After Zach Merrett's failed move to Hawthorn in the 2025 AFL Trade Period, he has officially stood down as Essendon's skipper after three seasons as captain of the club.
The question is, who will be the Bombers' next captain for the future?
Essendon doesn't have a standout guy to be the next leader, but they have a few who may be favoured, and a couple of smokey options for the future.
The next captain of the Bombers will have a key role in developing and helping the Bombers' young side for the future, and the Bombers need to make sure they don't have another Merrett situation in the near future.
We look through Essendon's best options for their next captain for the 2026 season and beyond.
4Jye Caldwell
Another breakout player from the 2024 season, Jye Caldwell has become one of the Bombers' best midfielders.
He became one of the Bombers' most important players during the 2025 season, but only featured in 11 games, missing a large chunk of time through injury.
Caldwell and Durham could be the midfield duo that leads the Bombers for the future, with Merrett on the way out eventually. Caldwell could be the one to take his main-man role in the middle.
Another younger player, it may be too early for him to take the lead for now, but he is definitely a leader for the Bombers' future.
