ESSENDON will have a new-look coaching team next year, with two assistant coaches to depart at season's end.

Opposition strategy coach Rob Harding and forwards coach Paul Corrigan, who played 53 games for Geelong, will complete the season before moving on from the Bombers.

AFL.com.au understands Essendon players and staff were informed on Friday morning that both coaches were set to pursue other opportunities.

Rob Harding will depart the club at the end of the season. Picture: essendonfc.com.au



The news comes ahead of Saturday's clash with in-form North Melbourne, as well as the August 1 deadline for clubs to give assistant coaches an indication on their future.

The Bombers' former game performance coach, Mark Neeld, who parted ways with the club in May last year, spoke about Harding on K rock radio last week.

Find Trends on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify

"Just on Rob, I know he's not a household name in the footy world (but) I worked with him for quite a lengthy period of time," Neeld said.

"Whatever the fancy title is at the moment, he's a strategy coach – he looks into the opposition.

"Prior to Essendon, he was at Adelaide when 'Sando' (Brenton Sanderson) was coach over there, and he was at the Cats and also at North Melbourne.

"So he's building a really good reputation on the back of some hard work, but he would be one of the smartest people in the AFL competition."

It is believed rival clubs inquired last year about Harding, who has developed a strong reputation from 12 years at four AFL clubs.

He was an opposition analyst at North Melbourne and Geelong, including being there for the 2011 premiership, before serving as the Crows' opposition strategy coach for five years.

Harding joined the Bombers ahead of the 2017 season.

Corrigan's been at Essendon for seven years, including looking after the forwards for the past two seasons, and enjoyed success before that at local level.