The Essendon Bombers finished season 2021 in eighth place with 11 wins and 11 losses, with a better percentage than the seventh-placed GWS Giants.
Despite that, the GWS Giants lost one less game than the Essendon Bombers and had a draw, which meant the Essendon Bombers finished two points behind the GWS Giants and then they lost to the Western Bulldogs in an elimination final.
The Essendon Bombers were further strengthened during the off-season, as they acquired Jake Kelly from the Adelaide Crows. Jake Kelly is a key defender, capable of playing centre half back, which will free up other defenders.
(Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)
The foundation for having a crack at a premiership in season 2022 is there. They have some youngsters, most notably Harrison Jones, along with other players who were superb in season 2021, such as the likes of Nick Hind, Dyson Heppell in defence and Zach Merrett in the midfield. There was also Sam Draper in the ruck. He had a breakout season in 2021.
There’s little doubt that the Essendon Bombers can improve in season 2022. They have the 12th oldest list, with an average age of 24.2 years old, which indicates there is a good mix between youth and experience.
Peter Wright averaged the fourth most goals of any Essendon Bombers players with an average of 1.38 goals per game in season 2021.
Two of the four players who averaged the most goals of any Essendon Bombers players won’t be playing in season 2022. They are Cale Hooker, who retired, and Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, due to being granted a leave of absence due to personal matters.
Wright featured in 21 of 23 games in season 2021, but failed to finish in the top ten of the Essendon Bombers’ best and fairest.
The two games he missed were in Round 11 and 12, due to injury. He played as a second ruckman with an average of 9.76 hitouts per game.
Given that Jake Stringer plays as a midfielder and as a forward and Harrison Jones is still developing his game, there will be plenty of emphasis on Peter Wright improving in season 2022.
It’s quite remarkable that Wright kicked seven goals against the Western Bulldogs in Round 21, but none against them in the elimination final. He needs reduce the gap between his best and his worst.
Darcy Parish had an outstanding season for the Essendon Bombers in season 2021. He finished second in their best and fairest and was named on the interchange bench of the AFL All Australian final team of 22 players. He was a pivotal part of the Essendon Bombers featuring in the finals.
(Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
Parish finished the Brownlow Medal of season 2021 with the most votes of any Essendon Bombers player with 26 votes. He finished equal fifth overall in the Brownlow Medal, along with Jack Steele from St Kilda.
It’s quite remarkable that Parish averaged the most score involvements of any Essendon Bombers player in season 2021, as well as the second most uncontested possessions of anyone in the team and the most centre clearances of any player in the team.
There’s no doubt that he will need to play a big part if the Essendon Bombers can win the premiership in season 2022.
Jordan Ridley is a player that has the capability of being in the AFL All Australian squad of 40 in season 2022 at the very least.
In season 2021, he played 22 of 23 games and finished fourth in the Essendon Bombers’ best and fairest.
(Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Media/Getty Images)
He was prolific as he averaged 21.09 disposals in season 2021, despite playing as a centre half back for much of season 2021.
That’s where the recruitment of Jake Kelly will help as it will allow Ridley to play an even more attacking role in season 2022.
Ridley averaged the highest disposal efficiency per game of any Essendon Bombers player with an average of 88.15 per cent disposal efficiency per game.
He averaged the fourth most metres gained of any Essendon Bombers player, which he should improve on, given it’s unlikely he will play as a key defender in season 2022.
It’s remarkable that he is only 23 years old. Season 2022 should be a season in which he flourishes.
Kyle Langford finished seventh in the Essendon Bombers’ best and fairest in season 2021, despite only featuring in 17 out of 23 games due to injury. He is a player that usually plays on the wing and should continue doing so in season 2022.
The fact that Langford averaged 5.47 score involvements is impressive given he only averaged 20.82 disposals per game, which indicates that he is a player that has the capability of being integral for the Essendon Bombers in season 2022.
Langford is an outside midfielder, but still managed to average 6.59 contested possessions per game in season 2021, which is remarkable.
He averaged the fifth most inside 50s of any Essendon Bombers player with an average of 3.18 inside 50s per game in season 2021.
