Mark McVeigh Biography

Senior GWS assistant Mark McVeigh resigns after a nine-year stint at the Giants that included taking over the reins from Leon Cameron as caretaker coach in the second half of 2022.

"He's a person of great honesty and integrity, and while we would have loved him to stay, the time is right for him to move on," Giants footy boss Jason McCartney said of McVeigh.

"We congratulate him on everything he has achieved so far in his coaching career and wish Mark and his family all the best for the future. He’ll always be part of building the Giants."

Greater Western Sydney expects Mark McVeigh to remain at the club despite the caretaker coach missing out on the senior role to Adam Kingsley.

"We couldn't be more grateful for the role he played this year as a caretaker. He entered the process and he's naturally disappointed but I think also pleased with the eventual outcome," Giants CEO David Matthews said.

"He spent some time with Adam this morning and our expectation is that there is a long-term future here for Mark McVeigh. He's got great values and the players love him, and I could really see him and Adam working really well together."

Mark McVeigh accepts his chances of landing the Greater Western Sydney coaching job will depend largely on how badly Alastair Clarkson wants the role.

"I'll try and win the games we need to win between now and the end of the year but ultimately, I know if Alastair Clarkson says he wants to come to the Giants, I know I'm up against it and that's the way it should be. He's been an incredible coach for a long period of time," McVeigh said.

Mark McVeigh will present to the board in the next month as he seeks the Giants' coaching job on a full-time basis.

"They've been very open with me and terrific. There are other coaches that they'll be talking to and that's absolutely right. I'm just another one of those that's trying to win the role," McVeigh said.

"I certainly know where it sits and I'm very clear on the approach going forward."

A month into his first foray into senior coaching, Mark McVeigh says he’s ready for a senior gig but is fully supportive of GWS casting its net wide in search of the club's next permanent leader.

"I definitely feel ready. It's only been a four-week snippet, but I felt like I'd done a lot of work to get here, whether you're good enough, well we'll wait and see but I certainly feel like I'm ready,” McVeigh said.

"Whatever happens with the coach next year I fully support the club. They’re going to make sure they interview the right people, which is absolutely right, and they’ll come out with the right person."

Mark McVeigh will serve as head coach of the Giants on an interim basis following the departure of Leon Cameron.

James Hird and Dean Solomon will also be joining the club in assistant coaching roles to help their former Bombers teammate Mark McVeigh.

Mark McVeigh says his season-long doping suspension has set back his coaching ambitions significantly.

"It is (going to negatively affect my coaching career). It's put me back a fair way," McVeigh told Fox Sports.

"I've wanted to pursue a coaching career, whether that's a senior assistant or assistant coach, who knows where that leads. But (the suspension has) put enormous pressure on my ability to develop as a person and as a coach, and it's put me back a number of years.

"That's been hard to swallow, and you deal with that every day.

"But in saying that, I've been very well supported by the GWS Giants. I'm actually very, very lucky that I have (that) group of people around me at that footy club."

Essendon's worst fears have been realised with the Court of Arbitration for Sport finding 34 past and present players guilty of taking banned substance Thymosin Beta-4 and suspending them for the entire 2016 season.

Twelve players still on the Bombers' list and five now at other AFL clubs who took part in Essendon's 2012 supplements program have been hit with two-year bans beginning on March 31 last year.

However, most of the suspensions will come to an end on November 13 this year, taking into account provisional suspensions already served.

Bombers skipper Jobe Watson, vice-captain Dyson Heppell, reigning club champion Cale Hooker, Michael Hurley, Tom Bellchambers, Heath Hocking, Travis Colyer, Michael Hibberd, Ben Howlett, David Myers, Brent Stanton and Tayte Pears will all miss the Bombers' 2016 campaign.

The guilty decision impacts four other AFL clubs with former Essendon players on their lists, with Jake Carlisle (St Kilda), Stewart Crameri (Western Bulldogs), Jake Melksham (Melbourne), Angus Monfries and Patrick Ryder (Port Adelaide) to be sidelined for the season.

Former Essendon players Mark McVeigh and Brent Prismall are set to be suspended from their respective roles at Greater Western Sydney and the Western Bulldogs until November 13 as support staff are banned from any WADA-complaint sports under the sanctions.

McVeigh is an assistant coach at the Giants, while Prismall is a player wellbeing and welfare manager with the Bulldogs.

Essendon champion and former club coach James Hird slammed the guilty verdict and suspensions.

"I am shocked by this decision," Hird said in a statement.

"I firmly believe the players do not deserve this finding.

"They do not deserve to face a twelve-month suspension from the sport. This is a miscarriage of justice for 34 young men."

Mark McVeigh joins Greater Western Sydney as a defensive coach.

