Editing Essendon Football Club (section)

== History ==
=== Formation and VFA years (1871–1896) ===
[[File:Essendon fc 1873.jpg|thumb|left|Essendon players and officials c.1878]]
[[File:1891 VFA Premiership Match.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Scenes from the [[1891 VFA season|1891 VFA Premiership Match]] in which Essendon defeated Carlton]]
The club was founded by members of the Royal Agricultural Society, the Melbourne Hunt Club and the Victorian Woolbrokers.<ref name="smh">{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/sport/the-fall-20140224-33b6a.html|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=1 March 2014|title=The Fall}}</ref> The Essendon Football Club is thought to have been formed in 1872 at a meeting in the home of a well-known brewery family, the McCrackens, whose [[Ascot Vale]] property hosted a team of local junior players.<ref>{{cite web|title=Essendon Football Club – Club History|url=http://www.essendonfc.com.au/history/history2.asp|access-date=10 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120611064128/http://www.essendonfc.com.au/history/history2.asp|archive-date=11 June 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Robert McCracken (1813–1885),<ref>{{cite web| url = http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article196956612| title = Deaths: M'Cracken, ''The Age'', (Wednesday, 18 February 1885), p.1.| newspaper = Age| date = 18 February 1885}}</ref><ref>{{cite book| chapter-url = http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/mccracken-robert-4070| title = ''Australian Dictionary of Biography'': McCracken, Robert (1813–1885).| chapter = McCracken, Robert (1813–1885)| publisher = National Centre of Biography, Australian National University}}</ref> the owner of several city hotels, was the founder and first president of the Essendon Football Club, and his son, [[Alex McCracken]], its first secretary. Alex later became president of the newly formed VFL. Alex's cousin Collier McCracken, who had already played with [[Melbourne Football Club|Melbourne]], was the team's first captain.<ref name="ReferenceA">''The Clubs – The Complete History of Every Club in the VFL/AFL'', editors G. Hutchinson and J. Ross, {{ISBN|978-1-86458-189-8}}</ref>

The club played its first recorded match against the [[Carlton Football Club|Carlton]] Second Twenty (the [[Reserve team|reserves]]) on 7 June 1873,<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Argus|date=9 June 1873|page=7|title=Football}}</ref> with Essendon winning by one goal. Essendon played 13 matches in its first season, winning seven, with four draws and losing two.<ref>Mapleston (1996), p.19.</ref> The club was one of the inaugural junior members of the Victorian Football Association (VFA) in 1877,<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Australasian|publication-place=Melbourne|title=Football Gossip|author=Peter Pindar|date=21 July 1877|page=76|volume=XXIII|issue=590}}</ref> and it began competing as a senior club from the [[1878 VFA season|1878 season]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Annual Meetings of football clubs|newspaper=The Australasian|publication-place=Melbourne|date=13 April 1878|page=461|volume=XXIV|issue=628}}</ref> During its early years in the Association, Essendon played its home matches at Flemington Hill, but it moved to the [[East Melbourne Cricket Ground]] in 1881.

In 1878, at Flemington Hill, Essendon played its first match on what would be considered by modern standards to be a full-sized field. In 1879, Essendon played Melbourne in one of the earliest night matches recorded when the ball was painted white. In 1883, the team played four matches in eight days in Adelaide:<ref>Mapleston (1996), p.29.</ref> losing to Norwood (on 23 June)<ref>{{cite web| url = https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/42001832| title = Football: Essendon v. Norwood |newspaper=The South Australian Register |date=25 June 1883 |page=7}}</ref> and defeating Port Adelaide (on 16 June),<ref>{{Cite news|date=18 June 1883|title=Essendon v. Port Adelaide|newspaper=The Argus|location=Melbourne|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/8530303|page=3}}</ref> a combined South Australian team (on 18 June),<ref>{{cite web| url = https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/197787706| title = Football: Essendon (Victoria) v. Adelaide and Suburban Association Twenty-Three |newspaper=The Evening Journal |location=Adelaide |date=19 June 1883 |page=3}}</ref> and South Adelaide (on 20 June).<ref>{{cite web| url = https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/208339669| title = Intercolonial Football Match |newspaper=The Express and Telegraph |location=Adelaide |date=21 June 1883 |page=3}}</ref>

The club played against the [[1888 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia|touring British footballers in 1888]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article196001762|title=England v. Essendon|newspaper=[[The Age]] |location=Melbourne |date=30 Jul 1888 |accessdate=3 Oct 2024 |page=6 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article6896195|title=Football|newspaper=[[The Argus (Melbourne)|The Argus]] |location=Melbourne |date=30 Jul 1888 |accessdate=3 Oct 2024 |page=5 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

