No draft pick for lowly Bombers after assistance plea

Essendon has been given a little leg up but their request for an AFL assistance package has not prompted draft dispensation.

The AFL Commission has handed the Bombers, under new coach Mark McVeigh, two additional rookie list spots for the 2027 season.

The extra spots will be funded by Essendon and may be extended into 2028 and 2029.

"It is important that we strive to maintain a competitively balanced competition so that fans feel their team can win on any given day," AFL footy boss Greg Swann said.

"We have been working with Essendon to identify areas where targeted assistance can support its on-field improvement to return to being competitive."

Without a finals win since 2004, Essendon notched a second wooden spoon in the club's history this season and have won two of their past 36 games.

The Bombers lost ruckman Sam Draper to Brisbane as a free agent in 2025 but fended away trade offers from Hawthorn for contracted midfielder Zach Merrett.

Trade speculation continues to surround Merrett and injury-plagued defender Jordan Ridley, who remains signed until 2029 but has managed just 26 games over the past three seasons.

McVeigh has started to fill out his assistant ranks after a mass exodus, with former teammate Brent Prismall appointed head of development.

Essendon enter the draft with the No.1 pick but could be shuffled down the order with expected bids on Port Adelaide-aligned academy prospect Dougie Cochrane and Carlton father-son talent Cody Walker.

The AFL granted North Melbourne three extra end-of-first round draft selections over two years in 2023, plus an extension of its two additional rookie list spots for 2024.

West Coast, who won the premiership in 2018, received an end-of-first-round selection in the 2025 draft and four additional rookie list spots up to the 2028 season.

Gold Coast and Brisbane were also awarded priority picks in 2019 and 2016 respectively after the AFL changed the special assistance rule to not be based on set win-loss thresholds.

Another tweak to a separate rule is on the cards, with the league signalling it wants the power to suspend players for umpire abuse after Hawthorn's dramatic preliminary final loss to Brisbane.