However, a successful recruiting spree secured Ben McKay, Jade Gresham and Todd Goldstein as free agents, before they sent long-overdue defender Brandon Zerk-Thatcher to Port Adelaide in an effective trade for Xavier Duursma.
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That player move, plus Mason Redman, Darcy Parish, Matt Guelfi and Will Setterfield another year, helped boost Essendon's 26-29 stock from nine to 14 this season.
The star trio Draper, Ridley and Andrew McGrath – who were not included in the aforementioned count – will turn 26 this year; Duursma and Jye Caldwell will turn 24 in July and September, respectively; and Harrison Jones blew out the candles on his 23rd birthday cake in February.
“I think we exposed ourselves a little bit last year with that [age] demographics,” Merrett said the age the eve of the season.
“I felt like we were probably a little inexperienced and when we lost a few guys [to injury], we fought. Connecting McKay, Gresham and Duursma in that age bracket I think helps tremendously, as well as another year and 20 more games in [Sam] Durham, [Nic] Martin, Redman and [Archie] Perkins.
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“It should have a massive impact on the season. Hopefully these guys can produce games more consistently and we won't have to rely on too few … we're extremely excited and optimistic about what we can accomplish.”
The majority of the Bombers' age is also evident in their games played this season compared to the previous one. They now have fewer footballers in the 0-25 and 26-50 categories and more in the 51-100 and 101-150 categories.
Analyzing the demographics of the roster itself illustrates that the Saints could be at least another year or two away from hitting their sweet spot.
St Kilda's 22-and-under squad has increased from 17 to 19 this season, while they began the 2024 campaign with six players aged 30 and over: Brad Crouch, Bradley Hill, Seb Ross, Jimmy Webster, Mason Wood and Tom Campbell. to just one last year.
Essendon's maturation in the 26-29 bracket is contrasted at Moorabbin, where the Saints' presence in that age group has dropped from 17 to 11, largely as a result of senior players reaching their 30s.
It's a similar story for the Bulldogs, who also saw a decline in 26-29 (11 to nine) and an increase in players aged 31 and over (three to six), plus a slight increase in 22 -and -minors (15 to 16).
Perhaps that's the point manager Luke Beveridge was making after last year's dreadful end-of-season defeat to West Coast when he quizzed reporters about his squad's under-performing game: “Are you looking at our entire roster? Are you looking at players who have been influential in the past?
“Your knowledge of the game, I presume, is sophisticated enough to understand that it takes more than a handful [to win] … I have experienced success [and] elevation and trajectory when no one thought we could.
“Then other times, maybe like now what you're alluding to, is that if the assessment is that there's more to us than we're getting, well, that's a totally analytical thing that you're entitled to.”
Saint does not move from this hill
Saint star Bradley Hill has no intention of looking for a fourth AFL club, despite some rumblings last year he would be open to a move.
The former Hawk and Docker, who played for Hawthorn's three-peat banner between 2013 and 2015, is closing in on a new deal that will keep him at St Kilda until the end of the 2027 season. The five-year deal which signed to move to the Saints from Fremantle expires at the end of the season.
Brad Hill is closing in on a new deal at the Saints.Credit: Darrian Traynor
“I'm not sure how much has come of it, but there have been talks about expanding, and I definitely want to build my career at St Kilda,” Hill said.
“It's just shutting down everything and whatever, and my manager [Colin Young] doing all his stuff, but for me, as long as we can get it ticked and approved, yeah, I'll be in St Kilda.
“I don't want to go anywhere else. I've already been to some clubs [laughing]. I love St Kilda and I think we have a bright future. There's a lot of young talent and I'm really excited to see where the club can go.”
Sly cat in demand
Geelong unrestricted free agent forward Tyson Stengle will let his football do the talking for him as rival clubs scout in the hope he considers another fresh start.
Stengle's four goals against Port Adelaide at the weekend took his season total to 18 in nine games, putting him on a similar path to his top-flight season best of 53 goals of the Cats two years ago, which also paid off for him. All Australian selection.
Tyson Stengle is enjoying an impressive season.Credit: AFL photos
The 25-year-old, who previously played for Richmond and Adelaide, will leave contract negotiations to his coach, Eddie Betts' wife Anna Scullie, as he recovers from an injury-plagued 2023 campaign.
Scullie negotiated a one-year extension for Stengle in February last year, but he will almost certainly covet a big-money long-term deal, either from Geelong or an opposition suitor.
“My manager is working on it right now,” Stengle said.
“I'm just trying to focus on playing good football. I've had a good start to the year so far. I started the [2023] I got injured in the pre-season so I came into the season a bit down, then I broke my arm in the fourth round so it was a pretty tough year.”
The public position of Stengle's camp is that he would like to remain at the Cattery in an “ideal” scenario.
