Club Focus Essendon 2025

[Ticky009]

Data from footywire. To check the draft order see the thread here.

Footywire says: "While we make every effort to keep up to date with player contracts, it is likely that our data may at times be out of date, incomplete or inaccurate. If you find any player contracts that need updating, please let us know using our brand new contract submission form."

 

[Yoda_]

Not sure if we are going to carry this over (into 2025) but looks like we are going to make some trades of contracted guys

Obviously theuncontracted guys like Draper, Bryan, Hobbs but perhaps Tsatas, Parish could be had and the unknown on Nik Cox makes for some really interesting list decisions at the end of the year

 

[Yoda_]

Sam Draper (free agent = band 1)

I would entertain a trade for any of the following;

Elijah Tsatas - under contract pick 5 dominating VFL.
Ben Hobbs - out of contract inside midfielder who has been pushed down the pecking order by others.
Dylan Shiel

9

Dylan Shiel

Age

32

Ht

182cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

D/M

Career

Season

Last 5

D

24.6

5star

K

12.3

5star

HB

12.2

5star

M

3.1

3star

T

3.9

5star

MG

410.2

5star

D

23.4

5star

K

13.6

5star

HB

9.8

5star

M

2.2

2star

T

3.4

4star

MG

334.4

5star

D

19.8

5star

K

8.4

4star

HB

11.4

5star

M

2.4

3star

T

2.6

4star

- out of contract so may end up delistee but feel he could offer something to a team competing
Archie Perkins - surprise but former top 10 pick who has AFL traits but hasn't put it together. Still under contract
Darcy Parish

3

Darcy Parish

Age

28

Ht

180cm

Wt

81kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

20.4

5star

K

9.2

4star

HB

11.2

5star

M

3.2

3star

T

3.3

5star

CL

3.2

5star

D

16.6

4star

K

7.4

3star

HB

9.1

5star

M

1.4

2star

T

2.0

3star

CL

3.1

4star

D

22.2

5star

K

7.6

3star

HB

14.6

5star

M

3.2

4star

T

4.4

5star

CL

3.6

5star

- under long contract inside midfiel accumulator. As a list imbalance would like to see this one come to fruition and Darcy go to a team competing.

 

[boncer34]

So much junk on the list

 

[madjoe]

Big off season for the bombers in a weak draft year atm they have picks 5,6 24,28 with maybe Sam Draper going so roughly the pick will be 20ish or 5 big difference. cash in those two 2nd rounders to say the GC, they could have picks 5,6,7,10

No quesiton, they'll make a play at butters and reid like reported but wouldn't be stunned if they also ask about walsh, free hit almost with that many picks and allow them to switch martin durham and co up during a game

 

[Yoda_]

Big off season for the bombers in a weak draft year atm they have picks 5,6 24,28 with maybe Sam Draper going so roughly the pick will be 20ish or 5 big difference. cash in those two 2nd rounders to say the GC, they could have picks 5,6,7,10

No quesiton, they'll make a play at butters and reid like reported but wouldn't be stunned if they also ask about walsh, free hit almost with that many picks and allow them to switch martin durham and co up during a game

I can see us trying to move 3 of potentially 5/6 top 40 picks into the 2026 draft.

Take 2 (1 x first, 1 x second) in 2025, take the two NGA kids later in the national draft

Potentially have 4/5 picks (before trading the unknown guys like Tsatas, Hobbs, Parish possibly) inside the first two rounds in 2026 and an uncontracted Harley Reid to target

 

[Call Me Cake]

Big off season for the bombers in a weak draft year atm they have picks 5,6 24,28 with maybe Sam Draper going so roughly the pick will be 20ish or 5 big difference. cash in those two 2nd rounders to say the GC, they could have picks 5,6,7,10

No quesiton, they'll make a play at butters and reid like reported but wouldn't be stunned if they also ask about walsh, free hit almost with that many picks and allow them to switch martin durham and co up during a game

It's not really a "weak" draft it's just that the difference from the top to later picks is stark whereas last year it was more evenly spread. There's definitely a lot of talent available but if you want it you gotta come in early. 20's will be harder but if we can dig out a couple diamonds from MSD's and SSP's I trust we'll have a good crack in the national draft.

 

[Wild Bill]

It's not really a "weak" draft it's just that the difference from the top to later picks is stark whereas last year it was more evenly spread. There's definitely a lot of talent available but if you want it you gotta come in early. 20's will be harder but if we can dig out a couple diamonds from MSD's and SSP's I trust we'll have a good crack in the national draft.

It’s weak as in half the top ten are academy players that teams down the bottom won’t have access too. A team like the Saints could have pick 5 and taking a player outside of the top 10.

Hopefully when the premier takes their 1st pick into the 30s it forces the AFL to make changes.

 

[jdstorm]

It’s weak as in half the top ten are academy players that teams down the bottom won’t have access too. A team like the Saints could have pick 5 and taking a player outside of the top 10.

Hopefully when the premier takes their 1st pick into the 30s it forces the AFL to make changes.

They should start with getting rid of compo picks. It’s the most BS part of the whole system.

if Carlton continues to be this bad we might have 3 top 10 compo picks between WC, Carlton and Essendon.

 

[Wild Bill]

They should start with getting rid of compo picks. It’s the most BS part of the whole system.

if Carlton continues to be this bad we might have 3 top 10 compo picks between WC, Carlton and Essendon.

