THE RE-SIGNING of Brent Stanton for next season means Essendon has seven of its 12 suspended players committed to returning to the club once their bans end.
But even if the Bombers manage to secure almost all of their suspended players to new deals for 2017, how many will make their team for round one next year?
AFL.com.au has taken a look at how the Bombers' opening round side for next season might stack up, and there are plenty of things to consider.
For the purpose of this exercise, we are assuming Essendon's suspended out-of-contract players will return. There is significant rival interest in Michael Hurley and Michael Hibberd, while captain Jobe Watson has also yet to confirm his intentions for next season.
But all three are in this prospective side, alongside fellow banned Dons David Myers, Travis Colyer, Tom Bellchambers, Cale Hooker, Dyson Heppell and Stanton. Heath Hocking, Ben Howlett, who is also considering his next move, and Tayte Pears, who may retire to pursue a fire-fighting career, are the only suspended players not in this selected team.
If Hurley does return, Hooker should be used forward, where he kicked 20 goals in the last 10 games of 2015 in a marking role inside-50.
The Bombers have enough depth for defenders – Mitch Brown and Patrick Ambrose aren't in this team – given the emergence of Michael Hartley this season, but remain light on key forwards.
Other players this year to cement their places in the Bombers' side of the future have been Darcy Parish, Orazio Fantasia and Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, while we expect Aaron Francis to be in Essendon's first-choice side by next season if he can manage a full pre-season.
Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti has been a revelation this year. Picture: AFL Photos
The development of Jayden Laverde and Kyle Langford will also be paramount to taking the Bombers forward next season, with this line-up placing them ahead of the likes of midfield pair Howlett (if he returns to the club) and Craig Bird.
Should the Bombers be able to field the team shown below they will carry strong confidence that the club can lift itself well off the bottom of the ladder where it is placed now.
But the Bombers will also almost certainly finish last this year, with the No.1 pick at this year's NAB AFL Draft to join the club (if it doesn't trade the selection).
Victorian midfielders Hugh McCluggage and Will Brodie, as well as West Australian Sam Petrevski-Seton, are among the leading candidates for the first draft pick.
Brodie appears best placed to step into an AFL team by round one next season, with McCluggage and Petrevski-Seton likely to start their careers across half-forward as they add more size to their bodies.
ESSENDON'S POSSIBLE ROUND ONE TEAM NEXT YEAR
B: Mark Baguley, Michael Hartley, Michael Hibberd
HB: David Myers, Michael Hurley, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti
C: Darcy Parish, Jobe Watson, Brendon Goddard
HF: Travis Colyer, Cale Hooker, Aaron Francis
F: David Zaharakis, Joe Daniher, Orazio Fantasia
R: Matthew Leuenberger, Zach Merrett, Dyson Heppell
I/C: Tom Bellchambers, Jayden Laverde, Brent Stanton, Kyle Langford
Dyson Heppell will be a massive inclusion next season. Picture: AFL Photos
