AFL Rich 100: Essendon ready to make waves in AFL free agency fight with Ben McKay a key target
The Bombers have the cap space to chase key targets, but with injured players in the wings and stars out of contract, how different will they look in 2024?
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Essendon might have the ultimate trump card in this year’s free agency race.
Under new coach Brad Scott, the team has taken huge strides forward this year, putting the club within genuine reach of a drought-breaking finals win.
But in the bowels of Tullamarine there is a whiteboard with a list of available key defenders’ names on it.
Defender Jayden Laverde has battled on manfully in the full back position this year and there are still strong hopes – but certainly no guarantees – Zach Reid will be able to overcome his injury woes to showcase his enormous talent.
But there has been a big hole in the back line since Michael Hurley and Cale Hooker retired.
Remember, Geelong superstar Tom Hawkins had a field day against the Bombers in round 7 kicking a career-high eight goals on Brandon Zerk-Thatcher when Laverde was out injured.
It is why one stopper stands out as a top target for Essendon at season’s end; someone who can stop the big gun power forwards like Hawkins for the prime part of their career.
That man is North Melbourne’s Ben McKay.
The Kangaroos are clearly open to dealing McKay if it can help land them a top-three draft pick as free agency compensation.
And Essendon has one of the biggest war chests in the game, building a bank of about $2 million in salary cap savings to make a strategic strike on a defensive anchor.
McKay, who is not yet talking to rival clubs as he focuses on a strong finish to the season with the Kangaroos, is also being targeted by Port Adelaide.
McKay is managed by former Bomber, Adam Ramanauskas, from TLA.
Clearly, the drive to Tullamarine may appeal more for McKay than setting up a new life in South Australia, and Scott already has an existing relationship with McKay after coaching the full back for three seasons at North Melbourne.
McKay’s decision will go far beyond the links with the coach.
There will be a decent salary, and the prospect of making history with an up-and-coming Essendon outfit.
A club which has spent the past decade or so lurching from crisis to crisis of sorts to finally emerge in an exciting position.
But McKay’s relationship with his former coach is one heck of a handy advantage when the full back meets with the Bombers at season’s end to talk turkey about a potential new start.
GWS Giant Harry Himmelberg would also be on the Bombers’ radar as a versatile swingman.
But the queue is arguably even longer for Himmelberg’s signature.
Sydney Swans are interested, GWS think they are keeping Himmelberg, and Richmond and Collingwood are also lurking, too.
The beauty is that both McKay and Himmelberg are free agents, and can be secured by Essendon, or any other club for that matter, without giving up anything in a trade.
The pick for North Melbourne is automatically generated into the draft order from the AFL as compensation for losing a restricted free agent, so he’s essentially a free hit.
STABILITY
Essendon had a crack at Magpie Jordan De Goey, ex-Hawk Jack Gunston and the Jack Bowes deal last year, but the club was in free-fall off the field at the time after sacking Ben Rutten, appointing a new CEO who lasted one day, and turning over the board.
This year, the future looks so much brighter at Essendon.
And if Roos fans are fretting about losing McKay, they will consider the last five pick threes have yielded Harry Sheezel, Finn Callaghan, Will Phillips, Luke Jackson and Izak Rankine. Handy, long-term players.
If Essendon can land him, McKay would be a crucial piece of the list build for the Bombers as he could settle into the full back position alongside Laverde, Jordan Ridley, Andrew McGrath, Jake Kelly and, if he stays, Mason Redman.
McKay had his best game of the season against the Bombers one month ago when he held Sam Weideman goalless, and had 18 possessions including 14 intercept possessions.
Handy timing indeed from someone who could give Essendon the strength and body size require to support a talented brigade and building forward half.
Durability remains a big question mark, as McKay has played only 62 games in seven-and-a-half seasons.
It could cost Essendon something in the vicinity of $700,000 – $800,000 to land McKay, and trigger the first-round draft pick compensation required to satisfy North Melbourne.
Essendon has the money after losing Joe Daniher, Adam Saad and Hurley and Hooker to retirement in recent years, but this could be the year the Bombers’ strike back.
