HUGE RESET AT BOMBERS
Essendon believes it could be about to debut an astonishing 10 players across the 2025 season for the first time in 51 years.
The Dons have already handed seven players their first games this year and with backup ruckman Vigo Visentini and its new haul of four mid-season selections has more debuts in store.
Those 2025 debutantes are Zak Johnson, Isaac Kako, Tom Edwards, Lewis Hayes, Archer Day-Wicks, Angus Clarke and Saad El-Hawli.
Visentini has put together a huge six-week block as a ruckman and with 37-year-old Todd Goldstein due for a rest in coming weeks he will likely debut.
Visentini was told by the club when they brought in WAFL ruckman Lachlan Blakiston he was still in the picture and backed it up with 20 possessions and 58 hitouts on Friday in the VFL against Brisbane.
The club’s new 198cm forward Archer May, Blakiston and Liam McMahon are also contenders given the club’s injury crisis means none of their key position talls are due back any time soon.
McMahon made his Essendon VFL debut last week and while he kicked goals playing forward he also was trialled down back late.
This Sunday’s opponent Carlton has a trio of key forwards but McMahon is far from a certainty to come into a backline that has only undersized Jaxon Prior and Jayden Laverde.
Laverde was excellent in the fighting loss to Brisbane and is out of contract, so has timed his return to footy after injuries well as he seeks to play on at the Dons or elsewhere.
The Bombers haven’t had 10-plus debutantes in a season since 1974, when Des Tuddenham was coach.