Multiple outlets report that the campaign to reinstall former Essendon coach James Hird begins with a phone call from former Bombers chairman Paul Little to then-chief David Barham. The call is made in the days after Essendon suffers a 10-goal loss to Adelaide in round two of the previous season, according to the accounts provided by The Age, the Sydney Morning Herald and the Brisbane Times.
All three sources describe the same starting point: Little seeks a meeting with Barham after the defeat and the subsequent discussions develop into what they characterise as a “redemption campaign” connected to Hird’s return. While the articles differ in how much detail they provide beyond the opening sequence, they agree on the key initial action and timing, including that Little initiates contact and that it is directed to Barham in his role at the club at the time.
Together, the reports outline how the effort is framed internally as part of a broader effort to move past past issues, with Hird at the centre of the proposed reinstatement.
