Nick Dal Santo has run through his New Year’s resolutions for Essendon, highlighting where they need to improve in 2021.
In particular, he has zeroed in on midfielder Dylan Shiel. After a strong start to 2020, Shiel dropped away and nearly missed the Bombers’ best and fairest top 10 altogether.
“Dylan Shiel to be an All-Australian quality midfielder (in 2021) – he is at his very best.”
“I think if he’s anywhere near that, they’re in a really good position as well.
“He came 10th in their best and fairest last year – is that staggering?
“Is there a solution to be the All-Australian midfielder that he should be?”
Under new coach Ben Rutten, Dal Santo urges the Bombers to build a game style that can be executed consistently.
“(They need to) have an identity in regards to a game style that is (their) own, that is consistent and one you can relate to as a Bombers supporter,” he said.
“As a supporter, you don’t know who they are, you don’t know what their ball-use is like, you don’t know how they defend, you don’t know who’s doing what at any particular time.
“Be who you are, find your identity.”
Dal Santo is excited to see how trade period recruit Peter Wright fairs in this Essendon line-up, feeling he could step immediately into their best 22.
“The last one is Peter Wright. He is your new focal point,” he said.
“You got him as a focal point and you have other players in that forward line and he doesn’t need to do a lot of ruck because of Sam Draper.
“But he is their focal point going forward and they have been desperate for this kind of role.
“You’ve got Jake Stringer who’s that hybrid role, you’ve got Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, you’ve got Devon Smith, you’ve got all these smalls that can work around him, but you just need a bail-out option when you are under pressure and that midfield has been under pressure for a long time.”
Wright did not play a game for the Suns in 2020, stuck behind Ben King and Sam Day in the pecking order.