Versatility will be key for Nate Caddy entering his second year as a Don.
The 19-year-old’s 10 games in 2024 highlighted the raw talent that’s already endearing him to the Bombers faithful, and he’s hopeful that his impact can be even more tangible this season.
With off-season changes and renewed on-field focuses set to change up Essendon’s forward structure, the opportunity that awaits Caddy as both a potential deep forward and a target up the ground is an exciting one.
“That’s why I worked on my fitness a lot over the off-season, I got the gist that I’ll have to play everywhere,” Caddy said.
“If (the coaches) want to play me deep, I’ll be able to do that but if they want to play me at a stoppage or mid-arc, I’ll be able to do that as well.
“I don’t think there’ll be a set position for me or any of us towards the season, that’s what I’m more excited about (is) being able to be a dual threat in the forward line.”
Equipped with a full pre-season this time around after an interrupted build-up into his debut year, Caddy is growing in confidence, boosted further by his exposure to senior footy in the second half of last season.
With that, Caddy’s still keeping his head down and taking the lessons of his early AFL career in stride.
“(The exposure to AFL last year) guarantees nothing, but it gives me the confidence that at my best, I can compete with the best,” Caddy said.
“I’ve built on the strengths that I had last year and I’ve gotten fitter and stronger, hopefully I’m more adapted to the way AFL is played.”
While Caddy’s signs of development last season were a big tick for the Dons, their overall team performance faltered down the home stretch of the campaign, a slip they’ll be looking to amend for in 2025.
For Caddy, a key deliverable has been improving the on-ground connection between the midfielders and forwards, which he feels can go a long way in recapturing form this year.
“The mid-to-forward connection has been a big one for us (this) pre-season,” Caddy said.
“Last year, we kind of broke down in that area, so we’re trying to work out what looks best and how we can maximise our opportunities up forward.”
