Expect the unexpected is the message from Essendon List and Recruiting Manager Adrian Dodoro ahead of next month’s trade and free agency period.

The Bombers are keen to add to their midfield depth but Dodoro also acknowledged there aren’t many quality onballers on the market at the moment.

“We’d like to improve our midfield, we’ve made no secret of the fact we’d like to be in the market for an elite midfielder,” Dodoro said.

“At this point there aren’t many available unfortunately, given that the CBA was a 20 per cent increase and I think most clubs have signed their players up.

“I think there will be some surprises during the trade period and I think that you’ve just got to be ready for the unexpected that might come in a couple of weeks time.”

Jobe Watson, Heath Hocking and Brent Stanton won’t be a part of the Bombers midfield in 2018 after being mainstays for much of the last decade. 

Essendon Coach John Worsfold has earmarked Kobe Mutch, Josh Begley, Kyle Langford and Jayden Laverde as potential options to play in the midfield next season, while Andrew McGrath lined up on a wing late in the 2017 season.

Western Bulldogs forward Jake Stringer has been used in the midfield throughout his career.

Dodoro has met with the 23 year old and will continue discussions in the coming weeks.

“We have a really strong desire to see the process through, to see where Jake wants to get to with his football,” he said.

“We obviously think we’re a Club now that is a ‘destination Club’ for many AFL players that are looking for a new home.

“He’s a quality player, he’s got a lot to think through in the next few weeks and we’d like to be part of that process.

“All clubs are really good now at respecting one another. He’s a contracted player for the Bulldogs, so at the end of the day they don’t have to deal and it might just be a big wake-up call for him to go back there next year for all we know.

“There is certainly no feeling of upper hand … I have a lot of respect for the Bulldogs and if he did choose us as his Club of choice I’m sure we’d sit down and do a fair trade. 

“We don’t want to speculate at what it would look like because at the moment it’s not relevant because he hasn’t decided where he wants to go. 

“These discussions could go in a number of ways so we’ll just wait and see, there is a lot of time to play out.”