In 1891, Essendon won their first VFA premiership, which they repeated in [[1892 VFA season|1892]], [[1893 VFA season|1893]] and [[1894 VFA season|1894]]. One of the club's greatest players, [[Albert Thurgood]], played for the club during this period, making his debut in 1892.<ref name =":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.essendonfc.com.au/our-club/history/club-history|title=Club History|website=essendonfc.com.au|access-date=22 January 2019}}</ref> Essendon (18 wins, 2 draws) was undefeated in the 1893 season.<ref name=":0" /><ref>Mapleston (1996), p.438.</ref>

=== Founding of the VFL to World War I (1897–1915) ===
[[File:Essendon fc 1897.jpg|thumb|left|The Essendon side that won the 1897 VFL premiership]]
[[File:Performance Chart AFL ESS.svg|thumb|Chart of yearly ladder positions for Essendon in [[Australian Football League|VFL/AFL]]]]
At the end of the [[1896 VFA season|1896 season]], Essendon, along with seven other clubs, formed the [[Victorian Football League (1897–1989)|Victorian Football League]]. Essendon's first VFL game was in [[1897 VFL season|1897]] against [[Geelong Football Club|Geelong]] at [[Corio Oval]] in [[Geelong]]. Essendon won its first VFL premiership by winning the [[1897 VFL finals series]] in a [[Round-robin tournament|round-robin]] event. Essendon again won the premiership in [[1901 VFL season|1901]], defeating [[Collingwood Football Club|Collingwood]] in the [[1901 VFL Grand Final|Grand Final]]. The club won successive premierships in [[1911 VFL season|1911]] and [[1912 VFL season|1912]] over Collingwood and [[Sydney Swans|South Melbourne]], respectively.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/142951681| title = 30 Sep 1911 – FOOTBALL. – Trove| newspaper = Australasian| date = 30 September 1911}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/50672717| title = 30 Sep 1912 – NEWS IN BRIEF. – Trove| newspaper = Examiner| date = 30 September 1912}}</ref>

=== "Same Olds" ===
[[File:Dave smith essendon.jpg|thumb|upright|[[David Smith (sportsman)|Dave Smith]] captained Essendon to premiership success in 1911.]]
The club is recorded as having played at McCracken's Paddock, Glass's Paddock, and Flemington Hill. It is likely that these are three different names for the one ground, given that McCracken's Paddock was a parcel of land that sat within the larger Glass's Paddock, which in turn was situated in an area widely known at the time as Flemington Hill. In 1882, the club moved home games to the [[East Melbourne Cricket Ground]] (since demolished) after an application to play on the Essendon Cricket Ground (later known as Windy Hill) was voted down by Lord Mayor of the [[City of Essendon]], James Taylor, on the basis that the considered the Essendon Cricket Ground "to be suitable only for the gentleman's game of cricket".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://shawfactor.com/reference/history-of-windy-hill-Essendon/ |title=History of Windy Hill (Essendon Recreation Reserve) |publisher=Shawfactor.com |access-date=17 October 2012}}</ref>

The club became known by the nickname "the Same Old Essendon" from the title and [[hook (music)|hook]] of the principal song performed by a band of supporters which regularly occupied a section of the grandstand at the club's games.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=North Melbourne Advertiser|page=3|date=3 August 1889|title=Football – Essendon v. North Melbourne|publication-place=North Melbourne}}</ref> The nickname first appeared in print in the local ''[[North Melbourne Advertiser]]'' in 1889,<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=North Melbourne Advertiser|page=3|date=31 August 1889|title=Football – Essendon v. Carlton|publication-place=North Melbourne}}</ref> and ended up gaining wide use, often as the diminutive "Same Olds".<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Full Points Footy Encyclopedia of Australian Football Clubs|last=Devaney|first=John|publisher=Lulu.com|year=2008|isbn=978-0-9556897-0-3|pages=174}}</ref>

This move away from Essendon, at a time when fans would walk to their local ground, didn't go down too well with many Essendon people; and, as a consequence, a new team and club was formed in 1900, unconnected with the first (although it played in the same colours), that was based at the Essendon Cricket Ground, and playing in the [[Victorian Football Association]]. It was known firstly as [[Essendon Association Football Club|Essendon Town]] and, after 1905, as Essendon (although it was often called Essendon A, with the A standing for association).<ref>Maplestone, M., ''Flying Higher: History of the Essendon Football Club 1872–1996'', Essendon Football Club, (Melbourne), 1996. {{ISBN|978-0-9591740-2-1}}</ref>

