Speculation Elijah Tsatas [OOC 2026]

[Sphynx]

Clubs expected to look at targeting former top-five pick Don this trade period

“I’d expect clubs to take a look at Elijah Tsatas.”

www.sen.com.au

Rival clubs could target Essendon midfielder Elijah Tsatas this off-season, reports AFL Media’s Cal Twomey.

Tsatas, 19, is contracted until the end of the 2026 season but has only played seven games in 2024 with the likes of Zach Merrett, Jye Caldwell

6

Jye Caldwell

Age

23

Ht

183cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.3

3star

K

6.8

3star

HB

6.5

4star

M

3.3

3star

T

3.7

5star

CL

1.8

4star

D

14.3

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

7.3

4star

M

3.3

3star

T

3.3

4star

CL

1.8

4star

D

13.6

4star

K

7.0

3star

HB

6.6

4star

M

3.8

4star

T

3.8

5star

CL

1.6

4star

, Sam Durham, Darcy Parish

3

Darcy Parish

Age

27

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

(once he returns) and even Dylan Shiel

9

Dylan Shiel

Age

31

Ht

182cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

24.6

5star

K

12.3

5star

HB

12.2

5star

M

3.1

3star

T

3.9

5star

CL

4.9

5star

D

23.4

5star

K

13.6

5star

HB

9.8

5star

M

2.2

2star

T

3.4

4star

CL

6.4

5star

D

19.8

5star

K

8.4

4star

HB

11.4

5star

M

2.4

3star

T

2.6

4star

CL

3.8

5star

ahead of him on the midfield pecking order at the moment.




While the former No.5 pick is tied to the Dons for the next two seasons, Twomey expects clubs to consider him an option as an inside midfielder.

He thinks that clubs would be assessing him if they felt he could start in their midfield given he’s currently playing VFL for Essendon. But ultimately, any move would be in the hands of the Dons given his contract status.



“I’d expect clubs to take a look at Elijah Tsatas,” Twomey said on AFL.com.au’s Gettable.

“Would they try to prise him out of the Bombers if he can’t break into their midfield?

“Tsatas is an inside midfielder by trade, he’s a clearance player but he has some senior players ahead of him.

“Clearly he’s a top-five pick from a couple of years ago and is signed for two years beyond (2024).

“Ultimately, it would be up to the Bombers if anything eventuated there.

“But I’d expect he’d be a player that clubs are assessing going, ‘If he can’t get a game in their midfield, can he get a game in ours?’.”

Tsatas had 31 disposals in Essendon’s most recent VFL game against Port Melbourne.

He’s averaging 28.7 touches a game at the state league level in 2024 and 10.1 disposals across seven AFL games this season.

 

[Red Bull]

Nice try Cal.
He can’t kick and he’s all yours

 

[branedotorg]

Dons wont get anything like what they paid and he's contracted.

Unless they have written him off and have list spot stress why would they think about it?

 

[bzparkes]

Since when was he an inside mid?

I could be completely wrong here but I recall him being a wing/HF high possession type who couldn't kick, when in his draft year.

If he's getting those numbers in the VFL as an inside mid then that's great. Way too small to impact in the same position at AFL level but that's something that'll develop as he gets bigger.

 

[weltschmerz]

Getting boot to ball seems like a serious issue for him and it’s a pretty fundamental one.

 

[jumperfan]

Could've had The Pou at their pick

 

[mattwa]

Could've had The Pou at their pick

Prior to the weekend he looked like a bust too

 

[Bianconeri]

What’s his trade value?

 

[Ambrosia]

If we can get a good first for either Parish or Tsatas I'd do it maybe even throw Hobbs in that as well.

 

[Foxman98]

If we can get a good first for either Parish or Tsatas I'd do it maybe even throw Hobbs in that as well.

Be lucky to get a 3rd for any of them

 

[Red Bull]

If we can get a good first for either Parish or Tsatas I'd do it maybe even throw Hobbs in that as well.

Paddy Dow is an example of the value of damaged goods re Tsatas/Hobbs.
Parish is very conditional and clubs don’t usually pay heavily for that …

 

[Ambrosia]

Be lucky to get a 3rd for any of them

Carlton just got a third for Dow

 

[cAsEy_18]

Since when was he an inside mid?

I could be completely wrong here but I recall him being a wing/HF high possession type who couldn't kick, when in his draft year.

If he's getting those numbers in the VFL as an inside mid then that's great. Way too small to impact in the same position at AFL level but that's something that'll develop as he gets bigger.

This part is correct.

Literally a pure inside mid is his only position.

 

[mattwa]

Carlton just got a third for Dow

And Saints probably regret that given he has proven to be a dud

 

[bzparkes]

This part is correct.

Literally a pure inside mid is his only position.

Maybe at AFL level.

I seem to recall him being more outside at juniors, with a shit kick.

Mandela affect I guess.

 

[Foxman98]

Carlton just got a third for Dow

That's the point he was pick 3 sucked and still sucks and was lucky to get a 3rd rounder

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

Would take him provided he changes his name to like Ethan, Eddie or Errol

 

[Ambrosia]

That's the point he was pick 3 sucked and still sucks and was lucky to get a 3rd rounder

You don't think there's a difference between getting traded at the end of your 2nd season vs the end of 6th?

 

[Ambrosia]

Dons wont get anything like what they paid and he's contracted.

Unless they have written him off and have list spot stress why would they think about it?

Move him on while opposition clubs are targeting him. If Tsatas kicking is as terminally bad as it looks like it could be this off season could be the peak of his trade value.

 

[Red Bull]

Move him on while opposition clubs are targeting him. If Tsatas kicking is as terminally bad as it looks like it could be this off season could be the peak of his trade value.

Who’s targeting him?
Could it be old mate Cal trying to drum up some interest in a poor dons investment …

 

[Foxman98]

You don't think there's a difference between getting traded at the end of your 2nd season vs the end of 6th?

If he's getting traded after 2 years there is a reason for it and they know he isn't valuable

 

[Ambrosia]

If he's getting traded after 2 years there is a reason for it and they know he isn't valuable

Yeah or you know clubs are targeting him like it was mentioned in the article..

 

[branedotorg]

Yeah or you know clubs are targeting him like it was mentioned in the article..

any idea which clubs? very paddy dow pick with very paddy dow like issues imo.

will be too good for VFL but unless you can build a team around him to minimise his flaws he has no value.

 

[Red Bull]

any idea which clubs? very paddy dow pick with very paddy dow like issues imo.

will be too good for VFL but unless you can build a team around him to minimise his flaws he has no value.

Adrian might even be keen to arrange a nice discount for old mate SOS …

 

[Ambrosia]

any idea which clubs? very paddy dow pick with very paddy dow like issues imo.

will be too good for VFL but unless you can build a team around him to minimise his flaws he has no value.

Not a clue obviously the Dow comparisons are fairly apt although maybe even more extreme with Tsatas having an excellent ability to find the ball on the inside and out but with even worse disposal than Dow.