At the same time, the fruits are beginning to show from the first-to-fourth year bracket, with a huge focus on developing the club’s top-end talent after perhaps missing the mark in this area in recent times.
BARGAIN BUYS
Archie Perkins has a big trick bag who needs a permanent midfield berth, Nic Martin, who the club picked up for free early last year, is one of the biggest-bargain pick-ups in recent years.
Martin has become an elite goal kicking midfielder and is in All-Australian contention, for a man on something in the vicinity of $250,000 a year.
The pay packet could double or triple on his next deal next year, but the Bombers will probably move early as part of a long-term deal to keep him at Essendon until his free agency year.
Peter Wright has also been a huge success, after coming across in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick, winning the club’s best-and-fairest last year.
Will Setterfield made a big impact in the clinches before injury, again for fourth-round pick.
Sam Weideman cost the same, and Ben Hobbs is starting to show he can compete with the bigger bodies in the engine room.
Wingman Sam Durham looks a steal out of the mid-season draft and fellow mid-season pick up Will Snelling always rolls his sleeves up.
And star ruckman Sam Draper was this week dubbed a future captain by Bombers’ legend Mark Harvey after he was plucked out of South Australia on the cheap after playing soccer and a few SANFL games.
St Kilda unsuccessfully threw the kitchen sink at Draper a few years ago, knowing he could become one of the top ruckmen in the game.
The Bombers have struck it rich with some of these bargain pick-ups, helping clear the path to September under a revitalised coaching set-up.
As respected analyst and St Kilda midfield great Leigh Montagna said last week, the Essendon list is in good shape for Scott to drive the club up the ladder, whether they win a final this year or not.
But fans have had to be patient, and there remain two significant question marks on two of their most important players halfway through 2023.
STAY OR GO?
Essendon remains locked in talks to keep star free agents Darcy Parish and Mason Redman.
The Bombers wheeled out one of their greatest ever players, Simon Madden, who also wore the same number 27 to present the club’s vision in a bid to help convince Redman to stay.
Adelaide is super keen, but Essendon have no plans to let Redman go, and could even match any free agency bids in a bid to snare more attractive return, in the same way GWS Giants extracted three high picks (one first and two seconds) for Jeremy Cameron.
Same goes for Parish. The Cats are interested in the big-time ballwinner, who is from Geelong Falcons, but would Chris Scott poach one off his brother, Brad?
Essendon may offer Parish something in the vicinity of $700,000. Zach Merrett is the club’s highest-paid player on about $800,000 a year. Dylan Shiel is also up there. McKay could come in on about $700,000, plus bonuses if he can stay out on the park.
The Bombers have the cash under the mattress to keep Parish and Redman, but the big question is whether the pair believe the Bombers are going somewhere, for the first time in a long time.
Around them, there has been significant growth under Scott in 2023.
Jye Caldwell, Zerk-Thatcher, McGrath and Kyle Langford have had career-best seasons, Alwyn Davey showed some electrifying signs earlier this season, they don’t rely on Jake Stringer to be the matchwinner.
And Ridley is back to his best. Jayden Davey will essentially be a new recruit for the club next year after two knee reconstructions, adding more pace and spark.
But injuries continue to haunt the club.
HIGH PERFORMANCE?
They are a touchy about it, but Essendon’s injury run has continued to be a problem this year.
Some of it is bad luck. Slick wingman Elijah Tsatas needed an arthroscope, Stringer had a concussion issue over summer and Wright suffered a shoulder problem on the eve of the season.
Matt Guelfi, Parish and Shiel all had soft tissue setbacks.
But the big ones are Reid, Nik Cox and Harrison Jones, who have all endured stress fractures.
The club has been as cautious as it can be with Reid, who has been groomed to be a long-term key defender, while Cox enjoyed an outstanding debut season running up and down the wing.
The club wants Cox to become a star intercepting and rebounding half back who can push through the middle.
But the club faces a huge summer trying to get Reid, Cox and Jones fit and healthy.
The club made a significant investment in the trio and the draft and Tsatas is arguably the most exciting as an outside midfielder to add a significant lick of cream in the forward half.
But to take the next step, Essendon need them on the field.
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