Mates and lifelong Essendon fans Cody Brand, Josh Eyre ready to Don the Sash
Mates, teammates, lifelong Essendon fans and now Bombers for real. Week 1 at Tullamarine has been a whirlwind for draftees Cody Brand and Josh Eyre.
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Josh Eyre and Cody Brand are living the dream.
The pair are lifelong Essendon fans and part of the club’s Next Generation Academy together as well as Calder Cannons teammates.
They’re now officially Bombers players after bids from Richmond at pick No.39 and Western Bulldogs at No.53 respectively were matched to secure their services.
The draft’s academy bidding system certainly had hearts racing and nerves jangling.
“I had to blink three times seeing my name up there and it felt like a long period for them to match it,” Eyre said.
“Once they did I was stoked, obviously being an Essendon fan and being a part of the NGA, it was pretty cool.”
“I had an idea the Doggies might pull a trick like that but obviously stoked to get to the Bombers,” Brand agreed.
“Having got a taste over the last couple of years, to make it official, I’m stoked and can’t wait to don the jumper when given the opportunity.”
The opportunity to be drafted by your childhood club together with your teammate was not lost of Brand.
“We’re both been Bombers fans since we were young, so for the dream to become a reality for both of us is jaw-dropping,” Brand said.
“We both know it’s time to get to work, I know what Josh can bring to the footy club and hopefully we can play together for a long time.”
Former Calder teammate Harry Jones is also at the club after being snapped up in last year’s draft.
It’s been a whirlwind first week at Tullamarine.
Essendon coach Ben Rutten visited them at home on the Friday after the draft as they were inundated with messages from new teammates.
The pair then shared an Airbnb with Essendon’s three top-10 draft picks – Nik Cox, Archie Perkins and Zach Reid – on the Sunday night before a blur of meetings, tests and training sessions.
The new faces were eased into training but harder tests await in the new year.
So too does the chance to push for selection and a fairytale debut.
Where you’re taken in the draft means little at the selection table and both Eyre and Brand are keen to make strong first impressions.
Eyre, a 198cm key forward with elite athleticism (6.30min 2km time trial, 2.98sec 20m sprint and top-10 running vertical jumps on both legs), can see an opening in the forward line.
“I’m going to give it 100 per cent, I want to learn the game plan as quickly as possible, because I don’t want to be a long-term project player,” he said.
“I want to break into the side as quick as I can, I believe I’m capable of getting some games next year but will have to see how we go.”
Brand, a 196cm key defender, has been mentored by Bombers legend Dustin Fletcher and Geelong premiership defender Tom Lonergan and is determined to be ready when called upon.
“It’s a conversation I’ll have to have … but to be honest I’m just looking to get my body in as good a nick as possible,” he said.
“If there’s an opportunity that arises next year or maybe the following year I want to give myself every opportunity to take that chance.”
Eyre was given the honour of wearing Tim Watson’s famous No.32 while Brand will be in No.38 – Mark Harvey’s first number and worn by 1993 premiership star Sean Denham.
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“On Tuesday, Mark Harvey gave us a history lesson on the club and what the Bombers have been through and the significance of our numbers,” Eyre revealed.
The first Kilmore player drafted since 1996, Eyre was already confident all the ingredients for success were at Tullamarine.
“There’s a really good culture there, it’s a young group that all gets along.
“I’ve only been there for three days but I think as time goes on that bond will grow even more.”
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