Club Focus Essendon 2024

[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says: "While we make every effort to keep up to date with player contracts, it is likely that our data may at times be out of date, incomplete or inaccurate.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."

 

[dazzledavey36]

Actually think they're on the right track. They can definitely build a strong defense around Ben McKay

32

Ben Mckay

Age

26

Ht

202cm

Wt

104kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

7.5

2star

K

3.7

1star

HB

3.8

3star

M

2.7

3star

T

1.7

4star

MG

77.2

1star

D

7.5

2star

K

4.5

2star

HB

3.0

2star

M

2.5

3star

T

1.5

2star

MG

88.5

2star

D

7.0

2star

K

3.4

2star

HB

3.6

3star

M

2.4

3star

T

2.0

4star

MG

67.8

1star

who was very impressive on Saturday night.

They remind me so much of Melbourne of 2018 where they can win some impressive games and you go, they've arrived! but then drop the ones they are actually suppose to win. That just comes down to maturity and cohesion as a team.

If they can time their run towards September they can certainly surprise teams.

 

[Yoda_]

Nik Cox
Archie Perkins
Zac Reid
Ben Hobbs
Elijah Tsatas

How many stay and how many go? All have big questions marks now.

Why would they be questionable as in there position on the list is questionable? Genuine question because i think youre being inflammatory or just dont understand where our list is at if you genuinely think this

 

[EBERT THE KING]

Why would they be questionable as in there position on the list is questionable? Genuine question because i think youre being inflammatory or just dont understand where our list is at if you genuinely think this

I think there's question marks on their development yeah.

You cant miss on 5 high draft picks, which these guys all are.

There's already questions being asked around Tsatas being traded, and he's the youngest of them all. Perkins was the best of this lot and has gone backwards rapidly. Reid needs a fresh start.

This would be an area of concern for Essendon for sure.

 

[Yoda_]

I think there's question marks on their development yeah.

You cant miss on 5 high draft picks, which these guys all are.

There's already questions being asked around Tsatas being traded, and he's the youngest of them all. Perkins was the best of this lot and has gone backwards rapidly. Reid needs a fresh start.

This would be an area of concern for Essendon for sure.

Why would a second year inside midfielder have questions? Only on BigFooty is there questions..

Perkins is in a bad patch of form, yep. His first half of the year he was close to a 20 & 1 player but tallied off in a long season. Reid is injured but from all reports could be the best of the bunch (of 3 from that draft we picked) so understand why we would keep him and try to get him to come good. It’s not like he is 24 and played 15 games at any level



I would hazard a guess that a recycled player or two in Sam Weidemann and Jake Kelly are in the gun first. A father/son who struggles to stay on the park and now in a new position is in the gun (Tex Wanganeen) and a KPP mid season draft pick who has struggled to stay on the park is also in the gun before any of the guys you mentioned.

Sure, they have limitations and might not make it but the oldest being 3 years into his AFL career and writing him off isnt discussing, it is being inflammatory.


For what its worth, the emergence of both Caldwell and Durham has probably presented Essendon with a huge opportunity to make back some draft collateral we spent on inside midfielders if we had the guts to trade Hobbs, Parish or Shiel but i doubt we do.

 

[Yoda_]

Actually think they're on the right track. They can definitely build a strong defense around Ben McKay who was very impressive on Saturday night.

They remind me so much of Melbourne of 2018 where they can win some impressive games and you go, they've arrived! but then drop the ones they are actually suppose to win. That just comes down to maturity and cohesion as a team.

If they can time their run towards September they can certainly surprise teams.

Does this mean we are preliminary finals bound ?

 

[Red Bull]

Feels like Parish has been trade bait his whole career, at what point are you just stuck with him?

When you gift him 6 more years …

 

[EBERT THE KING]

Why would a second year inside midfielder have questions? Only on BigFooty is there questions..

Perkins is in a bad patch of form, yep. His first half of the year he was close to a 20 & 1 player but tallied off in a long season. Reid is injured but from all reports could be the best of the bunch (of 3 from that draft we picked) so understand why we would keep him and try to get him to come good. It’s not like he is 24 and played 15 games at any level



I would hazard a guess that a recycled player or two in Sam Weidemann and Jake Kelly are in the gun first. A father/son who struggles to stay on the park and now in a new position is in the gun (Tex Wanganeen) and a KPP mid season draft pick who has struggled to stay on the park is also in the gun before any of the guys you mentioned.

Sure, they have limitations and might not make it but the oldest being 3 years into his AFL career and writing him off isnt discussing, it is being inflammatory.


For what its worth, the emergence of both Caldwell and Durham has probably presented Essendon with a huge opportunity to make back some draft collateral we spent on inside midfielders if we had the guts to trade Hobbs, Parish or Shiel but i doubt we do.

