Essendon is staring down the barrel of another star walking out, in a line-in-the-sand moment that could see the club relive its Joe Daniher “déjà vu” nightmare.
Speculation is mounting over the future of out-of-contract star Sam Draper, who is weighing up rival interest from Brisbane and Adelaide as an unrestricted free agent.
Essendon’s season has been decimated by an unprecedented injury toll — including Draper, who ruptured his Achilles in Round 6 in what could prove to be his final AFL game in the red sash.
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Speaking on Fox Footy’s First Crack, host Jay Clark feared that the club could well be stuck in time should the 205cm star depart his club of nine years — and that it’s reflective of their culture.
“There’s been a bit of a revolving door at this football club. We’ve seen this movie before. Joe Daniher walks out on the Bombers, the father-son gem, and the football club has a reckoning,” Clark began.
“They change the coach, the CEO (and) the President. They say: ‘We need to fix the environment, because we had four players walk out (in 2020); including one particularly important one.
“But amid all the talk about Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, there has been no discussion about Sam Draper whatsoever — and this is history repeating itself! This is Daniher déjà vu!”
Daniher, who was taken by Essendon with pick No.10 in the 2012 National Draft as a father-son, left the Bombers after eight years to head up north to Brisbane — before eventually finding himself the fairytale finish of retiring after a grand final victory.
The key forward’s own injury woes marred his time at the club, having only been able to play 15 games at the top level in his final three years at the Hangar. By comparison, Daniher went on to play 96 in his next four years at the Lions.
Additionally, the likes of Adam Saad (Carlton), Massimo D’Ambrosio (Hawthorn), Patrick Voss (Fremantle) and Jake Stringer (GWS) have all performed strongly at rival clubs after requesting trades or being delisted by the Bombers.
“Five years on, we have the same problem. A really important player and a key tall is about to walk out on the Essendon Football Club to Adelaide or Brisbane we think — because why?” Clark continued.
“Is it still the environment that they tried to fix five years ago with Joey Daniher? That’s the eggshells that we talk about.
“This is on the president Dave Barham, he came in with a mandate for change — this football club should be better.”
As alluded to, injuries have hampered any genuine chance Essendon and head coach Brad Scott have had of making finals this year, as the club continues to identify where they sit exactly in their taste for finals success.
Daniher played just two elimination finals during his tenure at the club, while Draper played in the club’s sole finals appearance this decade in 2021.
“I reckon they’ve got the most gullible supporter base in the competition, they are just eating up what’s being fed to them. No one is really standing up to what’s happening,” two-time North Melbourne premiership player David King said.
“The jungle drums are beating strongly, and I just think we’re hearing the initial phase. The Zach Merrett discussion has bubbled around for weeks. Now, I don’t think he’ll leave, but…”
Clark added: “They tried to fix it, and if Draper walks out the door, that means they haven’t fixed it. Is that fair? That’s fair.”
As of the end of Round 22, Essendon currently hold draft picks No. 4 and 6, however any compensation for Draper’s potential departure as an unrestricted free agent may only trigger a selection at the very end of the first round in a heavily compromised draft.
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