Essendon football boss Dan Richardson says ruckman Sam Draper will debut for the club when he’s gained sufficient game conditioning.
The 21-year-old 205cm big man is yet to play for the Bombers and has spent multiple years developing in the VFL since being picked up with pick one in the 2016 Rookie Draft.
He was on the cusp of playing his first senior game last year before suffering a season-ending ACL injury and has only just returned to full fitness.
After impressing in the club’s scratch matches on the Gold Coast, Richardson said he was hoping to see him make his AFL debut at some point this season.
“Sam is tracking well,” Richardson said on SEN’s Time On.
“We’ve been fortunate enough to have a couple of match simulation for the non-selected players in the last two weeks and the first one was in Southport and he took a towering mark.
“We all thought it was great for his confidence and it was terrific to see. He’s got through two of those games now.
“We won’t be able to play a scratch match this week given we’re travelling to Adelaide but we’ll have another one the following week.
“In terms of an exact timeframe on (him debuting), it’s difficult to say but certainly he’s tracking well, worked hard to rehabilitate his knee and now it’s about getting some of that game condition which in the year that we’re having is perhaps more of a challenge.
“Hopefully we’ll see him at some point this year.”
The emerging Bomber was subjected to a big-money offer from St Kilda last year but knocked it back in order to re-sign with the club until at least the end of 2023.