Literally Cal Twomey is saying Clubs will ask about Elijah.

He has been wildly underwhleming when players in his draft are already playign regular high level footy. Sheezel and Wardlaw the standouts.

So you finish off by saying you would potentially trade Hobbs, which is my exact point of my initial post.

 

[eth-dog]

Literally Cal Twomey is saying Clubs will ask about Elijah.

He has been wildly underwhleming when players in his draft are already playign regular high level footy. Sheezel and Wardlaw the standouts.

So you finish off by saying you would potentially trade Hobbs, which is my exact point of my initial post.

Well he did have a torn meniscus that took him out until after the bye in year 1 but still managed to play our last 4 games. He also had an interrupted pre-season this year but has managed half a dozen games this year and is still averaging a lazy 30 disposals and 9 clearances a game the last month in the VFL.

He's playing catch up sure, but he's 19 and is playing very well at VFL level. Clubs can ask the question but don't be surprised when we ask for a top 5 pick or multiple firsts.

 

[jdstorm]

Literally Cal Twomey is saying Clubs will ask about Elijah.

He has been wildly underwhleming when players in his draft are already playign regular high level footy. Sheezel and Wardlaw the standouts.

So you finish off by saying you would potentially trade Hobbs, which is my exact point of my initial post.

Clubs would be smart to ask about about any top draft picks who aren’t getting regular afl minutes.

Generally it’s a great way to buy low on someone with a high ceiling.

The person to ask about is probably Lewis Hayes. Given the injuries we have he should be playing.

Hobbs, Tsatas, and Perkins will all work out as good or better AFL players. Tsatas’s lack of game time is about his strength level. He will be getting plenty of minutes next season as he gets stronger.

Reid and Cox are bigger question marks as Reid hasn’t been healthy yet and Cox still doesn’t have a position

Given Reid’s height I’d imagine they persist with him on the list as a developmental Ruck/FF until he’s 25/6 if he gets superseded as a defender/can’t stay healthy.

Cox is trickier to guage. Has had some genuinely great games but also doesn’t seem to have a position (also might be ruck)

Personally i would be shocked if Essendon turned over the end of its list. There aren’t that many spuds anymore. Even Weid and Kelly (who are much Maligned) are good VFL players who could give serviceable afl minutes

I think the biggest off-season goal is more talent rebalancing than anything else. Trading guys with value that don’t fit for guys that do (See Dursma for BZT) as the goal

 

[EBERT THE KING]

Clubs would be smart to ask about about any top draft picks who aren’t getting regular afl minutes.

Generally it’s a great way to buy low on someone with a high ceiling.

The person to ask about is probably Lewis Hayes. Given the injuries we have he should be playing.

Hobbs, Tsatas, and Perkins will all work out as good or better AFL players. Tsatas’s lack of game time is about his strength level. He will be getting plenty of minutes next season as he gets stronger.

Reid and Cox are bigger question marks as Reid hasn’t been healthy yet and Cox still doesn’t have a position

Given Reid’s height I’d imagine they persist with him on the list as a developmental Ruck/FF until he’s 25/6 if he gets superseded as a defender/can’t stay healthy.

Cox is trickier to guage. Has had some genuinely great games but also doesn’t seem to have a position (also might be ruck)

Personally i would be shocked if Essendon turned over the end of its list. There aren’t that many spuds anymore. Even Weid and Kelly (who are much Maligned) are good VFL players who could give serviceable afl minutes

I think the biggest off-season goal is more talent rebalancing than anything else. Trading guys with value that don’t fit for guys that do (See Dursma for BZT) as the goal

Appreciate the insight here.

I certainly wasn't stirring the pot as suggested.

 

[eth-dog]

Why would they be questionable as in there position on the list is questionable? Genuine question because i think youre being inflammatory or just dont understand where our list is at if you genuinely think this

He's a poorly disguised troll

 

[EBERT THE KING]

He's a poorly disguised troll

Beat it mate, its a genuine question when all players mentioned are under performing.

Only one person properly responded, which screams of insecurity.

Not everything is an attack on Essendon. Get over yourselves.

 

[eth-dog]

Beat it mate, its a genuine question when all players mentioned are under performing.

Only one person properly responded, which screams of insecurity.

Not everything is an attack on Essendon. Get over yourselves.

Beat it? Your schtick is obvious and you've used it many times.

As far as being insecure goes, you're whinging about people "not properly responding" to your dumb enquiry.

You're right, not everything is an attack on Essendon. But when you say dumb shit and people call you on it, you immediately cry about Essendon fans being insecure to hide your own.

 

[jdstorm]

Appreciate the insight here.

I certainly wasn't stirring the pot as suggested.

Obviously I have no behind the scenes knowledge and attitude makes a huge impact on this stuff.

