‘Nothing is happening’: Fears Bombers to be left behind as teams around them get better

With several clubs set to bolster their list this trade period in a bid to climb the ladder in 2025, Essendon is largely standing still.

So do they have enough on their list already to reach another level, or could they get left behind if others improve?

The only moves the Bombers appear to be pursuing involve players going out, with Jake Stringer reportedly keen to get to GWS, while Dylan Shiel has also been linked with a Giants reunion.

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Jayden Laverde was also reportedly shopped around, though there doesn’t appear to be any takers right now.

It comes after the Bombers were among the busiest clubs last trade period, bringing in the likes of Ben McKay, Jade Gresham, Xavier Duursma, Todd Goldstein. But under new list boss Matt Rosa the club is largely heading to the draft this off-season.

Essendon has picks 9 and 31, while it’s tied to Next Generation Academy player and potential top 15 pick Isaac Kako.

“They were like a free agency and trade pinball machine last year, everything was going off,” Herald Sun reporter Glenn McFarlane said on Fox Footy’s Trading Day.

“At the moment there’s nothing happening in that sense. They’re going to go to the draft — they haven’t got a lot of draft picks, mind you.

“They’re going to have Isaac Kako, that’s going to be a bonus and real massive tick.

“But the clubs around them like Collingwood and Adelaide are out there having a crack trying to bring ready-made, established players into the group. Essendon is not doing that.

“Matt Rosa has a huge reputation and I think he’s going to be an absolute star there, but he’s going very much to the draft this time round.

“They’ve tried to get rid of some players and put a few up — there’s not a lot of interest in Laverde, they’ll get something back late for Stringer — but there’s not a lot there.

“They do believe they have the group here that can go forward. I’m not certain they have.”

Western Bulldogs legend Brad Johnson believes the Bombers need to build more depth in their midfield, suggesting it drops off too quickly after their top few guns.

“They’ve got Zach Merrett, who’s an A grader, Jye Caldwell, who was better, and Sam Durham, who’s excellent. But then it falls away under that, there’s question marks around the second group,” Johnson said on Trading Day.

“They’ve got to build their midfield first before they start to look at other parts of the ground.

“They’re better if some of their youngsters have breakout seasons, which we haven’t seen yet.”

Fellow Herald Sun journalist Scott Gullan argued Essendon “has to do something,” questioning if its forward line has enough firepower.

“Peter Wright two years ago won the best and fairest (but has dropped away),” he said.

“Harrison Jones has to go from 18 goals to 30 goals. Nate Caddy has to go from a dozen goals to 30 goals.”

To which Johnson responded: “The way to do that is to get access from your mids and running backs.

“Their running backs aren’t too bad, but their probably one tall short down back and their mid need a second layer of excitement.

“That’s what they need to create.”

As for other clubs around the mark, Gullan suggested there’s three “game changers” that are “finals bound” providing they land their trade targets.

FREMANTLE (finished 10th in 2024)

“If they get Shai Bolton … Josh Treacy and Alex Pearce weren’t there the last month and these guys were half a game outside the finals,” Gullan said.

“You put Bolton in that team, he could do lots of damage. So that makes them, in my mind, instantly in finals.

ADELAIDE (finished 15th in 2024)

“Alex Neal-Bullen, Isaac Cumming and James Peatling to add to the depth — they’re very good players,” Gullan said.

“With Izak Rankine fit and Riley Thilthorpe, who didn’t have a pre-season, get him fit as well.

“Matthew Nicks is coaching for his career … we all thought they’d be better this year. Put all those guys in and that’s a spike.”

GOLD COAST SUNS (finished 13th in 2024)

“Daniel Rioli and John Noble are Dimma Hardwick players — he wants leg speed and chaos ball — they’re suited to it perfectly,” Gullan said.

“And obviously a fully fit Ben King, he kicked 55 goals without a pre-season.

“They were only two games outside the top eight, so you put those guys in and improvement underneath, why can’t they win two more?”