2025 Essendon Football Club season
{{short description|151st season of the Essendon Football Club}}
The 2025 Essendon Football Club season is the 127th season of the Essendon Football Club playing in the Australian Football League (AFL) and the club's 151st season overall.{{cite web |last1=Barnes |first1=Josh |title=Essendon season 2025 preview: Josh Barnes breaks down where the Bombers sit |url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/essendon/essendon-season-2025-preview-josh-barnes-breaks-down-where-the-bombers-sit/news-story/55025dfeb2473618c32227b302007388 |publisher=Herald Sun |access-date=23 April 2025 |archive-url=http://archive.today/2024.12.26-115529/https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/essendon/essendon-season-2025-preview-josh-barnes-breaks-down-where-the-bombers-sit/news-story/55025dfeb2473618c32227b302007388?amp&nk=eec6013c7c8c1424b5315c0d9f8b32a0-1735214151 |archive-date=26 December 2024 |date=26 December 2024}}{{cite web |last1=Meyers |first1=HB |title=The Big Questions – 2025 Essendon Season Preview |url=https://themongrelpunt.com/afl-season-2025/2025/01/20/the-big-questions-2025-essendon-season-preview/ |publisher=The Mongrel Punt |access-date=22 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250422162948/https://themongrelpunt.com/afl-season-2025/2025/01/20/the-big-questions-2025-essendon-season-preview/ |archive-date=22 April 2025 |date=20 January 2025}} The club is also fielding reserves teams in the Victorian Football League (VFL) and VFL Women's (VFLW), and will field a team in the AFL Women's (AFLW).{{cite web |title=From the CEO: Vozzo's in-depth preview for 2025 |url=https://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/1725013/from-the-ceo-vozzos-exclusive-chat-ahead-of-2025 |publisher=Essendon Football Club |access-date=22 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250406195800/https://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/1725013/from-the-ceo-vozzos-exclusive-chat-ahead-of-2025 |archive-date=6 April 2025 |date=3 March 2025}}{{cite web |last1=Faulkner |first1=Will |title=Essendon's enigma could soon be explained... but there's a result fans 'can’t benignly accept' |url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/essendon-bombers-season-preview-afl-2025-preseason-analysis-predicted-round-1-team-ladder-position-brad-scott-contract-extension-nate-caddy-and-isaac-kako-strengths-weaknesses-latest-news/news-story/4b3f9f402b0045dd995a67d693b22adc |publisher=Fox Sports |access-date=23 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250406193647/https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/essendon-bombers-season-preview-afl-2025-preseason-analysis-predicted-round-1-team-ladder-position-brad-scott-contract-extension-nate-caddy-and-isaac-kako-strengths-weaknesses-latest-news/news-story/4b3f9f402b0045dd995a67d693b22adc |archive-date=6 April 2025 |date=12 March 2025}}
AFL
{{main|2025 AFL season}}
=Practice matches=
=Home-and-away season=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! rowspan="2" style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px"| Rd ! rowspan="2" style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px"| Date and local time ! rowspan="2" style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px"| Opponent | colspan="3" style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px"| Scores (Essendon's scores indicated in bold) ! rowspan="2" style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px"| Venue ! rowspan="2" style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px" | Attendance ! rowspan="2" style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px" | Position ! rowspan="2" style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px" | Ref. |
| style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px"| Home
! style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px"| Away ! style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px"| Result |
|---|
| OR
