With Vigo Visentini joining the Essendon Rookie List, Essendon has a full list of 38 Primary Listed players and 4 Rookie Listed players. We have 2 Category B spots if we go that way, but let's look at our List depth as it stands.
This isn't an exercise in quality or AFL readiness. Green equals primary position/role. Yellow equals secondary/tertiary position/role. Age in brackets is as at Jan 1, 2024. Rule of thumb is there has to be some level of exposed form in a role at Training, AFL, VFL, Under 18 level.
Start with the backline. Players are in age order, not my ranking. McKay bolsters key defence, I've relegated Laverde to a medium defender, along with Baldwin, but both of them can step up to key post if required.
Cox is key defender height, but I don't think that's his prime position. You'll see him in yellow, a lot. The medium defender profile is our biggest gap for mine. Redman is our best, good in the air, good by foot, runs and creates. Roberts was needed to bolster.
With Duursma coming in, Durham can go back to that role if needed. But we have Laverde, Kelly, Baldwin, Heppell that can probably play a bit taller, maybe a bit smaller but not particularly creative, I project we see change there in 2025.
Forwards - Looks a better spread of types and balance. We're putting a lot of faith in some young small forwards. If they all come on, our depth looks great. If they don't, we have a hole to fill. Jones, Weideman, Hunter all on one year deals.
Classified Langford as a medium forward but he plays more as a key forward. So we are light on for options in a world post Jake Stringer. 2024 is an opportunity for Archie Perkins to really take hold.
Finally the mids. Ruck depth looks good, mix of ages and we have some cover. My inside mids are guys that do their best work at the contest compared to In/Out mids who win the ball and spread. There's a difference between how Hobbs plays and how Parish plays.
For list balance going forward, you'd like we'd be looking to trim our number of medium defenders and key forwards. And keeping an eye on Medium Forwards, Inside Mids and Outside runners in the 2024 Free Agency, Trade and Draft period.
Again, not an assessment on quality. Although it's clearly better than it was a year ago. Balance wise, it certainly is a big improvement, with greater flexibility and improved positional depth. We really need to develop them now.
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