Essendon’s midfield runs deep with a blend of younger and older bodies, outside and inside ball winners as well as players with the ability to push forward to impact the scoreboard.

Boasting the experience of new recruit Brendon Goddard and Brownlow medallist Jobe Watson, the emergence of Dyson Heppell and David Zaharakis has been just as impressive.

“To have depth in your midfield is something that I think all the good sides do have,” Assistant coach Simon Goodwin said.

“I think individually it is great to see our younger guys developing like Dyson Heppell and David Zaharakis taking their games to another level.

“Our ability to have our midfielders who can play forward and impact the scoreboard is something that we focused on through pre-season and is something we are going to continue to focus on.”

Ben Howlett and Jobe Watson sit fourth on the club’s goal kicking list this season with 12 goals each in the first half of the season.

Goodwin paid credit to the work rate of the captain for his ability to continue to improve his game.

“Jobe is a terrific leader, terrific player and I think the thing he has added to his game is that ability to spend a long time forward and really impact the scoreboard for us,” he said.

“There is no doubt he is continuing to improve and it is credit to the way he has gone about his game.”

Goodwin said the midfield group had developed a tenacity and determination that has seen them fight their way back into games despite trailing.

“I think there is no doubt in the first five or six weeks they were outstanding the way they went about their footy…but in the last month we have been a bit patchy compared to what we like,” Goodwin said.

“I think the great thing we have seen about this group is their ability to fight through some tough situations that have been encountered throughout the first half of the year.”

“We have been able to drag ourselves across the line for a few results that probably weren’t heading in that direction.”

23-year-old David Myers has become a permanent fixture of the Dons midfield brigade this season playing all twelve games with an average of 18 disposals a match.

“David Myers playing every game in the first half of this season, it is probably the first time in his career he has got some continuity in the way he plays,” Goodwin said.

“We are seeing him just gradually improve week after week.”

New recruit Brendon Goddard played his best game in the red and black last Saturday night against Gold Coast finishing with 38 disposals and 12 marks.

Goodwin said Goddard’s addition has bought important experience to a young Essendon midfield in 2013.

“Brendon adds a lot of quality, he is a quality player who has been in the game a long time,” he said.

“He gives great leadership to this group which is something we have been looking for and he has some really good attributes in that area.”

“He has been quiet vocal in the way he has led the group and helped us in our resolve in the come from behind victories against Fremantle and Carlton and been very instrumental in getting us back in the game.”