=== Return to suburban Essendon (1921–1932) ===
[[File:Fred Baring.jpg|left|thumb|150px|[[Fred Baring]] during the 1920s]]
After the 1921 season, the [[East Melbourne Cricket Ground]] was closed and demolished to expand the [[Jolimont Yard|Flinders Street Railyard]]. Having played at the East Melbourne Cricket Ground from 1882 to 1921, and having won four VFA premierships (1891–1894) and four VFL premierships ([[1897 VFL season|1897]], [[1901 VFL season|1901]], [[1911 VFL season|1911]] and [[1912 VFL season|1912]]) whilst there,<ref>Mapleston (1996), p.56.</ref> Essendon was looking for a new home. It was offered grounds at the current [[Royal Melbourne Showgrounds]], [[Ascot Vale]]; at [[Victoria Park, Melbourne|Victoria Park]], Melbourne; at [[Arden Street Oval|Arden St, North Melbourne]]; and the Essendon Cricket Ground. The Essendon City Council offered the (VFL) team the Essendon Cricket Ground, announcing that it would be prepared to spend over £12,000 ($1,009,066 in 2021 terms, according to the [[Retail Price Index]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Posting calculations |url=https://www.thomblake.com.au/secondary/hisdata/calculate.php |access-date=19 December 2022 |website=www.thomblake.com.au}}</ref>) on improvements, including a new grandstand, scoreboard and re-fencing of the oval.

The club's first preference was to [[1921 VFA season#Closure of the East Melbourne Cricket Ground|move to North Melbourne]]<ref name="1JulyArgus">{{cite news|newspaper=The Argus|date=1 July 1921|title=Football – the "passing" of Essendon|page=4|publication-place=Melbourne|author=Old Boy}}</ref>—a move which the [[North Melbourne Football Club]] (then in the VFA) saw as an opportunity to get into the VFL. Most of Essendon's members and players were from the North Melbourne area, and sportswriters believed that Essendon would have been taken over by or rebranded as North Melbourne within only a few years of the move.<ref name="8JulyArgus">{{cite news|newspaper=The Argus|date=8 July 1921|title=Football – North Melbourne ground|page=4|publication-place=Melbourne|author=Old Boy}}</ref><ref name="9JulyAustralasian">{{cite news|newspaper=The Australasian|publication-place=Melbourne|date=8 July 1921|title=Football – notes and comments|page=69|author=J.W.|volume=CXI|issue=2884}}</ref> However, the VFA, desperate for its own strategic reasons not to lose its use of the North Melbourne Cricket Ground, [[1921 VFA season#Association protest|successfully appealed]] to the State Government to block Essendon's move to North Melbourne.<ref name="12AugustArgus">{{cite news|newspaper=The Argus|date=12 August 1921|title=North Melbourne ground|page=6|publication-place=Melbourne}}</ref> With its preferred option off the table, the club returned to Essendon, and the Essendon VFA club disbanded, with most of its players moving to North Melbourne.<ref name="22OctoberAustralasian">{{cite news|newspaper=The Australasian|publication-place=Melbourne|date=22 October 1921|title=Football – notes & comments|author=J.W.|volume=CXI|issue=2899}}</ref>

The old "Same Olds" nickname fell into disuse, and by 1922 the other nicknames "Sash Wearers" and "Essendonians" that had been variously used from time to time were also abandoned. The team became universally known as "the Dons" (from Essen'''DON'''); it was not until much later, during the [[World War II|War years]] of the early 1940s, that they became known as "The [[Bomber]]s" due to Windy Hill's proximity to the [[Essendon Airport|Essendon Aerodrome]].<ref>Hutchinson, 1996, p.159.</ref>

In the [[1922 VFL season|1922 season]], playing in Essendon for the first time in decades, Essendon reached the final four for the first time since [[1912 VFL season|1912]], finishing in third place. In the [[1923 VFL season|1923 season]], the club topped the ladder with 13 wins from 16 games. After a 17-point Second Semi-Final loss to [[South Melbourne FC|South Melbourne]], Essendon defeated [[Fitzroy Football Club|Fitzroy]] (who had beaten South Melbourne) in the [[1923 VFL Grand Final|1923 Grand Final]] (then known as a "Challenge Final" due to its different finals format): Essendon 8.15 (63) to Fitzroy 6.10 (46). Amongst Essendon's best players were half-forward flanker [[George Shorten|George "Tich" Shorten]], centre half-forward [[Justin McCarthy (footballer)|Justin McCarthy]], centre half-back [[Tom Fitzmaurice]], rover [[Frank Maher (footballer)|Frank Maher]], and wingman [[Jack Garden]]. This was one of Essendon's most famous sides, dubbed the "Mosquito Fleet" due to the number of small, very fast players in the side. Six players were 5'6" (167&nbsp;cm) or smaller.

