Essendon Bombers - AFL Fantasy Analysis 2025 - The Keeper League
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Essendon Bombers – AFL Fantasy Analysis 2025

Essendon struggled last season, and as they look to rebuild, there could be some reshuffling of positions and opportunities for other players to step up. With these changes come exciting prospects for fantasy AFL players. This article dives into the undervalued players, breakout candidates, and rookie options that could make an impact in draft keeper leagues. From seasoned performers to up-and-coming rookies, we explore who to watch and why they matter for your keeper league team in 2025.

Undervalued Players

Dylan Shiel

Managed to fight his way back into the midfield at Essendon halfway through last season and performed pretty well from a fantasy perspective. However, if Essendon are to move forward, they need to move past players like Dylan Shiel. There has been talk of him training across half-back in the preseason, which has piqued my interest a little. We’ll have to wait and see if that eventuates as more news comes to hand.

Breakout Candidates

Nick Bryan

Nick Bryan should take over as Essendon’s main ruck in 2025. However, I expect Essendon will play two rucks, which will hamper his scoring. Sam Draper has a more likely skillset to play forward, which is why I believe Bryan will be the main guy in the middle. Given Draper’s injury history and fluctuating form, we could see Nick Bryan overtake Essendon’s sole ruck at some stage, and I doubt they’ll go back to using the ageing Todd Goldstein. Bryan is definitely worth keeping an eye on.

Archie Perkins

I’m not confident about Archie Perkins, but looking at Essendon’s list, someone has to take the 30% centre bounce attendances left by Jake Stringer. Perkins plays a similar mid-forward role, making him a candidate for that extra midfield boost. We’ve seen what he’s capable of with a full-time midfield run—just look at Round 1 last year, where he put up a huge fantasy score. However, Essendon’s overloaded midfield could limit his opportunities. And without forward status, he’s less appealing in fantasy circles.

Ben Hobbs

Ben Hobbs needs to make his mark in 2025. Like Archie Perkins, he’s a likely candidate to fill Jake Stringer’s role, capable of playing as a stoppage-style midfielder and also going forward. However, for Hobbs to become a good fantasy player, he needs a full-time midfield role. While that may not happen just yet at Essendon, I have no doubt it will eventually—if not at Essendon, then perhaps at another club. He’s still worth drafting to your teams.

Archie Roberts

Archie Roberts played the final four games of last season and averaged 85 points, showcasing his scoring potential. My only concern is that Xavier Duursma was unavailable during those games and Roberts plays a similar role. Also, Nick Martin has been touted to return to the wing this season, which could affect him. If he’s to play across half-back, Essendon already has strong rebounding defenders in Ridley, Redman, and McGrath, limiting his scoring opportunities. I just worry he might be a wasted pick if you’re trying to utilise him this season, but he’s a talented player with a fantasy game, so he’s definitely one to watch for the future.

Stash Options

Nate Caddy

We saw glimpses of what Nate Caddy can do last season, but he’s still pretty raw. As a key forward, he’s unlikely to become a huge fantasy type but has the talent to be a consistent performer. He might develop into a player who can average 70 points a season. However, that’s probably a year or two away from happening.

Saad El-Hawli

Saad El-Hawli was Essendon’s midseason draft pick in 2024, and he put up impressive VFL numbers, averaging just under 100 points per game. He’s likely to take a half-back role at Essendon, and with the prospect of Nick Martin returning to the wing, he’s definitely one to watch over the preseason.

Rookie Watch

Kayle Gerreyn

Kayle Gerreyn was the best fantasy rookie drafted by Essendon in the 2025 draft. His strong fantasy numbers come from playing in the ruck as a junior. However, he can also play as a key forward, which is likely where he ends up at Essendon given their current ruck stocks are full. To learn more about him and the other draftees taken by Essendon, check out our Draftee Fantasy Analysis Guide or our AFL Fantasy Draftee Podcast.

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