The rise of the Essendon Football Club continues as the season draws near.
They were the talk of the AFL this time last year, with so many stars returning from a season-long ASADA ban for their supplements program back in 2012. However, the noise this year is centred around the damage they can do, and whether they are contenders, or pretenders.
Recently appointed Player Performance Manager, Luke Ball, compared this season's side to that of the St. Kilda teams in the mid-to-late 2000's, where success was within a bounce or two.
"Observing the young group at Essendon, there are some similarities to the big group of young players with [Nick] Riewoldt and [Brendon] Goddard and [Nick] Dal Santo and a handful of others [that] started together at St Kilda," Ball told SEN Breakfast.
"A lot of the players that left - Jobe in particular - are irreplaceable, but what it does is open the door [for others to step up]."
The former Saint and Pie also praised the leadership and attitude of the younger guys especially, "[Zach] Merrett and [Joe] Daniher and [Orazio] Fantasia and these sorts of guys to really say, 'this is our club now, this is our time at this club so let's shape it how we want.'"
Having previously spent time at AFLHQ, inputting match review panels, the football operations and umpiring departments, Ball has adjusted to life in the administration side of football, "If i had to say now [where he will be in five years from now], it would hopefully be down that route [football administration] rather than the coaching."
