Cricket
Racing
Rugby
League
Motorsport
Football
Golf
Combat Sports
Basketball
Tennis
Other Sports
Sport Nation
Finals win in 2026, top four in 2027: Cornes’ big Essendon call
SEN • May 12th, 2025 10:51 am
Both David King and Kane Cornes are loving what they’re seeing from Essendon in 2025.
The Bombers currently sit ninth with a 5-3 record, but have a game in hand compared to every other team apart from Gold Coast.
The Dons have also won five of their last six, with their only defeat in that stretch coming against Collingwood on Anzac Day, and King has particularly loved the work of Brad Scott’s side defensively.
King also called out young tall Zach Reid for his efforts down back as the former top 10 pick finally shows off his talent after multiple injury-plagued seasons.
“Since Round 4, the Bombers are coughing up the AFL’s third fewest points with 73,” King told SEN Breakfast.
“This is a different version of the Bombers than we've seen. You can talk about, is it defending with the footy? Is it a little bit of uncontested mark game? We’ll find out in the next couple of weeks.
“They've had a good run with the draw and with the fixture. They play the Dogs this week on Saturday night, and I think we'll get a great understanding of where they're at.
“Since Zach Reid has found some consistency down back, I said last night he looks like Mark Waugh.
“There are some players that calm you and that settle the troops, and some that put a panic into your troops. He just puts the whole back six at ease.”
Cornes also loves what he’s seeing from another young Essendon tall in Nate Caddy. The 19-year-old kicked three goals in Saturday’s win over Sydney, and the Power great compared the way he moves around the field to an all-time great.
He also tipped the Dons to build very quickly over the next two years, with a finals win predicted for 2026 and a top-four finish in 2027.
“I really like what they're building,” Cornes said.
“There will be fluctuations this year. So, if they get beaten, spare me the Tweets on this, because this will happen.
“But I like where this is going for the future because I look at Caddy, he’s different to Riley Thilthorpe, but his work rate, his competitiveness and his athleticism... what he's doing is impressive.
“Once again, spare me the Tweets, but there's some Buddy Franklin-style with the way that he's moving across the ground, he looks like a gazelle, he's just a beautiful mover.
“Then, with (Sam) Durham and (Jye) Caldwell in the midfield and (Zach) Merrett has got five, six or seven years in him.
“I think they're a top-four team in two to three years. They'll play finals next year, and they'll win a final next year.”
Essendon next play the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night.
