Former North Melbourne great David King has declared Essendon as the team to look out for in 2019.

After a disappointing start to the year, the Bombers have since steered their season back on track and could miss finals due to sheer percentage.

And King believes that they are one move away from being a flag contender.

โ€œWe might have gone a bit early this year, I think they got a lot wrong at the start of the year from a tactical and structural point of view, but theyโ€™re a serious football team,โ€ King told SENโ€™s Crunch Time.

โ€œIf they get this midfielder theyโ€™re talking about in the off-season, and I donโ€™t know who it is, theyโ€™ve got a couple in mind, they are one midfielder short of being serious premiership contenders.

โ€œEveryoneโ€™s saying itโ€™s Dayne Beams, it may not be a Beams, but it may be a Beams-type.

โ€œIf they can get one, things become quite flexible. Their magnets are quite moveable.โ€

King lauded the young nucleus of the Bombers list and reminded listeners who they are missing.

โ€œ2019, look out, this is (Essendonโ€™s) under 25โ€™s on their list at the moment.

"The quality of player is unbelievable: Orazio Fantasia, Andrew McGrath, Darcy Parish, Kyle Langford, Devon Smith, Jake Stringer, Adam Saad, Conor McKenna, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti and Joe Daniher,โ€ he said.

โ€œWeโ€™ve all stopped talking about Joe Daniher, but that is a quality group thatโ€™s going to drive them over the next couple of seasons.โ€

Former Western Bulldogs coach added that this did not necessarily need to be seen as a wasted year for Essendon fans.

โ€œIf youโ€™re an Essendon supporter you should just be waiting for next year and canโ€™t wait for it to come around,โ€ Wallace said.