Two plusses for Essendon in 2018 were recruit Jake Stringer, and Shaun McKernan’s form as a replacement for injured Joe Daniher. Photo: GETTY IMAGES

ESSENDON 2018 record: 12 wins, 10 losses (11th).

THE INS
Dylan Shiel (GWS), Irving Mosquito (Gippsland Power), Noah Gown (Gippsland Power), Brayden Ham (Geelong Falcons), Tom Jok (Collingwood), Zac Clarke (Subiaco)

THE OUTS
Travis Colyer (Fremantle), Brendon Goddard (delisted), Jackson Merrett (delisted), Josh Green (delisted), Matthew Leuenberger (retired)

THE STRENGTHS
A shocking start to the season might have cost the Bombers finals, but the last two-thirds of 2018 saw them achieve a better balance and evenness across several areas the likes of which they hadn’t known for a long time. Particularly the mix of attack and defence, out of whack in one direction or the other for so long. They won 10 of their last 14 games and lost three of the other four narrowly. They won five out of six games on the road. And found greater selection depth and genuine flexibility with a clutch of senior players. Despite having won just two of their first eight games, the Dons by the end had climbed back to high rankings for both contested and uncontested possession, clearances and tackles. That had a lot to do with the midfield, which had been a chronic weakness, but come round 23 was a legitimate strength, Devon Smith, Dyson Heppell and Zach Merrett the rock-solid core, but David Zaharakis, Kyle Langford, Darcy Parish and David Myers all increasingly consistent and reliable. Now that group is supplemented by a genuine A-grader in Dylan Shiel, potentially the final piece of the jigsaw puzzle.

THE WEAKNESSES
Once Essendon sorted itself out one-third of the way through the 2018 season, there weren’t necessarily that many deficiencies with which to deal. One indicator that there is still some ground to be made up, however, is the Bombers’ record against the top four this year, which was an unflattering 1-5, albeit the one victory over eventual premier West Coast in Perth. The Dons don’t generally get quite enough bang for their buck in attack, finishing ranked only ninth for goals per inside 50 entry. And whilst there were a few surprise packets up forward in Shaun McKernan, Mitch Brown and a revitalised Mark Baguley, Essendon perhaps didn’t get quite the sort of goal tallies nor defensive pressure it was looking for from its small forwards, Josh Green (now delisted) struggling for games, Orazio Fantasia with injury issues. Getting that diversity of sizes as well as a fitter Joe Daniher back into the forward mix will be one interesting challenge for the coaching staff over the summer.

ONE TO WATCH
There were plenty of promising signs for the future the longer 2018 went, but in this category, one young tyro stands out, and his name is Aaron Francis. Held back in the VFL for most of the season, coach John Worsfold final unleashed the powerful defender over the last month of the season with plenty of impact, the redhead seriously impressing with his reading of play, disposal and mighty leap, evidenced in a huge grab in the final game of the season against Port Adelaide which should have been close to mark of the year. Francis will be expected to go on with it now. But there’s absolutely no reason he can’t at least do that.

UNDER THE PUMP
This is by no means a slight on his talent or application, but the bottom line is things aren’t looking nearly as rosy from an individual perspective for Bomber spearhead Joe Daniher as they were this time a year ago. Then, the lanky forward was coming off a 65-goal season and ready to take the competition by storm. Now, it’s not having played any football since the first week of May because of osteitis pubis, and still not training fully because of the issue until at least after the Christmas break. When Daniher does return, he will find a forward structure and ethos which has changed considerably in his absence. Not a challenge to which he can’t respond in 2019, but a challenge nonetheless.

BEST 22
B: Aaron Francis, Cale Hooker, Marty Gleeson
HB: Conor McKenna, Michael Hurley, Adam Saad
C: David Zaharakis, Dyson Heppell, Andrew McGrath
HF: Orazio Fantasia, Shaun McKernan, Devon Smith
F: Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, Joe Daniher, Jake Stringer
R: Tom Bellchambers, Dylan Shiel, Zach Merrett
Inter: David Myers, Darcy Parish, Kyle Langford, Matt Guelfi
Emerg: Mark Baguley, Patrick Ambrose, Mitch Brown, Jayden Laverde

A very impressive line-up, on paper at least, with long-term injury casualties Daniher and the valuable Marty Gleeson stepping straight back in. There’s several players stiff to miss out, with Shaun McKernan, whose form as a key forward before injury was most encouraging, getting first dibs as second target in front of James Stewart and Mitch Brown. Patrick Ambrose has also been a walk-up start in a best 22 until now, a good example of how much deeper the Dons are batting these days.