Essendon VFL Coach Paul Corrigan says the experienced AFL listed players featuring in the VFL this season has fast tracked the development of some emerging talent.
Each week around 16 AFL listed players have played with the VFL side, including players with more than a decade of experience at the top level.
“We’ve had guys like Brent Stanton and Heath Hocking who have come back that have a wealth of AFL experience and they have brought that knowledge back and helped our younger players through the VFL,” Corrigan said.
“With those guys coming back we almost have another set of coaches on field for us, helping the younger guys with the way we want to play.
“That’s something valuable for myself and the other coaches to have that type of quality come back to VFL level and help develop our players.
“We have a lot of guys that are either starting to play some really consistent football or starting to find their feet.
“Hopefully in the back end of the year we don’t get too many more injuries and we can show that consistent form.”
A relatively smooth run with injury on the senior list means there are limited spots available for the 26 VFL listed players.
“We have had such a healthy AFL list that we have had a lot of AFL contingent playing VFL for the front half of the year,” Corrigan said.
“It’s probably been tough and at times frustrating for those guys because there has been limited opportunities.
“One thing that those guys have been doing really well is they’ve been coming to training and training well when they’re here.
“They understand that they have to be ready when that opportunity arises and who knows what might happen at the back end of the year.
“They have performed consistently and they’ve been standouts for their local clubs. That’s all we can ask of them and hopefully those guys do get an opportunity in the back end of the year.”
Corrigan has been impressed with the performance of the Dons in their first nine games but said there are plenty of areas the side can improve on in the second half of the season.
The Bombers are eighth on the Ladder with four wins and five losses.
“It’s about the team more than anything and how we want to play. If we can really build a brand of football in our offence and look to bring an attractive style of football and build our game around the contest,” he said.
“We will look at our defence also and make sure we can keep teams to a minimal score.
“If we can find that balance and consistency across the whole ground, I think that will put us in good stead to be in games and hopefully win more than we lose.
“That’s going to be the challenge for the group to find that consistency, if we do that then I think we put ourselves in good shape to hopefully be in the eight and get a look at finals in the back end of the year.”