| align=left | Saturday, 8 March ({{nowrap|4:15pm}}) | align=left | {{AFL GC}} | colspan=3 | Match postponed | – | 8th {{steady}} | |
| 1
| align=left | Friday, 14 March ({{nowrap|7:40pm}}) | align=left | {{AFL Haw}} | 17.9 (111) | 12.13 (85) | {{Lost|Lost by 26 points}} | 80,735 | 14th {{decrease}} | |
| 2
| align=left | Friday, 14 March ({{nowrap|7:40pm}}) | align=left | {{AFL Ade}} | 15.10 (100) | 25.11 (161) | {{Lost|Lost by 61 points}} | 46,688 | 16th {{decrease}} | |
| 3
| align=left | Thursday, 27 March ({{nowrap|7:30pm}}) | align=left | {{AFL PA}} | 9.18 (72) | 8.12 (60) | {{Won|Won by 12 points}} | 25,114 | 14th {{increase}} | |
| 4
| colspan=7 | Bye | 14th {{steady}} | |
| 5
| align=left | Gather Round | align=left | {{AFL Mel}} | 8.9 (57) | 15.6 (96) | {{Won|Won by 39 points}} | 45,039 | 13th {{increase}} | |
| 6
| align=left | Good Friday | align=left | {{AFL WCE}} | 11.9 (75) | 11.11 (77) | {{Won|Won by 2 points}} | 46,080 | 11th {{increase}} | |
| 7
| align=left | Anzac Day match | align=left | {{AFL Col}} | 16.11 (107) | 10.6 (66) | {{Lost|Lost by 41 points}} | 92,044 | 12th {{decrease}} | |
| 8
| align=left | Thursday, 1 May ({{nowrap|7:30 pm}}) | align=left | {{AFL NM}} | | | | | | |
=Ladder=
{{:2025 AFL season|showteam=ESS}}
VFL
{{main|2025 VFL season}}
{{Infobox AFL club season
|club=
|season= 2025 VFL
|image=PMvESS5.jpg
|imagesize=260px
|alt=
|caption={{VFL Ess}} playing {{VFL PM}} in round 4
|president=
|coach=Cameron Joyce
|captain=Xavier O'Neill
|home ground={{hlist|NEC Hangar|Windy Hill}}
|preseason comp=
|preseason result=
|regularseason comp=
|regularseason result=
|finals series=
|finals result=
|club b&f=
|best and fairest=
|leading goalscorer=
|highest attendance=
|lowest attendance=
|average attendance=
|club membership=
|prevseason=2024
|nextseason=2026
}}
On 4 February 2025, Essendon VFL coach Dale Tapping died, two years after he was diagnosed with myeloma, an aggressive form of blood cancer.{{cite web |title=Essendon VFL senior coach Dale Tapping dies following myeloma illness |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-04/essendon-vfl-senior-coach-dale-tapping-dies/104894242 |publisher=ABC News |access-date=6 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250206073857/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-04/essendon-vfl-senior-coach-dale-tapping-dies/104894242 |archive-date=6 February 2025 |date=4 February 2024}}{{cite web |title=Vale Dale Tapping |url=https://prahranfootballclub.com.au/blogs/news/vale-dale-tapping |publisher=Prahran Football Club |access-date=6 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250206081310/https://prahranfootballclub.com.au/blogs/news/vale-dale-tapping |archive-date=6 February 2025 |date=4 February 2025}} Essendon had appointed Tapping as its VFL coach for the 2025 season only several months prior on 11 October 2024.{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Martin |title=Vale, Dale Tapping: 'Outstanding' coach dies after cancer battle |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/1266077/essendon-bombers-mourn-passing-of-assistant-coach-dale-tapping-after-cancer-battle |publisher=AFL.com.au |access-date=6 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250206074704/https://www.afl.com.au/news/1266077/essendon-bombers-mourn-passing-of-assistant-coach-dale-tapping-after-cancer-battle |archive-date=6 February 2025 |date=4 February 2025}} He had previously served as {{VFL Col}}'s VFL coach from 2013 until the end of the 2016 season, and was named VFL Coach of the Year in 2016.{{cite web |title=Dale Tapping |url=http://demonwiki.org/Dale+Tapping |publisher=Demonwiki |access-date=6 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250206081016/http://demonwiki.org/Dale+Tapping |archive-date=6 February 2025}}{{cite web |title=Vale Dale Tapping |url=https://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/1712278/vale-dale-tapping |publisher=Essendon Football Club |access-date=6 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250206075053/https://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/1712278/vale-dale-tapping |archive-date=6 February 2025 |date=4 February 2025}}
