I want to try take as many top 30 picks as possible, 6 would be a good haul.
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Yep. If we can get Butler, Neocleous and the best key defender available, then I’d be very happy.
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Much appreciation! Hope it captures the impact of the new rules and how various trade/FA/compensation scenarios could reshape the draft order.
Also a cheeky look at the who I’d take for us with the picks we could end up with. Really highlights how good this draft is for a rebuilding club. There’s so many positional options, that we are going to be able to get a broad range of players for our future best 23.
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I don’t know a lot about your second pick for us but thats a decent Haul.
Essendon: Harry Van Hattum, Darcy Szerszyn, Marlon Neocleous, Tyson Bradley, Jack Pickett & Blake Justice
And if the Suns get Butler…he can come home in a couple of years time 
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Our focus this year should be reinforcing the spine of the team, similar to the year when we drafted Hurley, Pears, and Hooker. It is crucial that we target key defenders, ruckmen, and tall mobile players. Given that our future midfield core is already well-established with Robey, Sharp, Farrow, Bewick, and Kako.
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Play Gerryen
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This means Kyle Langford gets moved to another locker
or club. Or Maybe Butler just takes 5 off Tsatas
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Not against either scenario
I really hope the club keeps all the round 1&2 picks and uses the chance to address the gaps in the team across the ground.
But saying that, I think a few players could get different roles next year, which would make certain potential selections in the draft make even more sense.
For example, I think Reid could/should get the Ridley intercept defender role. He is a good mark and a great kick, and could be released into this role if we can draft someone like Bradley.
So, I hope the draft goes something like this…
Scenario 1.
Pick 1 - Butler/Tex - no issues with selecting either
Hawks 1st - Gayfer, Pickett, or Slattery - whom ever is most like Jobe Shanahan/Logan Morris
Next group of picks (compo, assistance, 2nd rounder) - Neocleous/Cooke, Patterson/Krasna and Bradley. - If we go Butler with #1, then I would go Krasna as the winger instead of Patterson. If we go Tex, then I would go Patterson.
Ridley pick/Hawks 2nd/ later rounds - match for Justice, BVR, and trade what ever is left into 2027
Scenario 2.
Pick 1 - HVH - can learn the trade starting forward and relieving ruck swapping with 2MP
Hawks 1st - Kodah Edwards if he is there, or take next best small forward available ie Neocleous
Next group of picks - 1 x small forward ie Patterson or Cooke, Bradley, and an outside mid like Krasna.
Then do the same re Justice…
I feel like these scenarios help the list build more than trading up for pick 4 from Port.
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I think we desperately need a key back more than a key forward.
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I think we need almost everything from this draft, but acknowledge that with Bewick in 2027 we may not need a wingman in 2026 draft.
A gun ruck
A leading and contested marking forward
2 x fast, creative, and defensively accountable small forwards
A defensive and contested key back
That is why I think the scenario that sees us draft the following would be a dream
HVH
Edwards
Gayfer
Patterson
Bradley
Cooke
Justice
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Back in late October last year, Twomey spoke on the names in Essendon’s mix during for draft selection. Outside of Sullivan Robey, Dyson Sharp, and Jacob Farrow, the club also rated Aiden Schubert, Josh Lindsay, and Xavier Taylor. Twomey did mention the club would look to address the small forward and intercepting defender depth as well (which was kind of addressed in Hussein El-Achkar and Max Kondogiannis).
An argument can be made for Lindsay and Farrow playing that similar role, but those aside it would be interesting if the club will look to target prospects in a similar mould to Schubert and Taylor.
Schubert - Jack Pickett, Sam Gayfer, could even argue for HVH while he develops forward.
Taylor - For defenders, I see similarities with Snell like Harry Dean from last year and Mitch Harris also similar to Connor O’Sullivan. Can’t really think of someone around his level and with the same traits in this year’s draft crop.
Wouldn’t say that Essendon would use their first pick (keep it to best available) but for the next ones up the board surely.
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I imagine if we traded Merrett we would have picked up this guy and or Josh Lindsay.
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Yeah but we would have missed out on Zach Merrett’s crucial, morale-boosting contributions in season 2026 had we done that.
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And the SWAGGER
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Not really similar, except that they’re all forwards who can take a mark. Schubert is more of that Archer May type down the line or bailout target who will compete hard to win or draw aerial contests. Pickett and Gayfer are more your athletic, mobile undersized tall who do a bit of lead/mark or can take a pack mark if they get a run and jump at it… more akin to Caddy.
Xavier Taylor isn’t all that similar to the others you’ve mentioned here. Perhaps closest to Snell.
Dean, Harris and COS are all legit key position defenders.
Snell will probably be a proper key position defender in time, but at the moment lacks a bit of size to handle a really powerful forward. He’s been at his best this year when he’s freed up a bit to read the play and intercept.
Taylor is more of a third tall who can either lock down on an opponent, or run off and attack, preferably a bit of both. We drafted Kondog as a poor man’s Xavier Taylor.
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Sadly as it is. Merrett has been absolutely critical in our only 2 wins this year. I doubt we win a single game without him. That is not good for development.
You’ve gotta have some senior players around so I fully understand our decision to keep him. It’s worrying that there are little/big rumours the rest of the senior core want out - Ridley, Langford, Redman, Parish, etc. Because then it’s a non negotiable that we have to recruit in some outside experience which is not always easy.
I’d be fine with taking a key back but that would be about it
Blakiston, Hayes, Ridley, Reid, Kondogiannis and McKay all contracted for next year.
Potentially they still have Gerreyn pencilled in as a back too.
I think it’s highly unlikely we can shift any of Ridley/McKay/Blakiston.
Top of the list should be a ruckman, after that fast outside players/ half forwards.
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Was his second fiddle for sure.
Towards the top end I couldn’t really name anyone similar to Taylor. I agree that Snell and Harris are your key backs, but like I said couldn’t think of anyone else. Don’t think Szerszyn is as pacey.
As for Schubert, really just naming the tall forwards in the mix. There has even been some talk of clubs interested in Gayfer as a defender or Ethan Herbert similarly as a defender/forward.