Essendon could be forced to de-list as many as seven players this week to create room on its senior list for players joining the club as a result of trade week and the upcoming National Draft. At the very least five players will be de-listed but that number could balloon to seven should Essendon wish to use two selections at the pre-season draft.

Andrew Lovett and Nathan Lovett-Murray have both come off the rookie list and will be senior-listed players in 2006. You can add former Collingwood player Richard Cole to that list along with youngster Jay Neagle who will be taken under the father-son rule.

Essendon also has draft selections 7, 19 and 51 – that latter two being traded for and as such must be utilised at the National Draft on Saturday, November 26th under AFL rules. Essendon has made it clear it would like to pick up Scott Camporeale at the pre-season draft on December 13th should he be available and may also use a second pick at that draft.

If Essendon uses two selections at the pre-season draft that will mean a total of nine new faces will join the club in 2006. After the retirements of Matthew Allan and the move of Ted Richards to Sydney, that leaves seven senior places that need to be found to accommodate the new players.