The 2023 Essendon Football Club season was the club's 125th season playing in the Australian Football League (AFL). The club also fielded an AFLW side that competed in the AFLW's 8th Season. Essendon also fielded reserve teams for the AFL and AFLW in the Victorian Football League (VFL) and the VFLW. This was the club's 14th season in the VFL.
AFL
Season summary It was Essendon's first season coached by Brad Scott who was replacing Ben Rutten who was sacked during the 2022 season. Zach Merrett captained his first season after Dyson Heppell stepped down during the off-season before the 2023 season.
Essendon started the season winning four of their first five games only losing to St Kilda in round 3. The bombers then lost their next four games including a five-goal comeback against Collingwood on Anzac day.
Essendon win the four games just before the bye to put them at 6th place with 8 wins and 5 losses.
The bombers looked like they would make their first finals series since 2021, sitting fifth after their round 17 win against Adelaide. In the last seven rounds the average margin was -44. Essendon lost by margins of 77, 126 and 70 against teams that earlier in the year they either beat or didn't lose to by much. The bombers only won by nine points against North Melbourne and also by one point against West Coast. Essendon's 126 point loss against GWS knocked them out of the finals race.
Pre Season Essendon defeated Gold Coast by five points in an unofficial match simulation at Austworld Centre Oval. The final score was Gold Coast 11.9 (75) versus Essendon 11.14 (80). The bombers also played an official AFL practice match against St Kilda, and were defeated by 35 points. The final score was St Kilda 10.7 (67) against Essendon 3.14 (32). Essendon's first game in the home & away season was against Hawthorn at the MCG.
Coaching staff Brad Scott coached his first season for the bombers after a three-year break from coaching after stepping down from as senior coach of North Melbourne in 2019. Scott would make his coaching record 117-117 after the bombers loss against Collingwood. +2023 Essendon coaching staffRoleNameSenior CoachBrad ScottAssistant Coach (backline)Blake CaracellaAssistant Coach (midfield)Daniel GiansiracusaAssistant Coach (forward)Dale TappingAssistant Midfield CoachBen JacobsHead of DevelopmentCam RobertsDevelopment CoachBrent StantonDevelopment CoachMichael HurleySpecialist CoachTravis Cloke
Playing List
Changes +Deletions from playing listPlayerReasonCody BrandDelistedTom CutlerDelistedJosh EyreDelistedAaron FrancisTrade to SydneyBrayden HamDelistedTom HirdDelistedMichael HurleyRetiredGarrett McDonaghDelistedDevon SmithRetiredAlec WatermanDelisted +Additions to playing listPlayerAcquiredAlwyn Davey JnrNo 45, 2022 national draft, father-sonJayden DaveyNo 54, 2022 national draft, father-sonLewis HayesNo 25, 2022 national draftRhett MontgomerieNo 4, 2023 rookie draftAnthony MunkaraCategory B rookieWill SetterfieldTrade from CarltonElijah TsatasNo 5, 2022 national draftSam WeidemanTrade from Melbourne
Statistics Updated to the end of the 2023 season +Essendon 2023 AFL Playing list and statisticsPlayerGamesGoalsBehindsKicksHandballsDisposalsTacklesMarksHitoutsMilestone(s)Andrew McGrath12301289235524471200Sam Draper2141012101531542837282Darcy Parish3183627128455577780150 Games (round 24)Kyle Langford423512321896314361300Elijah Tsatas541235306511150AFL Debut (round 21)Jye Caldwell621111218320839189710Zach Merrett7228103362986341211120Ben Hobbs8186419515935473720Dylan Shiel9126110511922438320Sam Weideman101615158659145186513Club Debut (round 1)Will Snelling111563898217147440Will Setterfield1210231129620860470Club Debut (Round 1)Nik Cox1360332397113180Jordan Ridley14171125986345151260Jayden Laverde151910186115301371240100 Games (round 13)Archie Perkins1623181321913235165950James Stewart17000000000Lewis Hayes18000000000Nick Hind1916312207129124680Peter Wright20101910643296134425Dyson Heppell212210253190443501560Sam Durham222252178185363471070Harry Jones235242916454210Nick Bryan248124329721120141Jake Stringer251721231458322851450Kaine Baldwin26400269354190Mason Redman272375380124504431380100 Games (round 21)Alastair Lord28000000000Jake Kelly29171013610824428910Brandon Zerk-Thatcher302200164103267331200Zach Reid31000000000Alwyn Davey Jnr33104241347520200AFL Debut (round 2)Andrew Phillips34205790621524846414Matt Guelfi3513144687013837300Jayden Davey36000000000Nic Martin3723174290216506501240Rhett Montogomerie38000000000Patrick Voss39000000000Tex Wanganeen40000000000Cian McBride41000000000Massimo D'Ambrosio4281156318710240Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti4374527235015150Anthony Munkara45000000000Jye Menzie462123111008218248470Jaiden Hunter49000000000
