I thought everybody wanted to trade him?
That was last week, keep up.
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Jordan Ridley pledges his future to Essendon after pondering trade request to Brisbane
Essendon star Jordan Ridley made the call to stay loyal to the Bombers after toying with a move to Brisbane last year. Now, the defender opens up on that decision, his injury troubles and more.
Jon RalphEXCLUSIVE
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April 14, 2026 - 5:57PM
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Essendonâs star defender Jordan Ridley has pledged to finish his career in red and black as he opened up for the first time about his dalliance with a move to Brisbane last off-season.
Ridley admitted there had been some âgrimâ times amid two and a half seasons of injury chaos as he battled repeated quad tears, hamstring issues and a 2026 pre-season calf concern.
He told Code Sports in an exclusive interview that while he had pondered a move to Brisbane leading into the trade period, his loyalty to the Dons ultimately won the day.
That decision only came after a meeting with new fitness boss Matt Inness, who outlined his program and the success he had helping Jeremy McGovern overcome hamstring concerns.
Ridley finally returned to the senior side in the win over Melbourne after two VFL clashes and looked at home in a team that also had Kyle Langford returning to defence.
Jordan Ridley returned against the Dees on Saturday. Picture: Getty Images
âLast year was probably the hardest of my career when (the hamstring) kept happening and it was the same area, same injury and it was really frustrating. Whatever I did to get back was wrong and we kept changing approaches and I am super grateful to the rehab staff who worked with me to get through the process.
âIt was grim. Certainly grim. I tried not to sit there and feel sorry for myself for too long but I have a great support network around me. My fiance Rachel has been super. Sheâs always there for me. Sheâs not necessarily a footy person but my parents and my sister have been super and itâs given me a new perspective coming back. I was so grateful to be out there, whatever happened, after so much time on the sidelines and it just makes footy fun.â
Ridleyâs Comeback Game
Round 5 of the 2026 AFL season
Jordan
Ridley
Disposals
26
Handballs
9
Kicks
17
Marks
11
Effective Kicks
16
Score Involvements
4
Ridleyâs interest in a move to Brisbane came as Zach Merrett desperately tried to leave for Hawthorn as the Bombers list looked on the point of implosion.
But while Merrett could not get a deal done, Ridley made the decision himself to stick with Essendon.
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âIt was probably up in the air for a little while there,â he said.
âI am a very loyal person so it would have been a very difficult move for me. My best mates are here and our captain (Andrew McGrath) is one of my closest mates in the world. It would have been hard to leave them.
âWhen I saw the direction of the club, especially the moves they were making in the high performance department, it was a no-brainer. I had to give it another shot. And I am really glad I have.
Ridley is thrilled to still be at Essendon. Picture: Getty Images
âInness had a different approach to what we had previously. Rightly or wrongly. I am not a sports scientist but he gave me all the evidence. He showed me some case studies of Jeremy McGovern back in the day who had some hammies and had an All Australian year after Matty got there. We arenât super like-for-like but a key back is a key back.
âWith his presence, heâs so level and calm about the way he does it, because footy can be so high and so low.â
Ridley lauded Brad Scottâs calm nature and determination to keep the plan when it seemed Essendon was about to go off the rails with two diabolical performances to start the season.
âHeâs been super. Itâs really easy to drop the ball a bit and try to change a heap of things when you are under fire. We have really doubled down on the way we want to play and if we get that right, we can execute.
âItâs been on the players to execute the way we want to play, and we havenât quite done that until now. But it certainly felt a lot better out there even though I have only played one game.â
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I thought about leaving, Matty Inness convinced me otherwise by saying he fixed Jeremy McGovern, and I am close with Pidge and the boys so yeah, glad I stayed.
I swear you could basically get some of these articles done in a paragraph and learn just as much.
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Take this with a huge grain of salt, but I heard from someone with Brisbane connections that Draper and Ridley were given medical advice to move up north to Brisbane. Something to do with the warmer climate (Iâm no doctor so donât know if thatâs accurate).
Thatâs why injury prone players like Allan, Daniher, Doedee and Draper have gone there.
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Tweeter and the HouliDooley man
For 1 game in 3 years.
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If we could get a first rounder, i would absolutely trade him
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Now says wants to remain a one club player.
After changes to high performance department.
I have just gotten comfortable with moving him on.
Yâknow⌠I read articles like this and it makes me wonder why the fark it took so farking long to do something about the erroneously named âhigh performance departmentâ?
Just like they took so farking long to do something about our abysmal recruiting department.
And it took so farking long to stop backing the old plodders and play the kids.
Honestly, the first two years (in particular) of the Scott years are going to go down in club history as possibly the greatest waste of time ever. We had the perfect opportunity to clear the slate with no expectations but no⌠it was absolutely wasted while we paddled doing the same old thing.
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Weâll always have the cherished memories of close wins vs West Coast, North Melbourne, and Richmond though.
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Wonder how much that advice costs the lions
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Board is more to blame than George I think. The directive re a more experienced coach etcâŚâŚ..
Whoever was responsible (board/Brilliant Brad/Vozzo/all the above), it was two years absolutely piissed away.
If we spent those years doing what clearly needed doing, Tasmania coming in wouldnât be an issue.
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I can excuse BS the first 6 - 12 months but year 2 was the year we 100% needed to clear the decks.
The Dodoro â â â â fight certainly clouds this period.
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Sorry Ants but that is Feb 24 as in the 24th Feb this year (2026)
I think because of the Draper circumstances last year we could effectively have traded him and #21 for #8, a F1 and a bit more (maybe their FF1?). I think that would have been a worthwhile trade.
Oops!
Might need to play his footy in Bali
daniher lived in byron bay and commuted lol
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