Essendon's 2025 injury crisis has compelled it to expose a plethora of young talent in the second half of the season.
The Bombers currently have 15 players on their injury list, with the increased absences aligning with their expected drop-off in form, having lost their last seven games.
The upshot, though, has been the development of the next generation.
Archie Roberts has played every game in 2025, young ruck Vigo Visentini has gotten a taste of the level in his second season, Luamon Lual's intent has caught the eye, Isaac Kako has shown promise, while Nate Caddy and mid-season selection Archie May look a capable future one-two punch inside 50.
Roberts, Lachie Blakiston, Zak Johnson and Angus Clarke all look likely types as defenders of the next generation, with the quartet all arriving at The Hangar across the past 24 months.
While Blakiston adds height, the other three complement each other well as rebounding types whose blend of run and efficiency and willingness to defend provide the Bombers with balance when the ball hits the deck in defensive 50.
Johnson was taken with Pick 70 at the 2024 AFL National Draft, with the Bombers linked to him for an extended period before snapping him for a bargain price.
Their selection has been vindicated, with Johnson's assuredness with the footy shining through in his debut season, highlighted by a 29-possession outing against Geelong.
The youngest player in last year's crop, Johnson had a significantly interrupted pre-season, providing plenty of hope about the level of improvement he has left.
โTo see these guys create a strong backbone to their footy early has been really good,โ said Essendon backline coach Ben Jacobs told Zero Hanger.
โWe see the attacking side of Zak and when he gets the ball, we keep the ball.
โI can't wait to have another pre-season with him so he can get stronger, fitter and go to work like we did with Archie Roberts last year โ it's really exciting.โ
He's likely to form a halfback combination with fellow 2024 draftee Clarke in the coming years, but the South Australian has been forced to field several positions due to injuries this year.
Clarke's adaptability has been impressive, forced to fill a multitude of roles which has highlighted his diverse skillset.
โHe's deceptively big,โ Jacobs said of Clarke.
โHe can play third tall or can run all day on the wing so he really is a prototypical modern day footballer.
โHe's one of those guys that is very driven and easy to coach because they're willing to look at their weaknesses and get to work on them.
โHe obviously has an elite attribute in his endurance.
โHe really does run all day, gives us great balance in the side and he's one with injury who has been flicked around because of injury which is a credit to him that he's been able to keep performing and play at the level he is.โ
Blakiston, meanwhile, was selected at Pick 13 in the Mid-Season Draft as a ruck from East Fremantle, but across his five games so far, his size at 203cm has proven an asset in the backline.
Uncontracted beyond 2025, Blakiston was selected after years of strong WAFL form, with his AFL games so far proving he has the ability to impact across multiple positions.
โHe's raw with his craft and has great attributes,โ Jacobs said.
โI've enjoyed working with him: he's quietly spoken but his ability to pick things up and get educated quite quickly has been a standout.
โAs soon as I saw him train in his first session for us, he showed a lot of (key defensive) qualities I look for: very clean at ground level and creates good angles in defence and so if he works on his craft he can be something there.โ
Roberts has been the most consistent of the lot, playing every game in 2025 and matched up on the likes of Toby Greene and Willie Rioli, backed in to nullify and run off.
Roberts' leadership in a fluid lineup has been an important pillar, alongside his relationship with Andy McGrath.
โIt keeps our backline dynamic,โ Jacobs said of the pair's ability to play varied roles.
โIt's not like the opposition can dictate.
โThe relationship that McGrath and Roberts have created, depending on how the game is being played, means if Andy is having an impact (Archie) is happy to play on a deeper, dangerous forward and vice versa.
The young Dons will take on Western Bulldogs on Friday night at 7.20pm.
