A pair of Essendon's first-round draft selections are looking 'fitter and stronger' ahead of the 2025 season as they plan to replicate the rise that saw two fellow Bombers onballers take on larger roles last year.
Third-year midfielder Elijah Tsatas and fringe midfielder Ben Hobbs are both out to make a name for themselves this year after combining for 19 matches in 2024.
Tsatas has impressed over the course of the pre-season as he looks to establish himself as a top-flight footballer, having struggled with his ball work and consistency across his seven appearances under Brad Scott last year.
Hobbs played a dozen games at senior level in what was his third campaign in the red and black, the lowest season total in his time with the club.
The young Dons pair don't have to look far in their hopes of breaking out as formidable midfield assets, with teammates Jye Caldwell and Sam Durham enjoying career-best seasons in 2024 to support skipper Zach Merrett.
Essendon's captain has been left impressed by the efforts of Tsatas and Hobbs from the summer, with the midfield star believing the Bombers can form a "powerful midfield" unit if they can place pressure on their senior teammates.
"You always want to have guys jump out of the pack internally and take their games to the next level. Sam and Jye were two of those guys last year," Merrett told Zero Hanger.
"I think Elijah and Ben have both had amazing off-seasons into pre-seasons, they both look extremely fit. They look bigger. Watching back the vision against the Dogs they looked physically strong out there, which allows them both to play to their strengths and compete the way that they want to.
"I've got no doubt they're both built for big years, and then it's our job and the coaches' jobs to try and integrate all the midfielders and make it blend and make us complement each other to ensure that we're really powerful midfield.
"So if those two can jump up and the other two can continue on their form, I think we can build a really strong midfield."
Essendon's hopes of forging one of the competition's best engine rooms will also rely on whether Scott and his coaches can strick the right mix in their ruck rotation.
First-string ruckman Sam Draper was limited to just 16 games last year through injury, opening the door for 329-gamer Todd Goldstein and young tall Nick Bryan to flex their value.
The Bombers have looked to use a twin ruck system when applicable, with the same setup likely to Bryan and Draper lead the charge.
Goldstein still has an integral role to play in Essendon's 2025 prospects, with his knowledge as one of the century's best big men helping nurture Draper, Bryan and uncapped ruckman Vigo Visentini.
"It's nice having one of the best ruckmen to ever play teaching these two guys, Vigo too," Merrett said of Goldstein.
"He's an amazing knowledge base for those two in developing their craft and he competes with them at training weekly.
"Those two guys have also had time to compete against each other and are very different in the way they probably ruck. 'Drapes' is a bit more of that dynamic sort of chaos and energy around the ball while Nick's probably a traditional ruckman that is very tap-driven and pretty skilful for his size.
"I think they complement each other quite well, it's just the coaches' job to try and work out the best combination and the best way to best utilise those two guys."
Essendon's 2025 campaign gets underway in Opening Round against Gold Coast at Carrara on Saturday, March 8.
