Almanac Footy: Essendon 2026 season preview

Now back, a week after returning from New Zealand, I can settle to focus on our next club, alphabetically, Essendon.

 

List:
Essendon, like Carlton, are the two under-achievers of the last half-decade. Personally, it’s more than just the list. The AFL administration successfully destroyed the careers of a generation of footballers there. No doubt! Then, you have the allegedly misguided efforts of their board over the last decade. Even as 2026 is set to unfold, they have no executive leader, i.e., CEO. But, that’s all off-field.

 

On-field, the fact that only 14 of the current list were core players in 2025 says a lot about the instability at the club. What’s more, there are only 3 players 190cms or more on the list, who were core players in 2025. A list manager must decide: 1. Who are my regularly injured players? 2. What types are they – talls, mediums, smalls? How many can I afford to maintain on my list?

 

The 200+ cm column of players on the list numbers eight. You only need three. Some correctly argue that some of these are KPPs (key position players). My argument, then, is, how many players 200+ can a team afford to have on a field at the one time?

 

Anyway, let’s get on with who’s new. Sharp walks into the inside midfield. He’s right up there and could be a once in a generation player. It’s one of the vagaries of the national draft that he wasn’t #1. Fiorini adds to the outside midfield. Robey is a much-touted junior forward. While Kondgiannis was the 3rd tall defender in my U18 national team of the year of 2025, but he will need to stack up about 50 games asap to be a top defender.

 

 

Select 23:
As said, only 14 core players from 2025 on the list, of which I’ve chosen 12. Prior was unlucky, but injuries to others gave opportunity.

 

Defence – has been decimated by injuries to KPPs. On stats, their best defenders are McKay, Reid, Redman, Roberts, Blakiston, Ridley, McGrath and Prior. Ridley gets in before Blakiston on experience. Though Blakiston can argue, how do I get experience if I’m not getting picked. And Prior is unlucky. Kondgiannis is talented but, probably, needs a season in the ‘magoos’ (twos).

 

Midfield – again, too many injuries. Sharp walks into the inside midfield, and can kick regular goals. Merrett, Durham and Duursma are regulars. Bryan (ruck), Caldwell and Parish need injury-free seasons. Tsatas will improve. While, Fiorini will add depth – outside and inside. Gresham, in maturity, needs to show more. A string of non-core midfielders sit on the interchange bench to provide rotations.

 

Forward – Wright and Caddy are the key forwards surrounded by Langford, Perkins, Kako, and the ‘newy’ Robey on a flank.

 

Essendon needs stability from above, an injury-free season, and fingers crossed.

 

Essendon 2026 Select 23:

 

B: McGrath, McKay, Reid

HB: Redman, Ridley, Roberts

C: Duursma, Durham, Fiorini

HF: Langford, Caddy, Robey

F: Perkins, Wright, Kako

R: Bryan, Sharp, Merrett

I: Tsatas, Caldwell, Parish, Martin, Gresham

 

You can follow all my list updates as they become available at https://www.ozfootylistmanager.com/2026-lists-new.html

 

More from Micky McTigger Here

 

 

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