Essendon track watch: Elijah Tsatas dominates match sim to kick off new year
A fringe Essendon midfielder has torn match play to shreds during a Saturday morning session where several of Brad Scott’s tweaks for 2025 were revealed.
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Young onballer Elijah Tsatas laid down a marker in his push to break into Essendon’s midfield by dominating match simulation to start the new year.
With first-choice midfielders Darcy Parish and Jye Caldwell largely running laps, and Zach Merrett spending some time at half-back, Tsatas was thrown into the middle for an ‘A’ team during Saturday morning match sim.
The third-year Bomber won the first clearance of the game and went on to drag in a handful more, while also drawing four free kicks by getting his hands to the ball first.
He kicked a classy left-foot snap, handed off a score assist and also took an intercept mark in defence in a well-rounded display.
Tsatas has been criticised for his kicking during his time in the AFL system, and while he did blow one centre bounce takeaway, otherwise his disposal was impressive.
The 20-year-old has only played 11 games in his two seasons so far at the Bombers and will hope to take a step forward in 2025.
The former No.5 pick was far and away the best player on the ground, even as Sam Durham rose to take what would have been a serious mark of the year contender in the forward line at one point.
Merrett floated between the half-back line and the midfield, as he has often done this pre-season.
In the grey ‘A’ side, Nate Caddy, Jade Gresham and Kyle Langford started as deep forwards, with Peter Wright on the opposing red team.
Ben Hobbs acquitted himself well in the midfield for the red side, with Todd Goldstein rucking on that team against Nick Bryan on the ‘A’ side.
Hobbs and Dylan Shiel took the bulk of the minutes in the red midfield, while Saad El-Hawli (red) and Archie Roberts (grey) enjoyed an intriguing duel on a wing.
Sam Draper missed the session for personal reasons.
Tall back Zach Reid stepped into match play and showed good skills with ball in hand rebounding from defence.
While Caldwell has rejoined most of Essendon’s training after off-season hip surgery, he stayed out of match play.
Defender Ben McKay (ankle) continued on light duties, alongside Nik Cox, who has been carefully manager through pre-season so far.
Forward Matt Guelfi suffered a hamstring strain in the last session before Christmas but he was back running on Saturday, sent to run around the Hangar precinct, including up a hilly driveway, to get some miles into his legs.
Originally published as Essendon track watch: Elijah Tsatas dominates match sim to kick off new year
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