Key forward Peter Wright saved his AFL career by leaving Gold Coast and joining Essendon.
He went from not playing a single game for the Suns in 2020 to playing 43 in two years for the Bombers and kicking 82 goals.
Can Essendon repeat the magic with Sam Weideman in 2023? The 25-year-old has played 28 games for the Demons in the last three seasons and was never able to grab a mostly vacant key forward role.
Garry Lyon believes Weideman and Wright can coexist in the same forward line, if the former Demon plays further up the ground as he did at stages early in his career.
“The best footy Sam Weideman played at Melbourne that made him look like a regular senior player, I don’t know if it was a confidence thing, but he just started crashing packs there for a period of time as a push-up centre half forward that would hit the wings and the logos,” Lyon told SEN Breakfast.
“He didn’t necessarily mark them, but there was a period of time where he was crashing the packs and spilling the ball and creating opportunities. If he gets back to that, then Peter Wright can continue doing what he’s been doing and play a bit deeper. I hope Weideman gets a chance.”
Of course, Lyon says it’s on Weideman to earn his spot in Essendon’s best 22 after being incapable of consistently doing so at Melbourne.
“It’s not so much about (he and Wright) being alike, it’s more about Weideman. There’s no guarantee he can be a week-in week-out senior AFL player yet and that was proven at Melbourne,” he said.
“He just wasn’t able to bed it down. Melbourne were screaming out for him to bed it down.
“Now, the world is littered with players that weren’t able to do it at one club and for whatever reason they go to another club and it clicks for them. I hope it happens for him and Essendon.”
Essendon great Tim Watson remains sceptical about whether Weideman and Wright can work as a key forward combo.
“If I look at it, I see both those guys as probably wanting to play in a similar space in the forward line and Essendon can’t do that,” Watson said.
“I think they’re both deeper forwards who come out of the square and lead and mark.
“Let’s take Geelong as an example. Jeremy Cameron was able and capable of going way up the ground and looping around with his left foot. Gary Rohan used his speed and played a different role.
“My point is, is there a point of difference between those guys?”
Lyon maintains they both need to be flexible.
“That’s what I was saying. At his best he was hitting the logos and smashing the packs. That was sort of his role,” he said.
“Don’t be predictable with this. They’ve got to mix it up. They’ve both got to be able to play both roles at various times.”
Essendon will begin their 2023 campaign on Thursday evening, taking on Gold Coast in a practice match.
