand and wished him luck.

Amazingly, Essendon has replaced the irreplaceable with another former Richmond captain, albeit one who will prove much tougher to sell. Knights lost the captaincy to Wayne Campbell in 2001 and was forced to retire by his coach Danny Frawley before he was ready. His retirement game proved to be a narrow loss to the Bombers.

Next Tuesday night, the board must explain the decision to its members, including a small group of hostile ones, at its Moonee Valley extraordinary general meeting. It will tell them it wanted a development coach, not a marketing coach. It has shown extraordinary faith in Knights with a three-year contract and is confident it holds the majority of the 6000 proxies over the future of Horsburgh and Jackson.

Former Fremantle coach and Melbourne's new football operations manager, Chris Connolly, commented to Chris Judd one week ago as the pair strode across the MCG that such a scenario would have been given long odds at the start of 2007. Judd was holding talks with the Demons as part of a four-club interview process.

That has been the story of 2007 — one off-field football shock after another. Essendon also has saved its best until last. Imagine the odds that Kevin Sheedy would be sacked and replaced by the club's VFL coach, Knights?