There’s no doubt he can improve on his all-round game, provided he stays injury free and works hard in season 2022.
Thatsashame
Roar Rookie
Don't think you need to say Essendon Bombers every time. One or the other is fine. And Langford play on a wing and an outside player? I must have missed something. He is a tall inside player who plays half forward too. If Harrison plays a full season and Wright chips in, the Bombers might win a final, finally.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Sour grapes there don? We’ve beaten freo every time we’ve played them for the past seven times
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
What is remarkable about Jordan Ridley being 23yo? Lots of players are.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Yeah it’s good that McGrath and Merrett have been training on the half back line while Shiel, Stringer, and parish can all go forward. The bombers have recruited aggressively for their midfield.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Fair criticism the Bombers will start this season without two of their top three goal scorers and the start of their season is rough. But I’m a little more optimistic, the wheels came off for Hooker towards the end of last year and I reckon we can substitute Walla’ output for Smiths who seemed to relish playing closer to goal in the last game last year. The other thing is Francis and Baldwin have looked very good as forwards in the practice matches they’ve played so far with Francis in particular training the house down and coming back fit and firing
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
It’s not just players names it’s any name that vaguely sounds problematic.
DJCJ
Guest
Essendon will not make the finals in 2022 unless it sorts its forward line out. Its midfield is becoming one of the Leagues best - put a full season into Caldwell, more mid time for Stringer and Shiel finds a niche role and it could be up there as one of the best. Defence looks pretty solid also, with or without Hurley. BUT with Hooker no longer a target/gamechanger and Tipungwuti a bit of a flight risk - Francis, Langford and Smith have to hit to scoreboard a goal each a game, otherwise it will again be a heap of I50s for no reward.
Jake Fish
Roar Rookie
Agree, Draper needs another full year but can become a star and I really like what I see from Bryan. Reminds me of a Gawn/Jackson set up which would be wise to replicate. Biggest thing for Essendon is having their abundance of mids be able to play other positions but especially go forward and hit the scoreboard.
Maxy
Roar Rookie
Yeah Bailey Smith wanted to go on holiday with his parents,think it was only a couple of weeks as you said
Aransan
Roar Rookie
Can’t we address this problem of players names unnecessarily flagging delays in publication?
Aransan
Roar Rookie
Peter Wright risks becoming a depth player at Essendon. Draper will become one of the AFL’s top ruckmen, more will be seen of Nick Bryan this season and he will be a regular in 2023. I can’t see Draper, Bryan and Wright all playing together in the one side. Wright is more forward/ruck than ruck or forward and I don’t believe he can be counted on to be a depth ruck. Can Wright develop more into a forward? He may find competition from some of the emerging young players, Baldwin is one who comes to mind. Harrison Jones will develop into a good forward but I don’t expect that he will be the main focus. The likely loss of McDonald-Tipungwuti is sad and exposes the lack of potential small forwards at Essendon. The focus has been on recruiting tall players who take longer to develop but now attention needs to be paid to recruiting smaller players.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
No he isn’t. He’s just taken an indefinite leave of abscence
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
I mostly agree with your list in particular the stuff about Peter Wright. He needs to be willing to throw his big frame around a lot more with the retirement of Cale Hooker. I think he has actually had a pretty good off season now so he might surprise some people. In a similar vein Aaron Francis, he’s a seriously talented footballer who has never been able to put it together and as he enters his seventh year at the Bombers out of contract he has been swung forward and shapes as a solid proposition that can run up and down the ground as well as provide relief to Harry Jones who is still developing. Then I think there’s Devon Smith who will largely try to fill the shoes of AMT who has taken an indefinite leave of abscence. He returned in November and has really been working on his leadership for the bombers so I think he will surprise some people. Finally there’s Jake Stringer, recently extended under no impetus to perform. But I think the package will come out breathing fire. If he can get on the park for every game he will be a Smokey for the Brownlow haha.
BomberAnon
Guest
Nice article, I agree on most points. However, is Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti confirmed to be out for the season (as you suggest)? I recall Bailey Smith taking an 'indefinite leave of absence' for just a couple of weeks..