Ex-Bomber and current AFL player manager Scott Lucas says there are two simple reasons why Essendon are a destination club of the AFL right now.
The ex-forward says that Dons list manager Adrian Dodoro’s assessment of the side as one that opposition players envy stems down to the club’s ability to make finals this year with a very young playing group and the large degree of salary cap space they have created in recent years.
“They made the finals, they’ve got some quality young players - so most would expect them to improve - and they also have some salary cap room,” Lucas told SEN’s Inside TradeSENtral.
“When you combine those two together, it gives you some flexibility to get some deals done, whereas if you’ve got cap constraints it’s hard to bring players in.
“If you’re down in the bottom three or four with an aging list, it’s very difficult and you’re maybe less interested in bringing those free agents or trade players in to improve your position ever so slightly. It can often be about going back to the draft and getting those young quality players back in.”
Lucas gave a thumbs up to the club’s recent work in the NAB AFL Trade Period, praising the acquisitions of Devon Smith, Jake Stringer and Adam Saad.
He believes the addition of the trio adds significantly to the natural improvement that will be seen in the club’s younger stars, making them a stronger team overall as a result.
Lucas says the acquisition of Saad in particular could free up 2016 number one draftee Andrew McGrath to spend further time up the ground in positions where Essendon require greater depth.
“Andy McGrath, I think he’ll move up through the wing and midfield because he is quick and his speed and ability to win his own ball we saw so often throughout the year was excellent one on one and in the contest,” he said.
“That will translate to a really favourable season next year in the midfield and Saad can come in and take his position in that back pocket with (Conor) McKenna.”
However the former Bomber believes Smith is the most significant acquisition of the three new faces, considering the former Giant could spend large periods of games on the ball.
“From having watched him as a TAC Cup player, and early on in his days at the Giants, I reckon he was the most important of the three for them to acquire,” said Lucas.
“For me, he got squeezed out of the midfield through weight of numbers, (Stephen) Coniglio, Callan Ward and so forth.
“I think he’s a genuine mid, he just needs to play there. I think he’s critically important.”
As for Stringer, Lucas believes that only time will tell how a new home for the troubled forward helps him get his promising career back on track.
“It’s all before him. He’s an incredibly talented player that’s had some issues over the past couple of years,” he said.
“The ball is in his court, give him another opportunity and a fresh start, it’s purely up to Jake.”
Lucas says that the backline remains as the greatest question surrounding the Bombers moving forward, believing none of the three new faces help with their ability to defend.
“Stringer, Smith and Saad don’t address that, they are naturally attacking players,” he said.
“Their pre-season has to rely defensively on system because it is not personnel that will change that defensive mindset or aspect to their game. The system they play with and the want to defensively play better as a group will be so important for them.
“Essendon is still that team that are perhaps is consistently as inconsistent as anyone, so they now need to bridge that gap significantly.”