Cameron Joyce, who coached {{AFLW|GC}} in the AFL Women's (AFLW) from 2022 season 6 until he was dismissed at the end of the 2024 season, was announced as Essendon's new VFL coach on 24 February 2025.{{cite web |last1=Beveridge |first1=Riley |title=Suns sack AFLW coach Joyce after missing finals |url=https://www.afl.com.au/aflw/news/1262082/gold-coast-suns-sack-aflw-coach-cameron-joyce |publisher=AFL.com.au |access-date=24 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250221032927/https://www.afl.com.au/aflw/news/1262082/gold-coast-suns-sack-aflw-coach-cameron-joyce |archive-date=21 February 2025 |date=2 December 2024}}{{cite web |title=Suns sack AFLW coach Joyce, captain Bohanna wants trade |url=https://www.espn.com.au/afl/story/_/id/42727075/gold-coast-suns-sack-aflw-coach-cameron-joyce |publisher=ESPN |access-date=24 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241209212641/https://www.espn.com.au/afl/story/_/id/42727075/gold-coast-suns-sack-aflw-coach-cameron-joyce |archive-date=9 December 2024 |date=2 December 2024}}
Essendon's round 5 match against {{VFL Col}} was rescheduled from a 2:05pm start at Windy Hill to 7:10pm at ETU Stadium in order for it to be shown live on 7mate as part of a new broadcast rights deal with the Seven Network.{{cite web |title=Bombers' 2025 VFL, VFLW fixtures confirmed |url=https://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/1722795/bombers-2025-vfl-vflw-fixtures-confirmed |publisher=Essendon Football Club |access-date=24 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250405233450/https://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/1722795/bombers-2025-vfl-vflw-fixtures-confirmed |archive-date=5 April 2025 |date=27 February 2025}}{{cite web |title=Saturday night lights to shine on VFL |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/1281872/saturday-night-lights-to-shine-on-vfl |publisher=AFL.com.au |access-date=17 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250317003443/https://www.afl.com.au/news/1281872/saturday-night-lights-to-shine-on-vfl |archive-date=17 March 2025 |date=17 March 2025}}
=Playing squad=
{{small|Source: {{cite web |title=VFL: 2025 squad |url=https://www.essendonfc.com.au/teams/vfl/squad |publisher=Essendon Football Club |access-date=25 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250423130343/https://www.essendonfc.com.au/teams/vfl/squad |archive-date=23 April 2025}}{{cite web |last1=Keating |first1=Mitch |title=Every VFL playing list for the 2025 season – Essendon |url=https://www.zerohanger.com/every-vfl-playing-list-for-the-2025-season-159190/7/ |publisher=ZeroHanger |access-date=23 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250423132123/https://www.zerohanger.com/every-vfl-playing-list-for-the-2025-season-159190/7/# |archive-date=23 April 2025 |date=6 March 2025}}
(D) Development list}}
=Playing squad changes=
==Departures==
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
! style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px"| Player ! style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px"| Date ! style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px"| Reason ! style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px"| New club ! style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px"| Ref |
| style="text-align:left" | Amin Naim
| 18 October 2024 | Club change | {{VFL Pre}} |
|---|
| style="text-align:left" | Charlie Bolmat
| 21 October 2024 | Club change | {{VFL Pre}} |
| style="text-align:left" | James Barrat
| 21 November 2024 | {{AFL StK}} (AFL) |
| style="text-align:left" | Ryan Eyre
| 2 December 2024 | Club change | {{VFL Col}} Collingwood FC VFL |date=2024-12-02 |access-date=2025-04-23 |archive-url=http://archive.today/2025.04.23-015222/https://x.com/CollingwoodVFL/status/1863457413464199490 |archive-date=2025-04-23 |df=dmy-all}} |
| style="text-align:left" | Kane Loftus
| 6 February 2025 | VFL departure |
| style="text-align:left" | Noah Caracella
| 3 March 2025 | VFL departure |
