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The text message Tim Watson received from Essendon draftee which left him chuffed
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2021-03-02T14:27+11:00
Essendon great Tim Watson has revealed first-year player Josh Eyre invited him to present his jumper ahead of the new season.
Eyre, who is a graduate of the clubâs Next Generation Academy, has been handed Watsonâs old number 32 after being drafted with pick 39 in last yearâs draft.
Watson said he was touched by the gesture and was impressed by the teenager reaching out to him directly.
âI got a text message yesterday from a number I didnât recognise,â he said on
30 and over: Adelaide to Fremantle A Set the default text size A Set large text size
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Every club has their veterans and their old boys, so who are your club’s over 30s, where are their contracts at and will they survive post-2021?
Adelaide
David Mackay
He turns 33 in July, is out of contract in 2021 and will probably be the end of the road. Adelaide are relying on their kids and they are quicker and younger than Mackay.
Taylor Walker
Walker turns 31 on Anzac Day and his future is well and truly up in the air with the former captain’s form almost dropping off the cliff.
Who s fighting for survival and who s flying toward a new deal in 2021? A Set the default text size A Set large text size
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The 2020 season brought about more challenges than bear thinking about, and when the announcement of list cuts came through the stratosphere more than a few players in the competition were nervous.
In 2021 more players are under the pump than ever before, so here I’ve identified a player from each club who’s fighting for a new deal in 2021 and those are out of contract in 2021 flying towards a new deal.
Trade and draft review: Bombers succession planning A Set the default text size A Set large text size
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The Essendon Bombers spent the entire trade period in 2019 flying evasive manoeuvres trying to keep hold of Joe Daniher, only to drop him cold and take the early compensation pick in 2020 free agency, ironically at the same value of Carlton’s pick from 2019 that caused such dramas for Sydney and the Gold Coast.
On the first day of the second trade window, the Bombers landed a home-grown replacement for Daniher in Peter Wright for a mere fourth-rounder, which could well turn out to be the most underrated move of the entire 2020 horse-trading period.