In the [[1924 VFL season|1924 season]], for the first time since their inaugural premiership in 1897, there was no ultimate match to decide the league's champion team – either "Challenge Final" or "Grand Final" – to determine the premiers; instead, the top four clubs after the home-and-away season played a [[Round-robin tournament|round-robin]] to determine the premiers. Essendon, having previously defeated both Fitzroy (by 40 points) and South Melbourne (by 33 points), clinched the premiership by means of a 20-point loss to Richmond. With the Tigers having already lost a match to Fitzroy by a substantial margin, the Dons were declared premiers by virtue of their superior percentage, meaning that Essendon again managed to win successive premierships. But the low gates for the finals meant this was never attempted again, resulting in Essendon having the unique record of winning the only two premierships without a grand final.<ref>{{Cite web|title=1924 Premiership|url=https://www.essendonfc.com.au/club/history/premierships/1924|website=essendonfc.com.au|access-date=29 May 2020}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Murray|first=John|title=Glory & Fame: The Rise and Rise of the Essendon Football Club|publisher=Slattery Media Group|year=2009|isbn=978-0-9805162-9-6|location=Australia}}</ref>

Prominent contributors to Essendon's 1924 Premiership success included back pocket [[Clyde Donaldson]], follower [[Norm Beckton]], half-back flanker [[Roy Laing]], follower [[Charlie May (footballer)|Charlie May]], and rover [[Charlie Hardy]].<ref name=":1" /> The 1924 season was not without controversy, however, with rumours of numerous players accepting bribes. Regardless of the accuracy of these allegations, the club's image was tarnished, and the side experienced its lowest period during the decade that followed, with poor results on the field and decreased support off it.{{Citation needed|date=April 2014}}

There was worse to follow, with various Essendon players publicly blaming each other for a poor performance against [[Richmond Football Club|Richmond]], and then, with dissension still rife in the ranks, the side plummeted to an unexpected and humiliating 28-point loss to VFA premiers [[Footscray Football Club|Footscray]] in a [[Dame Nellie Melba's Limbless Soldiers' Appeal match|special charity match]] played a week later in front of 46,100 people, in aid of [[Dame Nellie Melba's Limbless Soldiers' Appeal match|Dame Nellie Melba's Limbless Soldiers' Appeal Fund]], purportedly (but not officially) for the championship of Victoria.<ref>{{cite web|last=Frost|first= Lionel|title=Did the 1924 Bombers throw their last game|date=25 September 2006|publisher=AFL Official Website|url=http://afl.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=32977|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080308092128/http://afl.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=32977|archive-date=8 March 2008}}</ref>

The club's fortunes dipped alarmingly—and persistently. Indeed, after finishing third in the [[1926 VFL season|1926 season]], it was to be 14 years later—in [[1940 VFL season|1940]]—before Essendon would even contest a finals series.<ref>{{Cite web|title=AFL Tables – 1940 Season Scores|url=https://afltables.com/afl/seas/1940.html#fin|access-date=25 September 2021|website=afltables.com}}</ref>

=== Dick Reynolds years (1933–1960) ===
[[File:Dick reynolds.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Dick Reynolds]] is regarded as one of Essendon's greatest players.]]
After the malaise of the late 1920s and early 1930, the [[1933 VFL season|1933 season]] proved a turning point in morale despite no finals entries for the entire 1930s. Essendon saw the debut of the player regarded as one of the game's greatest-ever players, [[Dick Reynolds]]. His impact was immediate. He won his first [[Brownlow Medal]] aged 19. His record of three Brownlow victories ([[1934 Brownlow Medal|1934]], [[1937 Brownlow Medal|1937]], [[1938 Brownlow Medal|1938]]), equalled [[Fitzroy Football Club|Fitzroy]]'s [[Haydn Bunton, Sr]] ([[1931 Brownlow Medal|1931]], [[1932 Brownlow Medal|1932]], [[1935 Brownlow Medal|1935]]), and later equalled by [[Bob Skilton]] (1959, 1963, 1968), and [[Ian Stewart (Australian rules footballer)|Ian Stewart]] ([[1965 Brownlow Medal|1965]], [[1966 Brownlow Medal|1966]], [[1971 Brownlow Medal|1971]]).

Reynolds went on to arguably even greater achievements as a coach, a position to which he was first appointed, jointly with Harry Hunter, in 1939 (this was while Reynolds was still a player). A year later he took the reins on a solo basis and was rewarded with immediate success (at least in terms of expectations at the time which, after so long in the wilderness, were somewhat modest). He was regarded as having a sound tactical knowledge of the game and being an inspirational leader, as he led the side into the finals in 1940 for the first time since 1926, when the side finished 3rd. Melbourne, which defeated Essendon by just 5 points in the preliminary final, later went on to trounce Richmond by 39 points in the grand final.

