We should have seen Essendon’s uprising coming – and the reason why helps explain two other fringe Melbourne-based finals contenders not meeting external expectations.
Brad Scott’s Bombers have reached a list-demographics sweet spot thanks to a stunning off-season recruiting raid and the natural maturation of their emerging stars.Credit:They entered the season as one of the AFL’s most intriguing clubs, with a wide range of outcomes predicted and, but sit third through nine rounds with a 6-2-1 record .
There was a familiar groan in reaction to Essendon nosediving in the second half of last season from fifth place to 11th, owing to defeats in seven of their last 10 matches. “I felt like we were probably a little bit inexperienced and when we lost a few guys , we struggled. To plug-in McKay, Gresham and Duursma in that age bracket, I think, massively helps, as well as a year older and“It should have a massive impact on the season. Those guys can hopefully churn out games more consistently, and we won’t have to rely on too few ... we’re extremely excited and optimistic on what we can achieve.
St Kilda’s 22-and-younger group has increased from 17 to 19 this season, while they started the 2024 campaign with six players aged 30 or older – Brad Crouch, Bradley Hill, Seb Ross, Jimmy Webster, Mason Wood and Tom Campbell – compared to just one last year. Perhaps, this is the point coach Luke Beveridge was making after last year’s horror late-season loss to West Coast, when he asked reporters quizzing him about his playing group underachieving: “Are you looking at our whole list? Are you looking at players who have been influential in the past?
The former Hawk and Docker, who played in Hawthorn’s flag three-peat from 2013-15, is nearing a new deal that will keep him at St Kilda until the end of the 2027 season. The five-year deal he signed to cross to the Saints from Fremantle expires at season’s end.“I’m not sure how much has come out, but there’s been talks to extend, and I definitely want to play out my career at St Kilda,” Hill said.
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