Essendon are set for another busy off-season, with experienced key forwards reportedly in their sights.
The Bombers have been arguably the most impressive side of the 2021 season, with their young, exciting list going against pre-season expectations as they currently sit in the frame for a finals place.
A key question that has been raised with the Bombers is their avenue to goal, with the likes of Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti (32 goals), Cale Hooker(31), Jake Stringer (25) and Harry Jones (20) leading the club's goal-kicking this year.
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With Stringer's future still undecided, and Hooker well into the twilight of his career, a void in the Bombers' forward line looks to be gaping.
Fox Footy'sย Jon Ralph has suggested that Essendon are likely to come knocking to any ready-made and available key forwards that could thrive as Ben Rutten's new focal point in attack.
"If you're a key position forward, you're under 23, you're uncontracted or you want to move clubs, you might as well find Essendon's number because they are absolutely desperate,โ he said.
"They're excited about Harrison Jones but he's really young so they're desperate to add another key tall.
"Cale Hooker is probably 50/50 to play on, he's desperate to, Essendon is open to it but he certainly needs to finish strongly after a quiet couple of weeks. Jake Stringer will sign a new deal in coming weeks, that's really close."
The Bombers missed out on luring former Kangaroo and new Demons recruit Ben Brown to Tullamarine last season, with the 28-year-old since being kept to limited opportunities at Melbourne.
Essendon were able to add Suns spearhead Peter Wright to their list to recover from the loss of Joe Daniher, but the two-metre tall key-forward has failed to have an immediate impact - booting 13 goals from 14 games this season.
While Wright remains a formidable option moving forward, Ralph reports that the Bombers will have a host of names on their shopping list for the 2022 season.
"The first round pick is very much up for grabs. They don't think Ben King is any chance to be traded this year, they're not really interested in Sam Weideman who is out of contract and out of favour and Rory Lobb is too old for them," Ralph added.
"It's this year or next, Adrian Dodoro is clearly going to have to drag a rabbit out of his hat but it's just that final piece of the puzzle they really feel that within 50 games will turn them into something special."