The Essendon Football Club adopted the nickname '''''The Bombers''''' in April 1940.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/12444967| title = Bombing to Victory, ''The Argus'', (Wednesday, 10 April 1940), p.17.| newspaper = Argus| date = 10 April 1940}}</ref>

1941 brought Essendon's first grand final appearance since 1923, but the side again lowered its colours to Melbourne. While Australia had entered [[World War II]]{{snd}}located primarily in Europe and Africa{{snd}}in 1939, the [[Pacific War|Pacific Theatre]] opened in December 1941. Australian sports competition was considerably weakened, with Geelong being forced to pull out of the competition due petrol rationing. Attendances at games also declined dramatically, whilst some clubs had to move from their normal grounds due to them being used for military purposes. Many players were lost to football due to their military service. Nevertheless, Essendon went on to win the 1942 Premiership with Western Australian [[Wally Buttsworth]] in irrepressible form at centre half-back. Finally, the long-awaited premiership was Essendon's after comprehensively outclassing Richmond in the grand final, 19.18 (132) to 11.13 (79). The match was played at Carlton in front of 49,000 spectators.

In any case, there could be no such reservations about Essendon's next premiership, which came just four years later. Prior to that Essendon lost a hard-fought grand final to Richmond in [[1943 VFL grand final|1943]] by 5 points, finished 3rd in 1944, and dropped to 8th in 1945.

After World War II, Essendon enjoyed great success. In the five years immediately after the war, Essendon won 3 premierships ([[1946 VFL Grand Final|1946]], [[1949 VFL Grand Final|1949]], [[1950 VFL Grand Final|1950]]) and were runners up twice ([[1947 VFL Grand Final|1947]], [[1948 VFL Grand Final|1948]]). In [[1946 VFL season|1946]], Essendon were clearly the VFL's supreme force, topping the ladder after the home-and-away games and surviving a drawn second semi-final against Collingwood to make it through to the grand final a week later with a score of 10.16 (76) to 8.9 (57). Then, in the grand final against Melbourne, Essendon set a grand final record score of 22.18 (150) to Melbourne 13.9 (87), featuring a 7-goal performance by centre half-forward [[Gordon Lane]]. Rover Bill Hutchinson, and defenders Wally Buttsworth, [[Cec Ruddell]] and [[Harold Lambert (footballer)|Harold Lambert]] were among the best players.

The [[1947 VFL Grand Final|1947 Grand Final]] has to go down in the ledger as 'one of the ones that got away',{{Citation needed|date=December 2022}} with Essendon losing to Carlton by a single point despite managing 30 scoring shots to 21. As if to prove that lightning does occasionally strike twice, the second of the 'ones that got away' came just a year later, the Dons finishing with a lamentable 7.27, to tie with Melbourne (who managed 10.9) in the 1948 grand final. A week later Essendon waved the premiership good-bye, as Melbourne raced to a 13.11 (89) to 7.8 (50) triumph. The club's Annual Report made an assessment that was at once restrained and, as was soon to emerge, tacitly and uncannily prophetic: "It is very apparent that no team is complete without a spearhead and your committee has high hopes of rectifying that fault this coming season."

The [[1949 VFL season|1949 season]] heralded the arrival on the VFL scene of [[John Coleman (Australian footballer)|John Coleman]], arguably the greatest player in Essendon's history, and, in the view of some,{{Who|date=July 2023}} the finest player the game has known. In his first ever appearance for the Dons, against [[Hawthorn Football Club|Hawthorn]] in Round 1, 1949, he booted 12 of his side's 18 goals to create a round one record which was to endure for forty-five years. More importantly, however, he went on to maintain the same high level of performance throughout the season, kicking precisely 100 goals for the year to become the first player to kick 100 goals in a season since Richmond's [[Jack Titus]] in [[1940 VFL season|1940]].{{Citation needed|date=April 2014}}

The Coleman factor was just what Essendon needed to enable them to take that vital final step to premiership glory, but even so it was not until the business end of the season that this became clear. Essendon struggled to make the finals in 4th place, but once there they suddenly ignited to put in one of the most consistently devastating September performances in VFL history.

[[File:742692-john-coleman.jpg|thumb|upright|[[John Coleman (Australian footballer)|John Coleman]] kicked 537 goals in 98 matches.]]
Collingwood succumbed first as the Dons powered their way to an 82-point first semi-final victory, and a fortnight later it was the turn of the [[North Melbourne Football Club]] as Essendon won the preliminary final a good deal more comfortably than the ultimate margin of 17 points suggested. In the grand final, Essendon were pitted against Carlton and in a match that was a total travesty as a contest they overwhelmed the Blues to the tune of 73 points, 18.17 (125) to 6.16 (52). Best for the Dons included pacy aboriginal half-back flanker [[Norm McDonald (footballer, born 1925)|Norm McDonald]], ruckman [[Bob McClure (footballer)|Bob McLure]], and rovers [[Bill Hutchison|Bill Hutchinson]] and [[Ron McEwin]]. John Coleman also did well, registering six goals.

