Essendon came into the 2020 National Draft under the microscope given they had three picks inside the top 10.
With those selections, the Bombers took key position utility Nikolas Cox out of the Northern Knights, midfielder Archie Perkins out of Sandringham and key defender Zach Reid out of Gippsland.
Before the draft, veteran AFL recruiter Matt Rendell stated that nailing this draft could set up the Bombers’ next premiership.
Following their picks, Rendell gave his analysis saying he did not expect them to select two talls.
“They’ve lost key position players, they’ve got Michael Hurley at 30 plus, so they’re bringing in a key back and Cox who could be a key forward and another gun midfielder,” Rendell told SEN’s trade coverage.
“I probably would have gone the next mid like a Tanner Bruhn in front of Reid because we know they’ve got Cody Brand an Academy player later in the draft who’s a key back and I rated him around pick 15 to 17.
“They’ve also got Josh Eyre as a key forward coming in, so this is going to give them four talls and one mid which is going to be fantastic, but that’s going to take a little bit of time.
“That’s going to take three or four years before you see the fruition from those picks.
“If I was them I probably would have gone the mid instead of Reid, but they’ve still picked three very good players, but they’re probably not going to get a heap out of them next year besides Archie.
“It’s a patience draft for them. In three years you’re going to have every key position covered.”
