Essendon
Coach – Brad Scott
2023 –
Points For – 14th
Points Against – 15th
Top 5 Best and Fairest
1 – Zach Merrett
2 – Kyle Langford
3 – Mason Redman
4 – Andrew McGrath
5 – Jordan Ridley
2023 Rising Star Noms
Nil
Ins – Nate Caddy, Xavier Duursma, Todd Goldstein, Jade Gresham, Luamon Luai, Ben McKay, Archie Roberts, Vigo Visenti
Outs – Massimo, D’Ambrosio, Alastair Lord, Cian McBride, Walla, Rhett Montgomerie, Anothony Munkara, Andrew Phillips, Will Snelling, James Stewart, Patrick Voss, BZT
My Prediction
Last season for two thirds of it felt like we were finally turning around this giant crap stained bus. We were competitive, we beat good teams or took them to the wire, I started to trust them again before the wheels fell off. It then becomes a question of which Essendon is the real one. We watch other teams turn themselves around with little more than a sneeze and a change of coach. Last season we truly started to see just how broken we were. This season, more talk about how we are changing the culture and demanding more of each other. I don’t believe them, not yet.
The backline should be good this year. McKay and Reid as the twin towers, releasing Ridley to play the role he was born for by floating around intercepting the ball and not being accountable for anyone. McGrath chipping the ball sideway 14.5 metres but this time to Redman and Martin who will give us all of the drive. Laverde stopping medium sized forwards in the VFL all day. They have the shape of a quality backline.
The midfield has depth and quality this season, I feel they may even have size. It is worrying how important Setterfield is to our structure but whispers that Durham and Perkins might be in there relieve some pressure and Hobbs with his ample shoulders and quads could also get involved. Tsatas is both the hope and the worry. If the kid learns to kick, we are on to something good but that is a big if. Parish and Merrett are a very very good one two punch running out of the centre and I trust both of their disposals. You then look at Sheil, Caldwell, Durrsma and Heppell/Kelly. It is as good a midfield group as we have had in twenty years (which isn’t saying a huge amount).
The forward line is worrying but there are signs of life. Wright spent most of last season injured or recovering before reinjuring himself again. A fit a firing Wright would make a huge difference. Alternatively a lot of the problem up forward last year was Weideman and his capacity to keep playing week after week. Caddy is a first year marking forward who looks to have something special about him. Langford was stunning last year in a crap season and they look to have improved the forward line with addition of Gresham which will add someone alongside Langford who actually understands the game and how it works. If Menzie or one of the Daveys can give them crumbing support then there is hope.
The rucks are fun, Draper is the best player in the competition to watch and Goldstein is one of the best tap rucks of the modern era. Both can impact a game up forward. I like the coach, I know he has faults and he likes to back in his experienced players. That being said, he didn’t have a wealth of talent waiting in the wings. I still expect him to err on the side of picking the most professional players for the best 23. I like that.
All in all, this is the best the Essendon list has looked for a while. It bats deeper and they have recruited quality players. They need to make finals and preferably win one, just to shut the world up and to remove that very large chip from our collective shoulders. I don’t know about the second part but I believe the Essendon we saw before the collapse at the end of last season is closer to the real team and I think they will play finals this year. I predict 6-8.