A year later, in [[1950 VFL season|1950]], Essendon were—if anything—even more dominant, defeating the [[North Melbourne Football Club]] in both the Second Semi-Final and the Grand Final to secure consecutive VFL premierships for the third time. Best afield in the [[1950 VFL Grand Final|1950 Grand Final]], in what was officially his [[swan song]] as a player, was captain-coach [[Dick Reynolds]], who received sterling support from the likes of Norm McDonald, ruckman/back pocket [[Wally May]], back pocket [[Les Gardiner (Australian footballer)|Les Gardiner]], and ruckman McLure.

With Reynolds, aka 'King Richard', still holding court as coach in 1951, albeit now in a non-playing capacity, Essendon seemed on course for a third consecutive flag, but a controversial four-week suspension dished out to John Coleman on the eve of the finals effectively destroyed their chances. Coleman was reported for retaliation after twice being struck by his direct Carlton opponent, Harry Caspar, and without him the Dons were rated a four-goals-poorer team. Nevertheless, they still managed to battle their way to a 6th successive grand final with wins over Footscray by 8 points in the first semi-final and Collingwood by 2 points in the preliminary final.

The Dons sustained numerous injuries in the preliminary final, and the selectors sprang a surprise on [[1951 VFL grand final|Grand Final day]] by naming the officially retired Dick Reynolds as 20th man. Reynolds was powerless to prevent the inevitable; although leading at half-time, Geelong kicked five goals to Essendon's two points in the third quarter to set up victory by 11 points.

Essendon slumped to 8th in [[1952 VFL season|1952]], but Coleman was in blistering form, managing 103 goals for the year. Hugh Buggy noted in ''[[The Argus (Melbourne)|The Argus]]'': "It was the wettest season for twenty-two years and Coleman showed that since the war he was without peer in the art of goal kicking."

Two seasons later, Coleman's career was ended after he dislocated a knee during the Round 8 clash with the [[North Melbourne Football Club]] at Essendon. Aged just 25, he had kicked 537 goals in only 98 VFL games in what was generally a fairly low-scoring period for the game. His meteoric rise and fall were clearly the stuff of legend, and few (if any) players, either before or since, have had such an immense impact over so brief a period.

According to [[Alf Brown]], football writer for ''The Herald'':
::(Coleman) had all football's gifts. He was courageous, a long, straight kick, he had a shrewd football brain and, above all, he was a spectacular, thrilling mark.

Somewhat more colourfully, R.S. Whittington suggested:
::"Had he been a [[trapeze]] artist in a strolling circus, Coleman could have dispensed with the trapeze."

Without Coleman, Essendon's fortunes plummeted, and there were to be no further premierships in the 1950s. The nearest miss came in [[1957 VFL season|1957]] when the Bombers (as they were popularly known by this time) earned premiership favouritism after a superb 16-point Second Semi-Final defeat of Melbourne—only to lose by over 10 goals against the same side a [[1957 VFL Grand Final|fortnight later]].

[[1959 VFL season|1959]] saw another grand final loss to Melbourne, this time by 37 points, but the fact that the average age of the Essendon side was only 22 was seen as providing considerable cause for optimism. However, it was to take another three years, and a change of coach, before the team's obvious potential was translated into tangible success.{{Citation needed|date=April 2014}}

=== Post-Reynolds era and the "Slugging Seventies" (1961–1980) ===
John Coleman started his coaching career at Essendon in [[1961 VFL season|1961]], thus ending the [[Dick Reynolds]] era at the club. In the same year, Essendon finished the season mid-table, and supporters were not expecting too much for the following season. However, the club blitzed the opposition in [[1962 VFL season|1962]], losing only two matches and finishing top of the table. Both losses were to the previous year's grand finalists. The finals posed no problems for the resurgent Dons, easily accounting for Carlton in the season's climax, winning the [[1962 VFL Grand Final|1962 Premiership]] by 32 points. This was a remarkable result for Coleman, who, in just his second season of coaching, claimed the ultimate prize in Australian football. As so often is the case after a flag, the following two years were below standard. A further premiership in [[1965 VFL Grand Final|1965]] (won from 4th position on the ladder) was also unexpected due to periods of poor form during the [[1965 VFL season|1965 season]]. The Bombers were a different club when the finals came around, but some of the credit for the improvement was given to the influence of [[Brian Sampson (footballer)|Brian Sampson]] and [[Ted Fordham]] during the finals. Coleman's time as coach turned out to be much like his playing career: highly successful but cut short when he had to stand down due to health problems in 1967. Only six years later, on the eve of the [[1973 VFL season|1973 season]], he died of a heart attack at just 44 years of age.

Following Coleman's retirement, the club experienced tough times on and off the field. Finals appearances were rare for the side, which was often in contention for the [[wooden spoon (award)|wooden spoon]]. Essendon did manage to make the [[1968 VFL Grand Final]], but it lost to Carlton by just three points and did not make it back to the big stage for a 15 years.

