Essendon doesn't pose as a preferred destination, languishing at the bottom of the AFL ladder with no senior coach after Brad Scott's sacking.
But the lure of playing in marquee games for a big Victorian club still has some pull in the competition, as well as an attached dollar figure, which is likely to be more than at rival clubs.
Scott, in his outgoing speech, revealed the Bombers had held firm on its salary cap spending, withholding a war chest as they hit the draft with purpose.
But will they use this money in a bid to rejuvenate their list?
This is the first of our annual mid-season Trade Target specials, and we are starting from the bottom of the ladder and working our way up across the next month.
Here are five trade and free agency targets for 18th-placed Essendon to consider this year.
5Sean Darcy
Is there a world where Sean Darcy would move from Fremantle?
Ideally for Essendon, there would be.
The Bombers need a ruckman, and Darcy has been squeezed out of the senior side due to Luke Jackson's claim as the No.1 man, while Mason Cox has played his foil perfectly.
Essendon has a litany of young rucks, but need an established player, and the Dockers big man could be that guy.
The difficulty in executing a deal is two-fold: one being Darcy is contracted until the end of 2030, and the other is the likelihood of Cox not playing beyond 2026, albeit he has surprised many with his performances this year.
Darcy considered a move back to Victoria when he ultimately recommitted to Fremantle, but given the lack of senior opportunity, compounded by injury concerns and the chance to return closer to home, it gives Essendon more than a sniff.
