After bringing in a quartet of names to the club this off-season alone and an additional five young draft stars from their last three hauls, Essendon's list is building toward a September return for 2024.
The Bombers showed more than enough under new coach Brad Scott this year to show that finals, and a long-awaited post-season win, are in reaching distance next year after an impressive 2023 campaign that was followed by a successful trade and free agency period.
Essendon acquired free agency trio Ben McKay, Jade Gresham and Todd Goldstein to aid instant list needs, while Port Adelaide wingman Xavier Duursma has also linked up with the Dons to offer some outside run and attacking flair.
The Bombers have recruited five top 13 draft selections since the 2020 National Draft, with last year's Pick 5 selection of Elijah Tsatas a promising one given what the teenager displayed across his quartet of senior appearances and his run at the VFL level prior to his AFL debut.
Essendon will return to the draft this year with another selection in the opening half of the first round - currently valued at Pick 9 - with two second-round selections also at their disposal.
So with another high-end pick in their hands, who will the Bombers potentially have in their sights for this year's draft? We take a look at their handful of picks, their list needs, and the players that could be of interest to Essendon.
Draft Hand
Picks: 9, 31, 35, 61, 88
The Bombers' opening selection of Pick 9 is likely to be pushed back at least two places on the opening night of the draft following expected Academy selections, with Essendon perhaps even being among the rival bidders for those tied-up prospects early on.
Their place in the queue sees them sit on the cusp of where the top wave of talent almost ends, with a defined group of eight to 10 prospects viewed to be some distance ahead of the remaining names in this year's class.
Outgoing list boss Adrian Dodoro has flagged a desire to move up the draft board, but exactly how they'd manage to do so remains to be seen.
Picks 31 and 35 will drift out and then likely float back in within the draft order given the quartet of early second-round selections Gold Coast holds that will be needed to match the anticipated early Academy bids.
The Bombers have only used Pick 61 once in their history - taking Andrew Underwood in the first-ever National Draft back in 1986.
List Needs
Defensive Depth: Whether it be by adding height or some run across half-back, further defensive options are likely to be of interest to the Bombers at the draft. Despite their acquisition of top-rated free agent McKay, another supporting tall defender waiting in the wings could come in use given the injury history of former top 10 pick Zach Reid, the departures of Brandon Zerk-Thatcher, James Stewart, Cian McBride and Rhett Montgomerie, and the uncertain future that surrounds Kaine Baldwin. Like Baldwin, the Bombers moved Sam Weideman to their backline from attack at VFL level and might want to bring in a full-time defender who can press his case for selection in the years to come. The Bombers acquired Lewis Hayes last year and could instead want a smaller-framed stopper after losing Massimo D'Ambrosio to Hawthorn earlier this month.
Forward Pressure: The Bombers would love to have more spark and pressure at the feet of tall forwards Peter Wright and Kyle Langford, who have both enjoyed a 50-goal season over the last two years and are in need of support at ground level. Jye Menzie has shown plenty of promise in his 18 months with the club while emerging midfielders Archie Perkins, Ben Hobbs and Nic Martin have also shared roles in the attacking half. But an out-and-out pressure forward is what's needed for Brad Scott's side. Will Snelling, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti and Anthony Munkara have departed Tullamarine this off-season, opening up list spots and a likely desire for a threatening attacker. The Bombers may also consider another tall forward option to work behind Wright and Langfford, with Harrison Jones another name that has battled with injury and form during his time at The Hangar.
Versatility: Perhaps more of a 'take the best player available' route, the Bombers could do with more utility magnets after a season where they experimented with a number of on-field moves. Defender Jake Kelly found himself up on the wing during the second half of the season, while Nik Cox's best role remains to be seen and Dylan Shiel's mix in midfield isn't clear either. Their ruck stocks underwent a change this off-season with 35-year-old Goldstein joining developing tall Nick Bryan and first-string ruckman Sam Draper, potentially leading to an additional ruckman as an avenue to consider. With several areas in need but nothing extremely pressing, the Bombers might look to select the best name available to them with either their opening selection or their pair of picks in the 30s.
Potential Targets
Ollie Murphy: The Sandringham Dragons defender was one of the more impressive players at this year's National Carnival, with the key backman earning MVP honours for Vic Metro after working tirelessly against some of the leading tall forwards. The 200cm talent is a great matchup defender and intercept option for Essendon to consider in the first round of the draft. Another name for the Bombers to consider, if he's available, would be Murray Bushranger Connor O'Sullivan, who is a leading key defender who can also swing forward.
Darcy Wilson: Another prospect that would only be on offer to Essendon with their opening draft selection, the Murray Bushrangers wingman is arguably the leading outside midfielder in this year's draft class and might just be the best talent on offer when the Bombers are first on the clock. The Dons have strong wing options in Sam Durham, Nic Martin and new recruit Xavier Duursma, who could all float forward or even allow Wilson to play more of a half-back role if needed.
Phoenix Gothard: Another Murray Bushranger, Gothard is a great pressure forward - averaging 3.7 tackles to go with his near-goal-per-game output at the Talent League this year. The athletic attacker would be in the mix for one of Essendon's second-round selections at the draft. Others to consider would be South Australia's Jack Delean or Tasmanian Jack Callinan.