During the period from 1968 until 1980, five different coaches were tried, with none lasting longer than four years. Off the field, the club went through troubled times as well. In 1970, [[Don McKenzie (footballer, born 1939)#Dispute over player payments|five players went on strike]] before the season even began, demanding higher payments. Essendon did make the finals in [[1972 VFL season|1972]] and [[1973 VFL season|1973]] under the autocratic direction of [[Des Tuddenham]] (Collingwood), but they were beaten badly in successive elimination finals by [[St Kilda Football Club|St. Kilda]] and did not taste finals action again until the very end of the decade. The 1970s' Essendon sides were involved in many rough and tough encounters under Tuddenham, who himself came to loggerheads with [[Ron Barassi]] at a quarter-time huddle where both coaches exchanged heated words. Essendon had tough but talented players with the likes of "Rotten Ronnie" [[Ron Andrews]] and experienced players such as [[Barry Davis (footballer)|Barry Davis]], [[Ken Fletcher (Australian footballer)|Ken Fletcher]], [[Geoff Blethyn]], [[Neville Fields]] and West Australian import [[Graham Moss]]. In May 1974, a controversial half-time all-in-brawl with Richmond at Windy Hill and a 1975 encounter with Carlton were testimony of the era. Following the Carlton match, the ''[[The Herald (Melbourne)|Herald]]'' described Windy Hill as "Boot Hill" because of the extent of the fights and the high number of reported players (eight in all—four from Carlton and four from Essendon). The peak of these incidents occurred in [[1980 VFL season|1980]] with new recruit [[Phil Carman]] making headlines for head-butting an umpire. The tribunal suspended him for sixteen weeks, and although most people thought this was a fair (or even lenient) sentence, he took his case to the supreme court, gathering even more unwanted publicity for the club. Despite this, the club had recruited many talented young players in the late 1970s who emerged as club greats. Three of those young players were [[Simon Madden]], [[Tim Watson]] and [[Paul Van Der Haar]]. [[Terry Daniher]] and his brother [[Neale Daniher|Neale]] came via a trade with [[South Melbourne Swans|South Melbourne]], and [[Roger Merrett]] joined soon afterwards to form the nucleus of what would become the formidable Essendon sides of the 1980s. This raw but talented group of youngsters took Essendon to an elimination final in [[1979 VFL season|1979]] under Barry Davis but were again thrashed in an Elimination Final, this time at the hands of Fitzroy. Davis resigned at the end of the 1980 season after missing out on a finals appearance.

One of the few highlights for Essendon supporters during this time was when Graham Moss won the 1976 [[Brownlow Medal]]; he was the only Bomber to do so in a 40-year span from 1953 to 1993. Even that was bittersweet, as he quit VFL football to move back to his native Western Australia, where Moss finished out his career as a player and coach at [[Claremont Football Club]]. In many ways, Moss's career reflects Essendon's mixed fortunes during the decade.

=== Kevin Sheedy era (1981–2007) ===
[[File:Essendon80s.png|frame|right|Essendon 1980s shield logo]]

Former [[Richmond Football Club|Richmond]] player [[Kevin Sheedy (Australian footballer)|Kevin Sheedy]] started as head coach in 1981.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2007/s1846155.htm|title=Sheedy still promoting Indigenous football talent|work=abc.net.au|date=12 February 2007}}</ref>

Essendon reached the Grand Final in 1983, the first time since 1968. Hawthorn won by a then record 83 points.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.essendonfc.com.au/club/history/club-history |title=Club History |access-date=14 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140212064931/http://www.essendonfc.com.au/club/history/club-history |archive-date=12 February 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 1984, Essendon won the pre-season competition and completed the regular season on top of the ladder. The club played, and beat, Hawthorn in the [[1984 VFL Grand Final]] to win their 13th premiership—their first since 1965. The teams met again in the [[1985 VFL Grand Final|1985 Grand Final]], which Essendon also won. At the start of [[1986 VFL season|1986]], Essendon were considered unbackable for three successive flags, but a succession of injuries to key players [[Paul Van der Haar]] (only fifteen games from 1986 to 1988), [[Tim Watson]], [[Darren Williams (Australian rules footballer)|Darren Williams]], [[Roger Merrett]] and [[Simon Madden]] led the club to win only eight of its last eighteen games in 1986 and only nine games (plus a draw with [[Geelong Football Club|Geelong]]) in 1987.<ref>Rogers, Stephen; ''Every Game Ever Played; VFL/AFL Results 1897–1995''; pp.687–689. {{ISBN|978-0-670-90794-6}}</ref> In July 1987, the Bombers suffered a humiliation at the hands of [[Sydney Swans|Sydney]], who fell two points short of scoring the then highest score in VFL history.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qytWAAAAIBAJ&pg=1838%2C9041467|title=A record win puts Swans on target for flag|first=Michael|last=Cockerill|work= Sydney Morning Herald|date=27 July 1987|page=50}}</ref>

In 1988, Essendon made a rebound to sixth place with twelve wins, including a 140-point thrashing of Brisbane where they had a record sixteen individual goalkickers.<ref>Rogers; Every game Ever Played; p. 711</ref> In 1989, they rebounded further to second on the ladder with only five losses and thrashed Geelong in the Qualifying Final. However, after a fiery encounter with Hawthorn ended in a convincing defeat, the Bombers were no match for Geelong next week.