But the only players easy to not bring back are Heppell/Goldy should they retire.

Jayden Hunter who’s a mid season draftee who’s had injury issues and probably Nick Bryan. Who’s out of favor and will likely ask out and Dylan Sheil who wanted to leave last offseason.

Most simply that’s 3 draft picks a first, 2nd and 3rd and then using the return from a Bryan trade on another player in a position of need. Or maybe combining Bryan and the 2nd for a late first and taking a rookie selection later.

Beyond that I think any changes would have to be about generating value from a trade either by trading across positions, or perhaps a financially lopsided trade to try and upgrade the overall talent level.

Needs are at HB, Ruck, 1 larger/stronger mid for depth and whatever is needed for a working forward line

 

[madjoe]

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

6 years is one thing but when you have hobbs, shiels, Tsatas missing out on game time it hurts with what they spent on them draft wise.

said it a bit but Perkins, cox are just not much chop which was terrible luck due to covid,
wright has looked back to his GC form too, which means they struggleing for a big tall

 

[Yoda_]

If we do gain access to Kako, that could mean two top 25ish selections and surely curtains for at least Menzies if not Tex as well.

Bring in a developing key forward and a runner / ball carrier and the list could look vastly different,

I would love to do whatever to get Sam Lalor. Big aggressive powerful mid with fwd craft


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[eth-dog]

If we do gain access to Kako, that could mean two top 25ish selections and surely curtains for at least Menzies if not Tex as well.

Bring in a developing key forward and a runner / ball carrier and the list could look vastly different,

I would love to do whatever to get Sam Lalor. Big aggressive powerful mid with fwd craft


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

I mean. Menzie is possibly cut but I doubt Kako is part of it. And Tex is kinda irrelevant due to playing half back, and will probably cut anyway regardless

 

[Wild Bill]

If we do gain access to Kako, that could mean two top 25ish selections and surely curtains for at least Menzies if not Tex as well.

Bring in a developing key forward and a runner / ball carrier and the list could look vastly different,

I would love to do whatever to get Sam Lalor. Big aggressive powerful mid with fwd craft


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

Is Kako a huge need? I thought the Davey twins were being developed to be your small forwards? Or do you see Kako as a decent upgrade on both of them?

 

[Yoda_]

Is Kako a huge need? I thought the Davey twins were being developed to be your small forwards? Or do you see Kako as a decent upgrade on both of them?

Alwyn looks to be better up the ground. Jayden was the more natural small fwd of the two but coming from ALONG way back

Kako would go close to our best pressure small forward such is our crap depth in this position

 

[Wild Bill]

Alwyn looks to be better up the ground. Jayden was the more natural small fwd of the two but coming from ALONG way back

Kako would go close to our best pressure small forward such is our crap depth in this position

Well that makes things interesting - if they don’t change the rules and you have pick around 14 then that could be about correct weight to take him.

 

[Yoda_]

Well that makes things interesting - if they don’t change the rules and you have pick around 14 then that could be about correct weight to take him.

I wonder if we move out of the top end of this draft completely and get into the early parts of next year. We haven’t one this before but the way the club is tracking, a 2024 first (realistically 8 - 12) for a later pick (13 - 16) in the 2025 draft with something coming back possibly

 

[Vindicater]

Reckon we will see.

Heppell/Goldstein retire
Shiel traded
Kelly, Weideman, Wanganeen and Baldwin delisted.

Potential for Stringer to be traded.
Menzies will move to the main list.
J Davey will move to the rookie list.

 

[eDPS]

Reckon we will see.

Heppell/Goldstein retire
Shiel traded
Kelly, Weideman, Wanganeen and Baldwin delisted.

Potential for Stringer to be traded.
Menzies will move to the main list.
J Davey will move to the rookie list.

Kelly is no chance to be delisted

 

[Vindicater]

Kelly is no chance to be delisted

Call it retire then

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Reckon we will see.

Heppell/Goldstein retire
Shiel traded
Kelly, Weideman, Wanganeen and Baldwin delisted.

Potential for Stringer to be traded.
Menzies will move to the main list.
J Davey will move to the rookie list.

Why on earth would you entertain Stinger being traded? I know he has his faults but he'd have been in AA contention a few weeks back. Probably the no1 thing for Essendon is working out the mix in the midfield long term. How many of the Parish, Hobbs, Caldwell types do you want, and who else is in there? Could you get a good selection for Parish? That would be a question surely worth asking, Hobbs is a little more questionable you'd get the return but I'm a big believer you don't lose talent. Shiel should be traded to somewhere he wouldn't be the worst for a developing side and you could upgrade somewhere whether it be in your second or third rounds whatever. Rest are surely obvious, though isn't Kelly okay? He's been fine when I've watched him