"With six wins in 2014, the club has a very exciting future," McVeigh said.

"And I'm looking forward to working with Leon and the rest of the coaches to help take this very talented playing list to the next level.

"As somebody who grew up in NSW, it's a great opportunity to help develop the game up here."

Mark McVeigh is interviewed by Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority investigators.

"It was a long meeting and a lot of questions, and a lot of questions I couldn't answer because I simply didn't know," McVeigh told Channel Seven's AFL Gameday.

"All you could do was tell the truth, and I felt comfortable in that.

"It got quite serious at times, but that's what I expected. I certainly got my point of view across and reflected my thoughts and my memory of what I think happened, and I came out of it with probably a few more questions, no doubt. But I never once got told that I received anything illegal."

As Essendon becomes embroiled in a doping scandal, former player Mark McVeigh hits back at former teammate Kyle Reimers who earlier claimed that Bombers players were "right on the edge" when it came to taking performance-enhancing supplements.

"He's a disgruntled player who was delisted from the football club, who very rarely turned up to pre-season training in any sort of form that resembled a professional footballer," McVeigh said.

"Every player knew what we were taking ... if you didn't know, you must have been asleep in the meeting, which Kyle probably was.

"Everything that I took, and I can only speak on my behalf obviously, I knew 100 per cent that it was within the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) and AFL doping regulations.''

Essendon utility Mark McVeigh has retired at 31 after 232 games, marking his departure with a typically selfless act in deciding to forego a farewell game so that a rookie-listed player can take his place in the Bombers' last game for the year.

"It's a decision that I've been to-ing and fro-ing with for about eight weeks. But I've been very fortunate to part ways with the club on really good terms," McVeigh said.

"I've had a great time. I've had an unbelievable time on the field and off the field and I've made a lot of lifelong friends."

Essendon veteran Mark McVeigh has been placed on the long-term injury list, with his AFL future uncertain.

Essendon midfielder Mark McVeigh spends a fifth night in hospital as he continues his recovery from an infection caused by a cut in his arm.

"Mark is feeling much better which is great and he has had plenty of visitors from the club which has kept his spirits up," general manager of football operations Paul Hamilton said.

Another night in hospital due to an infected arm is likely to see Essendon's Mark McVeigh miss the clash with Carlton.

"It's probably tough to say at the moment," Essendon coach Matthew Knights said.

"If he stays in hospital for another day or two he'd probably be unlikely, but if he gets out this afternoon, we'll have a look at it."

Midfielder Mark McVeigh will spend a second night in hospital after a small cut in his arm became infected.

McVeigh said he experienced soreness in his arm during Essendon's clash with Fremantle. He will be put on a drip and monitored during his stay in hospital.

Bomber Mark McVeigh says he is still disappointed with former teammate Adam McPhee choosing to leave the club for Fremantle.

"I wanted him to be honest with us why he was leaving and he had his reasons," McVeigh said on The Footy Show.

"He's a very big family man and he wanted to look after his family and of course he wanted a three-year deal and he moved on. I was disappointed and so were the players because he was an integral part of our group for a long time."

Mark McVeigh questions the reasons behind Adam McPhee's exit from Windy Hill.

"It was disappointing. It was a real surprise," he said.

"We would have liked to have known earlier, and maybe we could have got something for him.

"But that's his decision - I know I've read in the papers that he's great mates with (Fremantle coach and former Essendon player) Mark Harvey, and I find that a bit hard to believe."

Essendon offers Matthew Lloyd a one-year deal with teammate Mark McVeigh believing his captain should accept the deal.

"At the moment Lloydy's feeling great, apart from his injury, body-wise and mentally," McVeigh said.

"He just wants to be assured that he's required and he wants to fulfil the goals that he's going to set."

"I'm sure Lloydy will play on next year and we're all hoping that he does."

Essendon captain Matthew Lloyd remains hell-bent on demanding extreme professionalism at Windy Hill.

Lloyd led the charge late last month in suspending Mark McVeigh, a member of his bridal party, and has warned the entire list that every sacrifice possible must be made in the run to the finals.

"We've got an in-house pact we've made with each other that we've all agreed upon," Lloyd said.

"I wouldn't like to go into it outside the playing group, but it's happened in the last week or two. You look at St Kilda and they are on an absolute mission at the moment.

"To compete with these sides, we've got to be doing everything possible."

Mark McVeigh will return from his club-imposed suspension for the Bombers' clash with Sydney.

"He was a little bit sore late last week, he obviously trained pretty hard and wanted to get going again and he pushes himself pretty hard on the track, so he got a little bit sore and he didn't play in the VFL," Essendon coach Matthew Knights said.