So what should happen? Teams down the bottom lose good players that need something in return.

 

[Yoda_]

So what should happen? Teams down the bottom lose good players that need something in return.

Top 4 teams should be unable to lure free agents

 

[Yoda_]

It’s weak as in half the top ten are academy players that teams down the bottom won’t have access too. A team like the Saints could have pick 5 and taking a player outside of the top 10.

Hopefully when the premier takes their 1st pick into the 30s it forces the AFL to make changes.

plenty of hyperbole,

3/10 are academy selections, possibly 4 at this stage.

The draft number still remains as the openly available selection despite ‘pushed back’ from academy / father-sons

St.Kilda will still hold take the 5th openly available player in the draft, even if it is pick 8.

 

[Tasmanian saint]

Sam Draper (free agent = band 1)

I would entertain a trade for any of the following;

Elijah Tsatas - under contract pick 5 dominating VFL.
Ben Hobbs - out of contract inside midfielder who has been pushed down the pecking order by others.
Dylan Shiel - out of contract so may end up delistee but feel he could offer something to a team competing
Archie Perkins - surprise but former top 10 pick who has AFL traits but hasn't put it together. Still under contract
Darcy Parish - under long contract inside midfiel accumulator. As a list imbalance would like to see this one come to fruition and Darcy go to a team competing.

serious question do you really think another club is going to pay Draper band1 level money?

 

[jdstorm]

So what should happen? Teams down the bottom lose good players that need something in return.

Teams will adjust and trade them as pre agents. If you hold until they are free agents then that’s a gamble your taking.

Trading a year early will get you close to fair value and not compromise the draft to the point where multiple clubs are trying to finish low when they know they have a free agent that will get overpaid and bump up their compo pick higher then their actual worth on the open market

 

[Wild Bill]

plenty of hyperbole,

3/10 are academy selections, possibly 4 at this stage.

The draft number still remains as the openly available selection despite ‘pushed back’ from academy / father-sons

St.Kilda will still hold take the 5th openly available player in the draft, even if it is pick 8.

Annable, King, Patterson, Uwland are top 10 in this draft.

Openly available is diluted due to academy. It will take a while to find out if it’s as weak as most are saying.

 

[Yoda_]

serious question do you really think another club is going to pay Draper band1 level money?

yes

 

[Yoda_]

Annable, King, Patterson, Uwland are top 10 in this draft.

Openly available is diluted due to academy. It will take a while to find out if it’s as weak as most are saying.

im not sure you comprehend my point

Essendon will take the 6th openly available

 

[Yoda_]

McGrath has been terribly disappointing after showing so much early on in his career. Not going to say pea-heart but it doesn't look like he cares much when the chips are down.
Jones, Gresham, Laverde, McKay, Guelfi . . . average footballers to say the least.

he has done some sensational lock down roles which you may want ti factoring when trying to rub it in

 

[eth-dog]

McGrath has been terribly disappointing after showing so much early on in his career. Not going to say pea-heart but it doesn't look like he cares much when the chips are down.
Jones, Gresham, Laverde, McKay, Guelfi . . . average footballers to say the least.

Obvious troll is obvious

 

[Yoda_]

For a former no.1 draft selection, he's been a disappointment and you know it.

Turned 27 so perhaps reached his ceiling. Vibes of Dylan Shiel's career.

Simpleton and immature view

If you get an AFL standard draft pick thats a win. Mcgrath as a small defender is elite, would it be nice to have an inside bull? meh, we've got equivalents. If we had that outside runner then maybe but im probably in the minority that is mostly happy with MCGrath's output.

 

[Milanista28]

McGrath is everything our club has been for 2 decades, average.

He's the player you think of when you think about us, inoffensive, sometimes good sometimes bad, rarely amounts to anything other than a mid table finish.

He's beige.

 

[Wild Bill]

Essendon's one true constant has been Merrett.
Never displayed inconsistency throughout his career but the thing is, 14 of the 18 clubs have at least two or three of them and that is Essendon's biggest issue.
In fact, other than Zach, who last made the All Australian team?

Parish 2021.

 

[EBERT THE KING]

The media calling it a gap year for Essendon is nonsense. Its not a gap year at all.

For example, they have uncovered the fact that Hobbs, Perkins, Tsatas and Gresham are all complete potatoes and they can move on from them.

 

[Yoda_]

The media calling it a gap year for Essendon is nonsense. Its not a gap year at all.

For example, they have uncovered the fact that Hobbs, Perkins, Tsatas and Gresham are all complete potatoes and they can move on from them.

wouldn't that be evidence to help the discussion of a gap year?

confirming so many unknowns on players we were not sure about

Tsatas, Parish, Hobbs, Shiel have all not bedded down a spot in or around the midfield. That's a win without expectation for us

 

[EBERT THE KING]

wouldn't that be evidence to help the discussion of a gap year?

confirming so many unknowns on players we were not sure about

Tsatas, Parish, Hobbs, Shiel have all not bedded down a spot in or around the midfield. That's a win without expectation for us

I think we are in agreeance here. What im saying is that they have found out these blokes are a mile off it.

I actually think Essendons rebuild started at the 2024 draft, because the blokes drafted in the 3 drafts prior arent going to make it.