Results +KeysHHome gameAAway gameNNeutral venue game +Table of 2023 AFL season resultsRoundDateResultScoreOpponentScoreGroundAttendance119 March191012491165Melbourne Cricket GroundA68,691226 March1612108111480Marvel StadiumH32,91531 April1187414892Melbourne Cricket GroundA69,25549 April11228811975Marvel StadiumH28,815515 April1514104111177Adelaide OvalN33,832625 April111177131290Melbourne Cricket GroundA95,179730 April1681042012132Melbourne Cricket GroundH67,45787 May13987122092Adelaide OvalA36,247913 May6945121587The GabbaA31,8981020 May101171101070Melbourne Cricket GroundH78,3001127 May14129661046Optus StadiumA39,269124 June16910515999Marvel StadiumH40,4881311 June1388661652Melbourne Cricket GroundA83,63814Bye1524 June976114993Optus StadiumA43,063161 July101474111278Melbourne Cricket GroundH38,957179 July171311515797Marvel StadiumH39,6061815 July73451814122GMHBA StadiumA23,1851921 July7749131290Marvel StadiumH43,6342029 July159991511101Marvel StadiumH38,329215 August10137311672Marvel StadiumH30,7422212 August1388612577Marvel StadiumA37,2312319 August56362512162GIANTS StadiumA10,2812425 August31331165101Melbourne Cricket GroundH74,344
Ladder
Awards
Club Awards
Source:
Crichton Medal: Zach Merrett Bruce Heymanson Best Clubman: Andrew McGrath Adam Ramanauskas Most Courageous Player: Mason Redman Matthew Lloyd Leading Goalkicker: Kyle Langford John Kilby Staff and Trainers Award: Andrew McGrath Most-improved Player: Kyle Langford Lindsay Griffiths Rising Star: Alwyn Davey Jnr McCracken Medal: Zach Merrett & Kyle Langford Louis Rowe Seniors Medal: Scott Van Gemert Clifford Denise Wise Community Medal: Ben Milton
League Awards
All-Australian: Zach Merrett
VFL
Season summary
Leigh Tudor returned as the senior VFL coach of Essendon before the start of the 2023 VFL season, after a one-year break. Tudor was previously the coach of the VFL bombers in 2021. This was Billy Cootee's first season as captain of the VFL bombers in 2023.
The bombers had a good start to the season, winning two of their first three games. Essendon then lost their next nine games. The bombers responded to losing nine games in a row by knocking off first place, Gold Coast, giving the suns their second loss of the season. The bombers then beat Geelong after their third bye. The bombers lost their next three games after that, then beating Coburg in the last round.
Squad +Essendon 2023 VFL Playing ListPlayerBrad Lynch50UtilityWill Hoare51Key Position/RuckCarlos Egan52Small ForwardSam Conforti53Small Defender/WingToby Murray54Key Forward/RuckTom Phillips55WingWill Golds56WingBilly Cootee57Midfielder/ForwardStefan Rasinac58Midfielder/DefenderBrad Bernacki59MidfielderJack Cleaver60DefenderJacob Brown61Defender/MidfielderBruno Laguda62UtilityJack Brown63Midfielder/Small ForwardJosh Hotchkin64RuckOscar Duncan65Key PositionWill Madden66Key DefenderTom Wallis68UtilityJake Sutton69Forward/WingRiley Loton70Midfielder/ForwardAustin Harris71Small ForwardMaclayn Hallows72ForwardMatthew Foley73Small DefenderDeclan Willmore74MidfielderJake Moorhead75MidfielderHarry Minton-Connell76Small DefenderJoel Fitzgerald77Defender/MidfielderMichael Kiraly78UtilityCallum McCarty79Midfielder/ForwardSolomon McKay80Half Forward/WingBeau O'Connell81Midfielder/Wing
Results +KeyHHome gameAAway game +Table of 2023 VFL season resultsRoundDateResultScoreOpponentScoreGround126 March18111195939The NEC HangarH22 April145891912126Trevor Barker OvalA39 April12168891165North Port OvalA416 April51242121082The NEC HangarH523 April131189141397Victoria ParkA6Bye77 May8553101171The NEC HangarH814 May65411613109Springfield Central StadiumA920 May121082121284Melbourne Cricket GroundH1028 May810581515105The NEC HangarH114 June1096912880The NEC HangarH1211 June10868141599Princes ParkA13Bye1425 June5838131391North Port OvalA152 July11117712476Windy HillH16Bye1716 July9106471254GMHBA StadiumA1821 July996391569Williamstown Cricket GroundA1930 July68441912126Windy HillH205 August12779121587Fankhauser ReserveA21Bye2219 August1510100121385Williamstown Cricket GroundH
Ladder
AFLW
Season summary Natalie Wood continued to coach Essendon's AFLW team in season 8. Steph Cain & Bonnie Toogood also continues to captain the bombers AFLW side in season 8.