"We just felt if we put him out there under soreness we might run the risk of him doing something so he will definitely come back into the senior line-up and is keen to do well."

Matthew Knights says Mark McVeigh should forget about the captaincy and worry about playing good football.

"We've never come out and publicly said that we're looking to change the captaincy in the near future," Knights said.

"Mark just needs to worry about getting back and playing good football in 2009.

"That's Mark's major focus ... the captaincy's a little bit irrelevant at this point in time, because we've got a wonderful captain."

Fremantle have suspended Dean Solomon for one game for taking part in a late-night drinking session with Essendon's Mark McVeigh.

"In this instance, Dean hasn't demonstrated the level of professionalism that we expect and require of a senior member of our playing group," Fremantle coach Mark Harvey said.

"Dean accepts that his actions detracted from his preparation for this weekend's game."

Mark McVeigh has been suspended by Essendon from Friday night's clash with Collingwood for missing a training session.

"Mark was unfortunately out socialising on Sunday and missed the training session on Monday," Essendon coach Matthew Knights said.

"That being the case, his preparation has been hindered for Friday night's game.

"He'll be playing the VFL and can regain some form and fitness there.

Mark McVeigh's one-week suspension came after a night out with former Essendon teammate Dean Solomon.

"He made a choice, he chose a path and he missed a training session which is important to Friday night's build-up. It is just for one match, but it's vital we do this," Essendon coach Matthew Knights said.

"It doesn't matter if you are a first or second-year player or a champion of the club, if you're not going to get the club trademark right - that professionalism right, to prepare yourself to play - then we are not going to pull any punches.

"I always tell all my players we've got 46 on the list and they can all play, and I'm not fussed who I put out there because I know they'll do the club proud."

Essendon has confirmed Henry Slattery is in the box seat to replace Mark McVeigh in the side to face Carlton at the MCG tomorrow night.

McVeigh was suspended for one-match for striking Melbourne's Jared Rivers.

Remorseful Essendon midfielder Mark McVeigh is resigned to missing Friday night's showcase clash against Carlton at the MCG after accepting a one-game suspension for striking.

"Mark understands he made a mistake and feels that he has let himself and his teammates down," Essendon's football operations manager Paul Hamilton said.

Midfielder Mark McVeigh is 'hugely disappointed' to miss the Carlton blockbuster after being suspended for striking Melbourne's Jared Rivers, says Essendon coach Matthew Knights.

"Mark is a very passionate young man; he's very tribal, and I know he loves big clashes against Collingwood and Carlton and teams like that," Knights said.

"He's a hugely disappointed young man at the moment and particularly because he hasn't played a lot this season with injury.

"He's missed a lot of football and he feels pretty low at the moment."

Geelong's Cameron Ling can escape with a reprimand for striking Fremantle's Nick Suban, while Bomber Mark McVeigh is facing a week on the sidelines with a level three striking offence.

Essendon coach Matthew Knights will be sweating on the match review panel's verdict after Mark McVeigh was reported for striking Melbourne's Jared Rivers.

"I must admit I'd just come down from the box just before the break and I saw the scuffle break out," Knights said after the game.

"I was just preferring that our boys kept themselves out of trouble. That wasn't the case.

"I haven't seen the incident live yet, so I'll have a look at that when I go home tonight. I've just got to see how it looks."

Returning Essendon star Mark McVeigh says he has felt hard pressure for the first time in his career to earn his spot in the Bombers' line-up.

"I think from a personal point of view it's the first time you really feel pressure to earn your spot, which is a great thing to build at your footy club,'' he said.

"I think Matthew Knights shiowed a biot of faith in me, he sat down and asked me what I would like to do and I felt like I needed to earn my spot.''

Mark McVeigh will play his first game of the year against North Melbourne this weekend after rolling his ankle in the NAB Cup.

A Bomber side labelled paper-thin days ago now has a raft of selection issues and Mark McVeigh heads the list of four potential inclusions.

Matthew Knights won't rush Mark McVeigh back into the Essendon team to face Carlton on Saturday night.

Mark McVeigh has been ruled out of action until at least Round 3 with an ankle injury.

Scans have revealed that an ankle injury to Essendon midfielder Mark McVeigh is not as serious as first thought.

Essendon midfielder Mark McVeigh has escaped serious damage to the left ankle from Friday night's match against the Lions.

Mark McVeigh's injury woes continued as Essendon scored an unconvincing two-point win over Brisbane in the NAB quarter final.

Western Bulldog Brad Johnson and Essendon's Mark McVeigh have made an emotional plea to footy fans to dig deep for bushfire victims.

Essendon welcomes back important trio Mark McVeigh, Scott Lucas and Jason Winderlich to full training after injury.