Essendon must continue to back the long-term policy that saw the end of Jake Stringer

The Bombers know they won’t win the premiership this year, one bold call already proves it. But this time a club drenched in mediocrity must stay the course — and avoid the quick fix.

Jake Stringer might have won Essendon its first final in 21 years this September had they offered him the two-year contract he demanded.

But keeping him at Essendon would never have helped them win their 17th premiership.

Not for a 30-year-old with indifferent forward pressure whose best football won’t be in their premiership window.

That simple equation is the best way to distill the future of this club being charted by coach Brad Scott, chief executive Craig Vozzo, list boss Matt Rosa and president David Barham.

Every decision from here forward is based on whether it will help this club build to a premiership instead of chasing a quick fix.

Brad Scott has to keep making the tough calls. Picture: Getty Images

The Jake Stringer trade could be a line-in-the-sand moment for Essendon. Picture: Getty Images

An Essendon fan base sick of false dawns and aborted premiership tilts might not be interested in another call for patience from the club hierarchy.

Especially as the 7500-day milestone of its most recent finals victory approaches – that win over Melbourne in September 2004.

But as Scott embarks upon his third season in charge, the decision to nudge Stringer aside is being seen internally as an example of the bold calls the club will need to win that next flag in a crowded AFL landscape.

Scott was howled down when he said Essendon had a list with a rebuilding profile this time last year, but this club is aware the list is just not quite ready.

Essendon’s leaders know a great run with injury and some luck with the footy gods this year might allow them to win a final.

They certainly aren’t good enough to win the flag.

Not after moving on 20 players in the first two seasons of Scott’s tenure in an admission the list was nowhere near good enough.

It meant the decision on trading out a first-rounder last year instead of chasing an established star like Dan Houston with pick nine was made so much easier.

With NGA small forward Isaac Kako Essendon-bound, the Bombers blinked.

In the old days recruiter Adrian Dodoro would have wheeled and dealed to ensure Kako slipped potential bidders St Kilda and Melbourne given his strong relationships with those clubs.

It might have secured Essendon two elite kids in the top 10 of the draft.

But whatever your views on that decision, the Dons traded that selection for Melbourne’s future first and second-round picks in 2025 instead of using it for an established player as Scott once did at the Roos with Jared Polec.

Essendon made sure they secured Isaac Kako in the draft. Picture: Getty Images

It will allow Essendon to secure more A grade talent as clubs collect draft capital before the wipe-out that will be the 2027 national draft.

The welter of Tasmanian picks and academy selections mean clubs with ladder finishes in the 8-12 region might end up picking in the 30s in that draft.

So Essendon will shop early and avoid the rush.

The fans will point to Essendon being top four late in both of the past two seasons but their 2024 win-loss record of 11-11 was reasonably fair.

They beat Hawthorn in round 1 with 17.5 to 11.17 (22 scoring shots to 28), defeated St Kilda in round 3 with one less scoring shot and bested the Dogs in round 5 with 15.6 to 9.13 (21 scoring shots to 22).

Then in the back half of the year they lost games by one and two points and the rub of the green evaporated as the ridiculously accurate Carlton (15.6) and Gold Coast (14.7) also found a way home.

Now Scott has to back the long-term policy at selection.

Jayden Laverde has played 85 of a possible 91 games and if Zach Reid is fit he will play ahead of him.

But will emerging defender Lewis Hayes also be ahead of him in the pecking order? Quite probably.

With Dyson Heppell, Jake Kelly and Nick Hind gone from half back, Scott has the chance to continue Archie Roberts’ progression, to give 2024 mid-season rookie Saad El-Hawli early chances.

Elijah Tsatas should play at every opportunity over Will Setterfield, Nate Caddy should win the line-ball selection calls over Peter Wright.

The problem in selling this message for Essendon is their own decisions so recently across their history.

Ben McKay was a free agency no brainer but Jade Gresham arguably stifled the development of Archie Perkins and Todd Goldstein limited Nick Bryan’s senior opportunities.

Essendon would argue none of those trio of acquisitions cost draft picks but a club that gave up two first-rounders for Dylan Shiel has never had a consistent strategy it has actually followed through on.

So now it has to walk the walk on that front.

Not backslide into picking senior players over the kids in the chase for pressure-relieving victories.

Not pick half-fit stars when kids are available as they did two years ago after saying Stringer only played at 100 per cent fitness before throwing him in late in the season when he was hobbling and lame.

Sam Draper isn’t essential to Essendon’s rebuild. Picture: Getty Images

Sam Draper will hold off on contract talks and in a market where first rucks are often poached instead of developed, the Dons shouldn’t be afraid to lose him.

In a market where Adelaide will likely trigger first-round compensation for Essendon if it lures him back across the border, it would hand the Dons a third first-round pick for 2026.

The Essendon view is that he is fiercely loyal, entering the peak of his career and still likely to stay if he can overcome his injury issues.

In a season where Luke Beveridge and Matthew Nicks just have to win, Scott has the trust of his board plus the contract through to 2026.

Now we get to see if he uses that time wisely to build a premiership-calibre list.

Originally published as Essendon must continue to back the long-term policy that saw the end of Jake Stringer