The past decade has been characterised by hope and heartbreak for Essendon.
The drug scandal meant Bomber teams of the early part of the decade never reached their full potential and the club was forced into a brief period of irrelevance in 2016.
The post-saga world for the Bombers has been filled with inconsistency and false hope, currently holding the longest winless finals record in the competition.
Throughout this turmoil, there have been 10 standouts that have stood the test of time.
Here are Essendon's top 10 players of the decade:ย
Zach Merrett
Zach Merrett joined his younger brother Jackson at the Bombers in 2014, debuting as a substitute against North Melbourne.
Merrett was not caught up in the supplements saga that plagued the club and was able to play during the 2016 season while many Bombers had to serve their suspensions. It was in this season that Merrett turned into a star, averaging just under 30 disposals a game while polling 19 votes in the Brownlow medal count.
Merrett also captained Essendon to a rare win against Gold Coast at Etihad Stadium, becoming the third youngest match day captain in Essendon history.
Merrett has also already received an All-Australian selection in 2017 and won the Essendon Best & Fairest in 2016.
At only 23 years of age, Merrett's ball winning skills and agility are already some of the best in the competition and he will likely be a key piece of the Bombers going forward as he has already been in this decade.
