Essendon finished the 2012 season outside of the finals race in eleventh position with eleven wins and eleven losses. AFL.com.au reporter Callum Twomey takes a closer look at the Bombers season, as he highlights the ten key things to learn from 2012.

Watch coach James Hird season summary in his final press conference of the season here on Bomber TV ?

1. New fitness programs don't work overnight
It would be remiss to do a review of Essendon's 2012 season without startingwith the club's injury battles. It's no secret, or overstatement, to suggestthe Bombers had a horror injury run this season, mainly with the soft-tissuevariety. Few players were spared, many suffered recurrences, and it ruined anycontinuity the club was trying to muster in the second half of the season.General consensus suggests the Bombers, under new high performance coach DeanRobinson, over-trained over the pre-season and felt the consequences during theyear.

2. But when fit, the Bombers arecapable
Essendon's first half of the season shouldn't be forgotten, despite itsdrop-off in the second half of the year. The Bombers won eight of their firstnine games, and played football capable of beating any team. Although theyfinished the year with seven straight defeats, coach James Hird and supporterscan take some solace from the fact they defeated three finalists (West Coast,North Melbourne and Fremantle), and lost three games to Adelaide, Collingwoodand the Sydney Swans by nine points combined.

3. There's still a few holes to plug
Hird and his senior assistant Mark Thompson continually talk about developingand improving their own players. But they'd know, however, that the club is acouple of players away from really being a top-line premiership threat. That'swhy they went hard at Gold Coast youngster Josh Caddylast year, and why they'll again try to lure his services through this year'strade period. The Bombers will be on the hunt to bolster that midfield againthis off-season, and might also be looking for a small forward. Free agencyoffers the club a few opportunities to get holes filled.

4. Jobe is a jet
It will be well and truly deserved if Jobe Watson becomes only the sixth playerin Essendon's history to win a Brownlow Medal this year. Thecaptain had a standout season, playing every game and averaging 29 disposals.He kicked a career-high goal tally - something he wanted to improve coming intothe season - and established himself as one of the best midfielders in thegame. He will win the club's best and fairest (for the third time), and aBrownlow would be an apt reward for his tireless work.

5. It's time for a few new leaders tostep up
Such is Watson's brilliance, however, that often too much gets left to him.Michael Hurley and David Zaharakis had injury-interrupted seasons and were onlyin their first year as members of the leadership group, so we can give themsome time. But when things start to go bad for the Bombers, responsibilityseems to rest solely with Watson. Recently retired Bomber Mark McVeigh concededit was an issue, and nominated speedster Jason Winderlich as a possiblecandidate to fill the spare position in the leadership group following'sMcVeigh's exit.

6. Fletch can go on as long as helikes
Dustin Fletcher has already made it clear he wants to play on for at leastanother season, and why wouldn't he? The 37-year-old is still performing at alevel that outshines most of his teammates, a good and bad thing for theBombers. He played 18 games in 2012, and was crucial in many, particularly witha couple of match-saving efforts against North Melbourne in round one. Fletcher needs to play 14 games nextseason to break Simon Madden's club record 378 games.

7. Things look better with Hurleyback
Necessity has demanded Michael Hurley play in attack for the best part of thelast two seasons. But with Cale Hooker and Tayte Pears struggling to come on ashoped, expect Hurley to be shifted permanently to defence next year. Hird saidas much after the last-round loss to Collingwood, when Hurley shut down Travis Clokeafter half-time. Of course, if Essendon's forward line is decimated by injurythen Hurley can move closer to goal, but with a fully fit line-up of StewartCrameri, Paddy Ryder and Scott Gumbleton or Joe Daniher, Hird can afford tohave Hurley's class and composure in defence.

8. A Rising Star in waiting?
Dyson Heppell became Essendon's first winner of the NAB AFL Rising Star awardin 2011, after being drafted with the club's first selection in the 2010 NABAFL Draft. The Bombers' third selection at that draft, Alex Browne, showedenough late this year to suggest he could be one of the Essendon's great finds.Browne had an injury-interrupted first half of the year, but played the lastsix games. He's a skillful half-back/wingman who provides some dash and darefor the Bombers. He has some things to work on, but is still eligible for theRising Star next year and could be a rough chance.

9. David Myers is a midfielder
Again it was an injury-interrupted season for Myers, who suffered from ahamstring strain at the start of the season and a calf injury at the end. Butin between we saw enough to prove the 23-year-old is a midfielder, rather thana defender, when he lines up for the Bombers next season. His three notableperformances in the midfield came when the Bombers needed him. He gathered 19disposals in the second half against the Sydney Swans in round11 after starting as the substitute, had 28 the nextgame against Fremantle,and had 25 against Port Adelaide in round 16.He offers a strong body and a booming kick - something the Bombers need at thestoppages.

10. Expect big things
After a few years in the system, improvement can happen pretty rapidly for someruckmen. For instance, we've seen Adelaide's Sam Jacobs and Tiger Ivan Maricjump into the rucking elite this year. By this time next season, expect TomBellchambers to be considered in the same company. He played a career-besttally of 16 games, and became the Bombers' first-choice big man early in theseason. He broke his foot in the warm up before the last-round meeting withCollingwood, but the 23-year-old will be primed by the start of next year.

Letus know what you think of Callum’s year in review in the comments sectionbelow.