The four players Essendon should trade, and a couple they should chase

Strategy or its execution? Which is more important to a football club? Put simply, success isn’t achievable without both in combination. A football strategy unfulfilled is frustrating, while execution minus deliberate planning proves futile.

I’ve experienced both scenarios. Having been list manager at Port Adelaide from 1997-2004, then Hawthorn from 2005-2011, I saw the benefits of a carefully prepared list strategy supported by all facets of the organisation.

Managing an AFL club’s playing list successfully requires discipline.Credit: Getty Images

Both clubs were willing to commit to the long-term objectives associated with a detailed list strategy incorporating player recruitment, development and Total Player Payment (TPP) modelling that brought ultimate success – winning premierships.

Conversely, I saw the effects of a club not united in the one goal at St Kilda. A club that in 2013 committed to the same list strategy as prepared for Port Adelaide and Hawthorn but changed course after only one year when new executive management was appointed.

This led to confusion, uncertainty and inevitably, division within a club that repeatedly looked for a quick fix. Being competitive assumed priority over positioning the club for genuine success. Execution of the strategy was severely compromised.

Essendon Football Club now finds itself in a similar position. The Bombers have a proud history but too often recently have focused on being competitive, setting shorter term goals and accepting mediocrity as an outcome.

How did this come about? Where did the jealous respect for a football superpower go? Why did other clubs stop fearing the Bombers who were once the equal of any in the competition?

Only those within the club truly know, but as a results-based organisation, the numbers don’t lie. A highest ladder finishing position of seventh in the past 20 years, without a finals win during the same period, is a damning indictment on a team that had been the game’s most successful in the previous century.

Anyone associated with Essendon should be disappointed. Frustrated. Angry.

Essendon have talked the talk, sometimes even walked the walk, but all too briefly. Too often they have been flaky or flawed – not qualities we or they would associate with great Essendon teams of the past.

Brad Scott was uncompromising as a player and is trying to get Essendon to play with a hard edge.Credit: AFL Photos

The Bombers have lacked steel, strength, and conviction and that needs to change. Success is earned through hard work and commitment, through proper strategy and execution.

Essendon does have a strategy; they have started a three-year plan. Brad Scott knows what success looks like – as a player at Brisbane he was part of one of the greatest teams in AFL history. His coach, Leigh Matthews, is one of game’s most pre-eminent figures. Both are strong, both unyielding.

But the Bombers’ three-year plan should be part of a six to eight-year plan that incorporates the arrival of Tasmania into the competition. A plan that builds upon their recent primary focus on the draft.

Essendon have had 12 picks inside the first two rounds of the AFL National Draft since 2020. They have another four selections in the first two rounds this year.

That position assumes even greater significance when considering the limited access to early draft selections caused by forthcoming concessions for the Tassie Devils.

Like Richmond, Essendon have made the right decision to attack the draft now. Those who hesitate will suffer – like the clubs that didn’t suitably plan for recruiting concessions granted to Gold Coast
and GWS from 2009-2012. Such decisions were pivotal to Hawthorn assembling a player list to compete in four consecutive grand finals from 2012-2015.

Essendon’s strategy should be reviewed, analysed, executed then reviewed again. Its development isn’t linear. It requires careful planning, periodical change and honest appraisal.

No individual coach, staff member or executive can be allowed to hijack the process – some disagreement is expected, even encouraged, but it’s critical that the coaching, player development, high performance and list management teams are aligned.

The Bombers have young talent. With the fourth-youngest list in 2025, their age demographic is skewed towards the future. They are not starting another re-build, that undertaking was initiated
more than five years ago.

Twenty list changes in the past two years have only accelerated the program. But it’s essential they don’t look at their players through a biased lens – coaches and recruiters often favour their preferred players when success demands the same standards apply to everyone.

They have the nucleus of a successful team – Andrew McGrath and Jordan Ridley in defence, Zach Merrett, Jye Caldwell and Sam Durham in the midfield plus Kyle Langford and Nate Caddy in attack provide a solid foundation for the future.

But there are still too many players who show potential rather than consistent talent. Good one week, poor the next. Willing to follow rather than lead. Satisfied with playing at AFL level over being the best. Neither unflinching, uncompromising or unconditional.

Zach Merrett leads Essendon onto the MCG.Credit: Getty Images

More players need to become like their captain and coach – tough and relentless – strong leaders who view team success as their legacy.

While 2025 is an important step along the way, Essendon must keep their focus on the bigger picture – they simply don’t have the right personnel to win a premiership just yet.

So where to from here?

Two statistics from 2025 clearly point to immediate needs. First, kicking efficiency – ranked 16th in the competition. Second, hard ball gets – also ranked 16th.

Zak Butters will be a restricted free agent in 2026, and is the type of elite player Essendon should look to recruit.Credit: Getty Images

Both statistics have been integral to premiership teams over the past 20 years, so ignore them at your peril. The Bombers need players who can hurt the opposition by foot and/or win contested possession under pressure. And players who can break lines with their disposal.

Essendon have high draft selections to work a trade for specific players in 2025 – they should firmly set their sights on Zak Butters (Port Adelaide) and Harley Reid (West Coast) if they can be convinced to return to Victoria.

Their early draft picks should only be expended to secure players of this calibre or to maximise their draft position in 2025-26.

The draft is likely to be compromised by the Tassie Devils from 2027 so recruiting the best available young players now is of even more importance. While 2025 does not offer the same depth of talent as last year, the draft window is closing, so selection value is going to become greater over the next two years.

Similarly, the Bombers should look to trade players who don’t form part of their premiership model.
This doesn’t mean releasing players at any cost but being prepared to take a step back to go forward
in the longer term. These choices are sometimes contentious, but it is often the difficult decisions
that bring the biggest rewards.

Players to consider:

Sam Draper

As a free agent in 2025, Essendon should look to move him to improve their draft currency via AFL compensation or initiate a trade to a club offering the most favourable return.

Essendon could be richly rewarded if they were willing to offload Sam Draper.Credit: AFL Photos

Nik Cox v Harrison Jones

Both players possess ability but have struggled with injury. With multiple “talls” on the list, they will compete for a position in the same team. Retain one, move the other.

Darcy Parish

Has been unlucky with injury but the development of Caldwell and Durham means he is better served at a club competing for a premiership in the short term.

Peter Wright

While he adds depth to their forward line, the Bombers should look to trade him while he still has limited currency. Not part of their premiership model.

For Essendon, compromise isn’t an option. Stick with the strategy. Execution is paramount.

Chris Pelchen is a former list manager at Port Adelaide, Hawthorn and St Kilda.

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