Terry Wallace, The List Manager, has given his analysis of the Essendon footy club on Telstra AFL Trade Radio.
The Bombers managed to make the finals, losing by over 50 points to the Eagles in the first elimination final.
Wallace said the direction of the club seems unclear.
“The Essendon Footy Club should be ready to compete at the high end of the ladder but to me there is mixed messaging coming out of the club," he said.
“In the last two years they’ve picked up Adam Saad, Devon Smith, Jake Stringer and Dylan Shiel, which is a club that thinks they are ready, yet the coach has told us to be patient, so it’s sort of mixed messaging I think that’s come out of the club for a while.”
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Wallace said the team’s age profile meant they should be seeing some success.
“They are at the perfect age demographic to have a crack now. The Bombers have 19 of their best 25 players who are 24 or over in age - so their time is now,” he added.
Asked what the Bombers needed to look at this trade period, Wallace said they needed a strong-bodied mid and that Shiel alone wasn’t enough.
“He’s not a strong-bodied mid, that’s not the way he plays… he’s not the bullocking type of player, he’s a dasher.”
A key forward is also crucial for Essendon according to Wallace, particularly as speculation continues around Joe Daniher potentially departing the club.
“Key forward definitely for me, if Daniher leaves.”
Wallace’s final assessment is that he “just can’t trust them.”
“With the age profile of the group, I should be saying they make ground, but I’m sticking with losing ground until I see some positive changes either in this two weeks of trade, or with some structure going forward.”
Listen to Plough's assessment of Essendon below: