Essendon’s young players have been able to make an immediate impact when called up to the senior side so far this season. 

While Zach Merrett and Joe Daniher are already firmly entrenched in the AFL side, others have had to bide their time.

But those players haven’t wasted their opportunity when called upon.

Shaun Edwards kicked two goals in the Bombers loss to the Eagles while Elliott Kavanagh and Orazio Fantasia were impressive in the match against Geelong.

“It’s great to see them coming through,” Essendon List and Recruiting Manager Adrian Dodoro said.

“The real pleasing thing is they’ve got games through good performance, no one is being given a free hit. 

“Hirdy has been pretty strong on ‘you perform and you’ll get a game’.”

Edwards missed out on a senior game in 2014 after playing 12 games in two seasons at Greater Western Sydney.

“He’s a huge talent, but he had some deficiencies in his game,” Dodoro said.

“The coaches were really hard on him and to his credit he’s worked extremely hard eradicating those deficiencies.

“There is a crop there but we don’t like being patient in this industry, but unfortunately sometimes you have to.”

One player in that ‘crop’ is Jayden Laverde. 

He was selected with the Bombers second pick (number 20 overall) in last year’s National Draft.

“He’s close, there is no doubt and he’s a talent,” Dodoro said. 

“Everyone that saw him play against Geelong (in the VFL) could see that there is an AFL player in the making. 

“I’m sure he’d like to get a game but I think in the long term having the development behind him is going to have him in good stead for the future.”

Selecting the country’s best young talent is one thing, but molding them in to long term, consistent AFL players able to withstand the rigours of football in 2015 is an equally important process.

That’s where Head of Player Development Mark Neeld and his team come in.

“Neeldy is a wise footy head,” Dodoro said.

“They (new players) come to our environment and they’ve got a lot to learn, they need to be educated.

“To have a guy that’s coached at senior level working with our young kids on a day to day basis in fantastic.”

One of the more unique projects for the Essendon Coaching Staff this season has been Irish recruit Conor McKenna.

The former Gaelic footballer signed with the Bombers as a ‘Category B’ rookie.

“You can just see how much work he’s done but I think our development department can really be proud of that,” Dodoro said. 

“We really think Conor will be a great player for us in the future.”

McKenna has kicked eight goals in his seven VFL games so far this season, including a bag of four against Geelong in a curtain raiser at Etihad Stadium. 

“I think he’s a bit different to the normal Irish kid that’s come to Australia,” Dodoro said.

“They normally play on a half back flank or on-ball, but he’s relished playing in the forward line. 

“He’s a very creative forward.  I think next year he’ll definitely debut for us.”