Essendon VFL has found itself in some solid form so far this season thanks to several familiar Bombers.
Currently sitting at fourth on the VFL ladder with five wins from eight games, the VFL side easily disposed of Geelong over the weekend running out 92-point winners.
The teams form has largely been driven by the on-field efforts of several Essendon AFL listed players, who are all building a strong case for senior selection.
After playing his first game for 2015, Elliott Kavanagh spoke of the benefits of playing for the VFL side. He sees his eight games for reserves side as valuable in building on his pre-season work as well as his progression as a player, enjoying the team’s on field success so far this year.
“The VFL has been going really well the past few weeks,” said Kavanagh.
“We’re playing the brand of footy we want to play.”
Kavanagh has been able to hone his skills across the wing and half-forward line in his six games for Essendon VFL, something that was clear during his 25 possession game against Geelong in the AFL over the weekend.
Aside from Kavanagh, several other regular VFL players have made successful appearances in the senior side.
Jackson Merrett, Orazio Fantasia, James Gwilt, Will Hams, Shaun McKernan and Kyle Langford continue to be reliable players in the VFL while also solid contributors when called upon to play AFL. They will all hopefully get more opportunities in our senior side as the season progresses.
The VFL side has also been integral in the return of several injured players, helping them to find their rhythm and build the match fitness necessary to play AFL. Tayte Pears, Alex Browne and now Jason Winderlich are making solid progress as they come back from long-term injuries. Fans can also expect to see Nick Kommer, Heath Hocking and David Myers return in the coming weeks.
Essendon VFL take on Frankston this Saturday from 12pm at Windy Hill.
With the senior side travelling to Perth this weekend, this could be the perfect opportunity for fans to see some live Bomber action.
The top picks:
- Nick O’Brien:
O’Brien has consistently among the best, with coaches praising his leadership, ability to win the ball and never say die attitude. Averaging 29 disposals in his eight games so far, he had another best on ground performance against the Cats where he picked up a game high 37. - Shaun Edwards:
Yet to make his senior debut, Shaun Edwards is making a very strong case for himself so far this VFL season. Kicking four goals and gathering 13 disposals over the weekend, Edwards demonstrated immense skill and poise with the ball that caused nothing but trouble for his opponents. - Alex Browne:
Showing no signs of the knee injury that hampered him for the better part of the last few years, Browne has been a consistently strong performer for Essendon VFL. Averaging 21 disposals per game Browne’s smart movement of the football provides his teammates with good opportunities. - Conor McKenna:
The Irishman has been the surprise package in the forward line this year. He continues to progress and is beginning to get a good handle on the game, learning how to read the play and best position himself in scoring opportunities. He kicked a bag of four on the weekend to take his season total to eight goals nine behinds from seven games. With a little more practice, McKenna could prove to be an explosive forward.
