Oz Footy List Manager now takes a look at Essendon.
List:
The Essendon list is an interesting one. Back in 2023, I would have thought they would begin playing in finals, but since then have not finished any higher than 11th. However, since 2023, two rounds of delistings have removed many of their mature players. Across their mature age range, 25-27yo, they look thin. The bulk of their midfielders sit in the developing age range, 22-24yo, which indicates that they have deferred their window until 2026.
Another area of concern is their surplus of 200cm players. Why so many? One thinks that they might be a bit too tall, especially with a dearth of mobile talls (190-194cm) and genuine talls (195-199cms). Also, isn’t it time that Draper and Bryan rucked together and Goldstein was pastured?
Like most teams, Essendon’s success will rely on having a much larger portion core players in their team. 14 of 22 isn’t enough to be a final’s contender. This brings us back to Hobbs and where he is at. His 2024 stats don’t put him anywhere near the best 22. Here’s hoping a better 2025 for him.
Also, where to for Jones and Cox? Both appear to be surplus.
Select 22:
As said, Essendon need to have more core players. Caddy is an automatic pick at CHF, replacing Stringer. Another interesting one is Setterfield. On general clearances, he sits at #1, but sits at #6 for centre clearances. Maybe he needs to spend more time in the centre rotations.
Bryan and Draper should share the ruck, as their stats are not far off Goldstein, with them previously spending far less time there.
The new draftee, Kako, as a small forward should walk into a team that has a relatively low goal-scoring average.
B: McGrath, McKay, Laverde
HB: Roberts, Ridley, Redman
C: Martin, Caldwell, Durham
HF: Guelfi, Caddy, Langford
F: Kako, Wright, Gresham
R: Bryan, Setterfield, Merrett
I: Sheil, Draper, Perkins, Duursma
You can follow all the list updates here.
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About
It was 25 years ago that I began developing a model for analysing footy squad lists for the purpose of improving those lists into a premiership window. Since then, the model has been used to successfully predict premiership clubs and to improve either lop-sided or underdeveloped lists into premiership lists. Indeed, the model was used for an article that I had published as a double page spread in The Age 2005 Pre-Season magazine. Over the 25 years, I have analysed the annual lists of one particular club but have used it for other clubs upon request. It has always been on my bucket list to display the lists of all the clubs, using the model, which I've done since 2021 on my website - OzFootyListManager.com
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