| style="text-align:left" | Luca Alessio
| 11 March 2025 | VFL departure | St Bernard's (VAFA) |
| style="text-align:left" | Oscar Duncan
| 11 March 2025 | VFL departure | |
| style="text-align:left" | Malik Gordon
| 11 March 2025 | VFL departure | Strathfieldsaye (BFNL) |
| style="text-align:left" | Macca Hallows
| 11 March 2025 | VFL departure | Pascoe Vale (EDFL) |
| style="text-align:left" | Jack Jedwab
| 11 March 2025 | VFL departure |
| style="text-align:left" | Michael Kiraly
| 11 March 2025 | Club change | {{VFL Col}} |
=Practice matches=
=Home-and-away season=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! rowspan="2" style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px"| Rd ! rowspan="2" style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px"| Date and local time ! rowspan="2" style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px"| Opponent | colspan="3" style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px"| Scores (Essendon's scores indicated in bold) ! rowspan="2" style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px"| Venue ! rowspan="2" style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px" | Attendance ! rowspan="2" style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px" | Position ! rowspan="2" style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px" | Ref |
| style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px"| Home
! style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px"| Away ! style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px"| Result |
|---|
| 1
| align=left | Saturday, 22 March ({{nowrap|3:05pm}}) | align=left | {{VFL Wil}} | 14.10 (94) | 12.11 (83) | {{Won|Won by 11 points}} | – | 7th {{steady}} | |
| 2
| align=left | Saturday, 29 March ({{nowrap|11:05am}}) | align=left | {{VFL Wer}} | 11.12 (78) | 7.13 (55) | {{Lost|Lost by 23 points}} | – | 12th {{decrease}} | |
| 3
| colspan=7 | Bye | 14th {{decrease}} | |
| 4
| align=left | Saturday, 19 April ({{nowrap|7:10pm}}) | align=left | {{VFL PM}} | 7.13 (55) | 9.17 (71) | {{Won|Won by 16 points}} | – | 10th {{increase}} | |
| 5
| align=left | Saturday, 26 April ({{nowrap|7:10pm}}) | align=left | {{VFL Col}} | 12.16 (88) | 18.11 (119) | {{Lost|Lost by 31 points}} | – | 14th {{decrease}} | |
| 6
| align=left | Friday, 2 May ({{nowrap|2:05pm}}) | align=left | {{VFL NM}} | | | | | | |
=Ladder=
{{:2025 VFL season|showteam=ESS}}
VFLW
{{main|2025 VFL Women's season}}
=Home-and-away season=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! rowspan="2" style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px"| Rd ! rowspan="2" style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px"| Date and local time ! rowspan="2" style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px"| Opponent | colspan="3" style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px"| Scores (Essendon's scores indicated in bold) ! rowspan="2" style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px"| Venue ! rowspan="2" style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px" | Attendance ! rowspan="2" style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px" | Position ! rowspan="2" style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px" | Ref. |
| style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px"| Home
! style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px"| Away ! style="background: #000000; color: #FFFFFF; border: solid #CC2031 2px"| Result |
|---|
| 1
| align=left | Saturday, 19 April ({{nowrap|4:05pm}}) | align=left | {{VFLW PM}} | 7.7 (49) | 4.6 (30) | {{Lost|Lost by 19 points}} | – | 8th {{steady}} | |
| 2
| align=left | Saturday, 26 April ({{nowrap|11:05am}}) | align=left | {{VFLW Col}} | 10.4 (64) | 3.6 (24) | {{Won|Won by 40 points}} | – | 4th {{increase}} | |
| 3
| align=left | Saturday, 3 May ({{nowrap|11:05am}}) | align=left | {{VFLW NMW}} | | | | | | |
| 4
| align=left | Saturday, 10 May ({{nowrap|2:35pm}}) | align=left | {{VFLW Car}} | | | | | | |
=Ladder=
{{:2025 VFL Women's season|showteam=ESS}}