John Worsfold says Essendon would consider trading No. 1 draft pick to recruit an experienced forward

UPDATE: TIM Watson has backed John Worsfold’s plans to consider putting the No.1 draft pick on the trade table as Essendon chases its 17th premiership.

John Worsfold open to trading No. 1 pick to get Essendon an experienced key forward. Picture: Getty

JOHN Worsfold has declared Essendon’s No. 1 draft pick on the draft table as he plans for the club’s 17th premiership.

Worsfold believes Michael Hurley and Jobe Watson will re-sign with Essendon for next year, but said he would throw open the captaincy over the summer if Watson did return.

The Bombers coach has met with both players recently and says they are enthused by the club’s vision for on-field success in coming years.

Worsfold told the Herald Sun the club’s determination to improve its forward line could see it open to offers for a young tall.

That will likely be the draft’s overall first pick given the Herald Sun’s understanding that there are no circumstances in which the AFL would award a priority pick this year.

Worsfold is enthused by the impending return of at least 10 of Essendon’s 12 banned players but says the Dons forward line needs bolstering.

“Whichever early pick we get we would love to keep but if there is a trade available that suits us better than taking that pick for our current situation we would definitely look at that for sure,’’ Worsfold said.

“We need to build a forward line that can kick goals. Joey (Daniher) was our most experienced forward line last weekend with Mitch Brown the second-most experienced.

“Then it was (Darcy) Parish, (Kyle) Langford, (Orazio) Fantasia and (Will) Hams. So we need to develop that, and to add one or two (players) we would be looking for that.”

Joe Daniher needs help in Essendon’s forward line. Picture: Getty

Club great Tim Watson agrees with Worsfold’s plan, and says for the right deal, “everything’s on the table”.

“If Essendon could get a Jack Gunston-type player, and I don’t necessarily think there is another one playing out there ... and you were prepared to have the guts to say ‘we are prepared to trade our No.1 pick for somebody like that’,” he said on SEN.

“I think Essendon desperately need another forward - a modern day forward, somebody around 6’3”, 6’4”, somebody that has serious athleticism.”

Watson said he wouldn’t trade the top pick as a direct swap for Giants forward Jonathon Patton, but if Jack Steele was thrown in by Greater Western Sydney, he would be swayed.

“I think here the club is at right now, and becasue they have had a lot of young players that have come in in past years, if they get the right deal - and I was thinking one for one - if you could get a deal like you were talking about and that was to satisfy the Giants, then you would certainly look at a deal,” he said.

“I think everything’s on the table. When you’ve got that No.1 pick, if somebody’s coming to you wanting to get that No.1 pick, then you drive the hardest bargain that you can.”

Watson also said Essendon should look into obtaining out-of-contract Roo Majak Daw.

Worsfold says the club does have some salary cap room, which would allow the Dons to pay an experienced player in a trade swap.

Essendon is in negotiations with All Australian defender Hurley about a contract extension, while Jobe Watson is overseas making coffees in New York.

Worsfold believes Watson’s unfinished business with football will lure him back to Essendon.

“He is a footballer who has worked unbelievably hard to build a career, it wasn’t handed to him. He has got to weigh it up. If it was me my guess is that a break away making coffees, I am going to pretty quickly say kicking a footy around is a bit more fun. And you are retired a long time. I still miss my playing days now, 18 years or something on. We are all different, Jobe may become a world champion barista (laughing)

“Ultimately Jobe has to come to the realisation he wants to play on.”

Worsfold says the club will next year be flush with leadership options, with Watson no guarantee to captain Essendon in 2017.

“My personal view is that it’s a really unique circumstance, Jobe coming back.

“The number one thing would be to talk to Jobe about where it all sits and if Jobe said I am really keen to play a really strong leadership role that’s fine, you can do that without being captain.

“If he said I would like to put my hand up as captain, I would then go through the whole process of reintegrating that whole group and see what the dynamic is.

“We would train together through summer and get to January and have a look where it sits.

“Even how Jobe feels in November when we all get back might be different to how he feels in January.”