A busy off-season has Essendon preparing to make the leap into the top eight after flirting with the chance of playing finals football in 2023.
After falling out of the September race, the Bombers took to the free agency and trade space to improve their list ahead of Brad Scott's second campaign at The Hangar, adding Ben McKay, Jade Gresham, Todd Goldstein and Xavier Duursma while managing to keep their first-round selections for this year and next.
Trading into the top 10 of the draft saw them secure teenager Nate Caddy, who looms as a key piece in the Dons' puzzle moving forward, while some outside run was acquired on night two of the National Draft.
An altered backline, a stacked midfield group and an upside-high forward line will have Bombers fans calling for a top-eight return in 2024, with Scott's first year with the club putting them on the path to do so after treading water in the finals frame throughout this year.
While they soon sunk to 11th, the Bombers did climb four rungs compared to their prior campaign and in the wake of a frantic off-season of off-field change.
With plenty of promise in their current crop of on-field assets, here's how Essendon is likely to take shape in 2024.
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New recruit Ben McKay will seamlessly slot into the full-back role for Brad Scott after making the move from North Melbourne, with Brandon Zerk-Thatcher's exit making it an easy switch for Essendon's defence.
McKay will go toe-to-toe with the opposition's best tall forward and will gain support from fellow key defender Jayden Laverde, while interceptor Jordan Ridley will again look to take the third-tall role after flourishing in a similar position this year.
Midfielder-turned-backman Andrew McGrath will continue in his defensive post after a promising 2023 campaign down back, working alongside ex-skipper Dyson Heppell and attacking flanker Mason Redman in offering some run on the transition.
Speedster Nick Hind will push for a starting role in 2024 after a 16-game season that saw him in and out of Scott's plans. Hind could be a viable sub option for the Bombers as a player who can help flick the switch from defence to offence with the advantage of his pace and run through the late stages of a game.
Scott's half-back options don't extend too much further from there, however, with the Dons coach potentially experimenting with one of his midfielders in a new role at half-back. Entering his second season, Elijah Tstatas could look to learn off someone like Heppell, while Sam Durham or former defender Matt Guelfi could also be deployed across half-back.
The Dons did bring in Archie Roberts and Luamon Lual through the National Draft, but whether either of those two is ready for AFL level remains to be seen.
Jake Kelly and Kaine Baldwin are unlikely to start in Scott's plans to open the 2024 season, while Bombers fans will be hoping Zach Reid and Nik Cox get through the pre-season unscathed before making returns to senior level sometime next year.
The Bombers have some new toys in their midfield pack, with wingman Xavier Duursma and utility Jade Gresham both likely to get a run through the middle in their first years in the red and black, while ruckman Todd Goldstein is also in the starting mix.
Essendon is brimming with midfield talent, having added Elijah Tsatas, Ben Hobbs and Archie Perkins to their ranks as early draft selections over the past three years, while Jye Caldwell, Dylan Shiel, Sam Durham and Nic Martin have also made moves to Tullamarine.
Their extensive depth options have played a supporting role for leading pair Darcy Parish and Zach Merrett, who are set to find greater competition for spots in 2024.
The addition of Duursma sees Scott's strong wing pairing of Martin and Durham grow, while tall utility Nik Cox and youngster Elijah Tsatas are also promising options to offer some run out wide.
Martin promises to eventually make the move into the centre after a strong first two seasons on the flank, while Perkins and Hobbs will be looking to do the same through forward rotations.
Gresham and livewire Jake Stringer will be tied to those magnet moves as viable forward-midfield hybrids.
Scott favoured a two-ruck system this year and is a strong chance to do the same in 2024 with the addition of Todd Goldstein. The retired Andrew Phillips featured in 20 games during his final season in the AFL, and the Bombers could lean on Goldstein as heavily given the injury battles to both Sam Draper and Nick Bryan.
The Bombers also added Vigo Visentini to their list through the Rookie Draft but are likely to hold the Sandringham product to VFL level to start his development.
Tall pairing Peter Wright and Kyle Langford have each booted 50 goals in a season across the past two years, with 2023 giving Dons fans a close look at their leading target options for the future.
Wright played just 10 games this year due to a shoulder setback on the eve of Round 1, with a full campaign potentially putting him back in best and fairest contention following his Crichton Medal-winning 2022 campaign.
Essendon added key forward Nate Caddy with their opening selection at November's National Draft, with the high-leaping attacker a chance to feature in Round 1 depending on the health of Wright, Langford and Jake Stringer, and the club's ruck plans.
Should a similar structure continue into 2024, one of Goldstein or Draper will likely rest forward, while any absence of Stringer could open the door for Caddy given their similarities.
Dons fans can expect the likes of Archie Perkins, Jade Gresham, Ben Hobbs, Xavier Duursma, Nic Martin, Jye Caldwell and Sam Durham to spend time forward while balancing their midfield duties.
Essendon's small forward brigade will be between Matt Guelfi and Jye Menzie, with the latter flourishing in Guelfi's absence this year to boot 23 goals for the season - the most behind Langford's 51.
Tex Wanganeen and the Davey twins, Alwyn and Jayden, will add to Essendon's depth options in attack.
FB: Jordan Ridley, Ben McKay, Andrew McGrath
HB: Mason Redman, Jayden Laverde, Dyson Heppell
C: Sam Durham, Darcy Parish, Nic Martin
HF: Archie Perkins, Kyle Langford, Jade Gresham
FF: Matt Guelfi, Peter Wright, Jake Stringer
FO: Sam Draper, Zach Merrett, Dylan Shiel
I/C: Todd Goldstein, Jye Caldwell, Xavier Duursma, Ben Hobbs
SUB: Elijah Tsatas
Also in the mix: Jye Menzie, Nate Caddy, Nick Hind, Harrison Jones, Kaine Baldwin, Zach Reid, Alwyn Davey Jr., Jake Kelly, Nik Cox