Stacked with talent but still failing: Essendon’s 19 first rounder players on its list unpacked

Essendon has 19 first-round selections on its list, the equal-most in the AFL. But that list, chock-full of talent, is underperforming. Is it development, coaching or recruiting letting the Dons down?

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – DECEMBER 10: Zach Reid, draft selection #10 for the Bombers (L), Archie Perkins, draft selection #9 for the Bombers and Nik Cox, draft selection #8 for the Bombers (R) pose for a photo during the NAB AFL Draft media opportunity at Marvel Stadium on December 10, 2020 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Essendon could field a best-18 of first-round selections with one to spare, and then fill the rest of the bench with second-round picks of the calibre of Zach Merrett, Jordan Ridley and Mason Redman.

Yet it’s not stopping Essendon’s slide down the ladder once again late in a season, despite a top-four finish being in sight just a fortnight ago.

The Bombers have 19 first-round picks on their list for 2024, tied with GWS Giants, with both Jesse Hogan and Dylan Shiel first-round talents who were acquired outside the normal drafting process.

North Melbourne has 19 and Gold Coast 17, albeit the Suns’ figure is not including academy selections who may have been first-round picks.

Likewise, most of those on the list are still young, with both clubs adding four at the last draft.

For raw talent alone, the Bombers should be matching it with the best in the competition. They aren’t – as evident by a collapse against St Kilda on the weekend with the season on the line. Eleven of the club’s current first-round selections were players hand-picked by Adrian Dodoro at draft time.

Some of them have yet to come on, and some are too early to cast judgement on, while some look like good players, but are fighting for too-few spots as Essendon drafted and traded in midfielders while positional needs went begging.

On draft capital alone, the Bombers are head and shoulders above the rest of the competition.

Why isn’t it translating on the field? Is player development the problem? Or is talent identification?

Ironically, the Bombers have arguably been the most successful club at pre-season and mid-season drafts, acquiring Nic Martin, Sam Durham, Massimo D’Ambrosio (since traded to Hawthorn), and even Will Snelling (third in the 2021 B&F before being delisted).

We run the ruler over the Bombers’ first-round draft picks – who are the hits and misses?

FIRST-ROUND SELECTIONS ESSENDON HAS TRADED IN

Essendon has traded eight first-round picks onto its list to compliment the 11 listed players it drafted in the first round, with Jake Stringer joining the club in 2017 for picks 25 and 30. He’s been the most up and down player on Essendon’s list, playing like a world-beater one week and disappearing the next and emblematic of where the Bombers are at.

Peter Wright had one stunning season after he moved, but has looked like a shell of himself since he was suspended after colliding with Harry Cunningham early this year. Sam Weideman is no more than depth for the Bombers but still on the list after coming across from Melbourne for two picks which were unused by the Demons.

Peter Wright only cost Essendon a four-round pick at the trade table, but was drafted by the Suns in the first round. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

Essendon traded Stringer in for picks 25 and 30 in the 2015 draft, giving up two second-round picks for the former No. 5 pick. He’s been the most up and down player on Essendon’s list, playing like a world-beater one week and disappearing the next.

Dylan Shiel wasn’t technically a first-round selection, with the Giants having priority access to the highly-touted youngster as a 17-year-old, but cost the Bombers two first-round draft picks to bring him across, a year after trading a first-rounder for Devon Smith. Jye Caldwell crossed for two second-rounders at the end of 2020, while former No. 5 pick Will Setterfield cost just a future fourth round pick in 2022.

The only thing the Bombers gave up for Jade Gresham and Ben McKay was oodles of cap space, with McKay allegedly on $1.4 million this year, and Gresham is apparently being around $700,000 a season, while the club acquired Xavier Duursma for wantaway defender Brandon Zerk-Thatcher.

Originally published as Stacked with talent but still failing: Essendon’s 19 first rounder players on its list unpacked