If you look at the Bombers now..That was us a few years ago. Poor recruiting decisions and an ageing list.
Here's the Essendon 2007 list out of curiosity (red means retired, traded or delisted since the end of the season). They had 11 players 28+ y.o. making up half their best 22. 5 have gone since the end of the season including their B&F and best player of a generation. There's one massive hole in the middle-age bracket which will be exposed fully now.
34:
Hird32:
Camporeale, Fletcher
30: Michael
29: J.Johnson,
M.Johnson, Lloyd, Lucas
28:
Bolton, Heffernan, Peverill
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27: -
26: Hille, McVeigh, Ramanauskus#
25: -
24:
Cole, Lovett, Lovett-Murray, McPhee, Welsh
23: Davey
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22: Dyson, Johns, Laycock, Watson, Winderlich
21:
Bradley, Lee, Nash, Slattery, Stanton, Chartres#
20: Dempsey, Lonergan, Monfries,
McKinnon#19: Gumbleton, Hislop, Houli, Jetta, Neagle, Ryder, Hocking#
18: Reimers, Dick#
Oldies: 11 (6)
Mids: 9 (8 )
Youth: 24 (22)
Rucks (>198cm): 5 (3) -
Bradley, Fletcher, Hille, Laycock,
McKinnon#Big Talls (194-198cm): 6 (5) -
Bolton, Gumbleton, Johns, Lee, Ryder, Chartres#
Talls (190-193cm): 7 (7) - Lloyd, Lovett-Murray, Lucas, Michael, Neagle, Watson, Dick#
Tall Mids (186-189cm): 9 (6) -
Cole, Heffernan, Hird, Hislop, McPhee, Nash, Welsh, Winderlich, Hocking#
Mids (180-185cm): 15 (13) -
Camporeale, Dempsey, Dyson, Houli,J.Johnson,
M.Johnson, Lonergan, Lovett, McVeigh, Monfries, Peverill, Reimers, Slattery, Stanton, Ramanauskus#
Smalls (<179cm): 2 (2) - Davey, Jetta