The Bombers struggled to get consecutive wins throughout the season only getting consecutive wins twice during the season. Despite them not struggling to get consecutive wins they finished 7th place and played in an elimination final against Geelong which they couldn't win.
Pre Season Essendon played their pre season match against West Coast. The bombers lost by nine points in a tight contest. The final score was West Coast 6.7 (43) to Essendon 5.4 (34) at Mineral Resources Park.
Coaching staff Former Geelong VFLW coach Natalie Wood coached her second season for Essendon's AFLW. The bombers have five other AFLW coaches coaching with Natalie Wood. +2023 Essendon AFLW coaching staffRoleNameSenior CoachNatalie WoodAssistant Coach (midfield)Travis ClokeAssistant Coach (forward)Peta SearleAssistant Coach (backline)Natasha HardyDevelopment CoachGavin UrquhartDevelopment CoachBernard Shepheard
Playing List
Changes +Deletions from playing listPlayerReasonBella AyreDelistedOlivia BartonDelistedJordan ZanchettaDelistedEloise Ashley-CooperDelistedCaitlin SargentDelistedJorja BorgDelistedMegan RyanDelistedFrederica FrewDelisted +Additions to playing listPlayerReasonBrooke Brownpre-list signingsKodie Jacquestrade from Brooke Walkertrade from Leah Cuttingfree agentGeorgia Clarkefree agent
Statistics Updated to the end of the Season 8 (2023) +Essendon 2023 AFLW Playing List and StatisticsPlayerGamesGoalsBehindsKicksHandballsDisposalsMarksTacklesHitoutsGeorgia Gee282252459716260Daria Bannister363434215520210Maddy Prespakis4115214614228832560Georgia Nanscawen511111119520616890Danielle Marshall62006410310Kodi Jacques7101347317811240Bonnie Toogood8111691535721072574Brooke Walker91100476511213740Jacqui Vogt1084062359710390Alana Barba11000000000Joanne Doonan122106814260Lily-Rose Williamson13000000000Ellyse Gamble14111062319321140Matilda Dyke16810283765102526Georgia Clarke17110052358716300Leah Cutting18100415066Mia Van Dyke19600293321150Stephanie Cain20801624811019371Jessica Wuetschner2182226265213120Amelia Radford221142884213023230Renee Tierney2321111314510Sophie Alexander2411677659135311725Alexandra Morcom258003517528180Ashleigh Van Loon26500810184122Sophie Van De Heuval271002944113533230Mia Busch28110049247315440Stephanie Wales30111070611312236231Paige Scott321110585511324580Amber Clarke33103366178319170Catherine Phillips35000000000Brooke Brown368656930992270
Results +KeyHHome gameAAway game +Table of 2023 AFLW season resultsRoundDateResultScoreOpponentScoreGroundAttendance12 September77494630Kinetic StadiumA3,778210 September64404428Windy HillH3,195316 September543412981Wigan OvalA2,238424 September78504630Windy HillH2,822530 September36246844AIA CentreA1,42268 October45292719Reid OvalH2,832714 October8535636IKON ParkA2,847822 October27193523Windy HillH2,108928 October88563624Windy HillH3,812103 November37256339Great Barrier Reef ArenaA2,131