When Kyle Langford headed to the centre bounce midway through the second quarter against Geelong, he knew what to expect.

Less than two months earlier he matched up against the same Cats midfield.

“When we played in Shepparton against a pretty strong Geelong team – we took a very young team there – we gave Kyle Langford the opportunity to play a full game on Patrick Dangerfield,” Essendon Coach John Worsfold told AFL 360.

“You don’t get those opportunities too often and again that’s part of that learning environment.

“He learnt so much, he was so excited – even though Dangerfield was best on ground.

“He got the opportunity in small stints again on the weekend … he was more confident.”

Jayden Laverde and Darcy Parish joined Langford at that centre bounce on the weekend - which the Bombers won.

The trio has played 26 games between them, but their tender years are no deterrent in Worsfold’s learning environment.

“We know that they’re not going to win all of them, but they’re going to learn a lot and they’re going to have a go,” Worsfold said.

The exposure to key roles at key moments is just one aspect of a multi-layered approach the Bombers are using to develop their playing stocks.

The 2016 Essendon playing list is the AFL’s version of the United Nations, with players descending on Tullamarine from all corners of the football world.

Players have completed their AFL education in some of the finest football finishing schools in the game.

Hawthorn, Fremantle, Sydney and Geelong are all represented within the playing group and Worsfold is making the most of their football knowledge.

“Not many clubs have that many players that have come from those clubs – the top four or five clubs over the last seven, eight or nine years – all together,” he said.

“That’s a great learning environment for us.

“They’ve been outstanding and they’re really keen to share the knowledge."

The players also have the knowledge that Travis Colyer will be returning next season, after he agreed to a new three-year deal with the Club.

The announcement followed that of Heath Hocking, who announced his decision to remain a Bomber earlier this month.

Worsfold expects the list to have taken significant steps forward, by the time Colyer and Hocking resume training.

“I’m really confident in the program we’re putting forward … the guys that want to be part of it next year will be part of something that they’ll enjoy and they’ll feel like we’re making big inroads in to becoming a powerful team," he said.