Defiant Essendon midfielder Jye Caldwell says the Bombers are “not rebuilding” and believes the list is capable of much better performances than it has shown in the first three rounds.
Second last on the ladder and winless, the Bombers face a daunting task this weekend of matching the in-form Western Bulldogs, who are unbeaten and second on the ladder after wins against three of last year’s finalists in their first three matches.
A loss to the Bulldogs would match an unwanted club record of 17 consecutive losses, but Caldwell was not prepared to concede the club was rebuilding despite them setting a record for debuts in their injury-ravaged 2025 season, when 15 players made their AFL debut in Essendon colours.
Three players have debuted at the top level for the Bombers this season, while Sullivan Robey, their first pick at the 2025 national draft, is certain to make an appearance at some point – although it is not expected to be this week.
Caldwell was one of 14 first-round draft selections in the Essendon line-up against North Melbourne. There were four other first-round picks on the list who did not play.
“[We are] definitely not rebuilding at all. We have great talent and a great list. We are just not bringing it at the moment, which is disappointing,” Caldwell said.
The “it” Caldwell was referring to is the pressure required to win back the ball and stop opponents from waltzing from one end to the other.
Since the start of 2025, Essendon are ranked last in their ability to defend an opposition chain from their forward 50. They have conceded an inside 50 from 32.9 per cent of rebounds from 50 compared to competition leaders Adelaide, who have conceded 21.3 per cent.
They also rank last in conceding a score when the opposition rebounds from their forward 50 in that time period, with 14.9 per cent of opposition rebounds ending in scores. The Crows concede a score 8 per cent of the time.
Essendon have also allowed the opposition 460 marks in three matches, the most number of opposition marks recorded by Champion Data over a three-round stretch.
Caldwell said the Bombers’ ability to switch from attacking to defending and vice versa was not where it needed to be to match the opposition, but claimed it could improve rapidly if the pressure increased.
“It’s not one thing, especially now the game is so quick, it is up and back. Your offence dictates defence and your defence dictates your offence,” Caldwell said at the launch of the 2026 Anzac Appeal ahead of next month’s Anzac Day clash against Collingwood.
“It’s probably our set-up behind the ball. Our reaction time is not there at the moment.”
Caldwell also said the pressure around the ball was below par. Essendon laid 22 forward-50 tackles in the first three rounds.
“It’s an easy fix. It’s not a structural thing. It’s probably our intent to get back to that and put pressure on so we can defend it in our forward half better,” he said.
He noticed signs of improvement in that area against the Kangaroos but conceded the Bulldogs were formidable opponents.
“They will be hard to stop, but we will be up for it for sure,” Caldwell said.
“You can be sad and miserable, or you can be up and about and seize opportunities ahead of you.”
The players have not mentioned once the prospect of setting a new club record for consecutive losses, but Caldwell is aware it’s a label this group would prefer to avoid.
“Not one of us have spoken about it,” Caldwell said. “[You] probably don’t want to break that record. It’s not a good record to break, obviously.”
Unfortunately for Caldwell, defending Essendon’s performance is more difficult right now than defending the opposition. But he put up a good fight as he urged fans to donate to the Anzac Appeal.
And he found an unlikely ally in Collingwood premiership defender Isaac Quaynor, who recalled 2021 when the Magpies battled for a win.
“You definitely feel the pressure, especially externally, but it seems like at Essendon, nothing changes. [They] have a lot of confidence. There’s no point being down in the dumps,” Quaynor said.
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