In 1990, Essendon were pace-setters almost from the start, but a disruption from the Qualifying Final draw between Collingwood and [[West Coast Eagles|West Coast]] was a blow from which they never recovered. The Magpies comprehensively thrashed them in both the second semi-final and the grand final.

Following the 1991 season, Essendon moved its home games from its traditional home ground at [[Windy Hill, Essendon|Windy Hill]] to the larger and newly renovated [[Melbourne Cricket Ground|MCG]]. This move generated large increases in game attendance, membership and revenue for the club. The club's training and administrative base remained at Windy Hill until 2013.

Following the retirement of [[Tim Watson]] and [[Simon Madden]] in the early 1990s, the team was built on new players such as [[Gavin Wanganeen]], [[Joe Misiti]], [[Mark Mercuri]], [[Michael Long (footballer)|Michael Long]], [[Dustin Fletcher]] (son of Ken) and [[James Hird]], who was taken at No. 79 in the 1990 draft. This side became known as the "Baby Bombers", as the core of the side was made up of young players early in their careers.

The team won the [[1993 AFL Grand Final|1993 Grand Final]] against Carlton and that same year, Gavin Wanganeen won the [[Brownlow Medal]], the first awarded to an Essendon player since 1976. Three years later, James Hird was jointly awarded the medal with [[Michael Voss]] of Brisbane.

In 2000, the club shifted the majority of its home games to the newly opened [[Docklands Stadium]], signing a 25-year deal to play seven home matches per year at the venue, with the other four remaining at the MCG.<ref name="FS2000">{{cite web|url=http://footystats.freeservers.com/Special/2000review.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303184938/http://footystats.freeservers.com/Special/2000review.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 March 2016|title=2000 Review|publisher=Footy Stats|access-date=29 March 2020}}</ref> The season was one of the most successful by any team in VFL/AFL history, and the club opened with 20 consecutive wins before they [[Super-Flood|lost to the Western Bulldogs in round 21]]. The team went on to win their 16th premiership, defeating {{AFL Mel}}, thereby completing the most dominant single season in AFL/VFL history. The defeat to the Bulldogs was the only defeat for Essendon throughout the entire calendar year (Essendon also won the 2000 pre-season competition).<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/09/01/sports/01iht-rules.2.t.html|title=Essendon Is on Brink of Sporting History : Bombers Bid to Exorcise The Melbourne Demons|work=The New York Times|date=1 September 2000}}</ref>

Essendon was less successful after 2001. Lucrative contracts to a number of premiership players had caused serious pressure on the club's salary cap, forcing the club to trade several key players.{{Citation needed|date=December 2009}} [[Blake Caracella]], [[Chris Heffernan]], [[Justin Blumfield]], [[Gary Moorcroft]] and [[Damien Hardwick]] had all departed by the end of 2002; in 2004, [[Mark Mercuri]], [[Sean Wellman]] and [[Joe Misiti]] retired. The club remained competitive; however, they could progress no further than the second week of the finals each year for the years of [[2002 AFL season|2002]], [[2003 AFL season|2003]], and [[2004 AFL season|2004]]. Sheedy signed a new three-year contract at the end of 2004.

[[File:Hird & Sheedy.jpg|thumb|[[Kevin Sheedy (Australian footballer)|Kevin Sheedy]] and [[James Hird]] farewell banner ahead of their final game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground |alt=A red banner featuring drawings of former Essendon player James Hird and former coach Kevin Sheedy]]
In [[2005 AFL season|2005]], Essendon missed the finals for the first time since 1997, and in [[2006 AFL season|2006]], despite a first-round 27-point thrashing of defending premiers {{AFL Syd}} in which newly appointed captain [[Matthew Lloyd]] kicked eight goals playing on [[Leo Barry]],<ref name="BombersvSwans2006">{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2006-04-01/bombers-upset-swans/1721794|title=Bombers upset Swans|first=Katie|last=Cassidy|date=1 April 2006|work=ABC News|access-date=29 April 2019}}</ref> the Bombers were uncompetitive for the majority of the season, partially due to Lloyd suffering a season-ending hamstring injuring in Round 3,<ref>{{cite web |date=23 April 2006 |title=Lloyd shattered by hamstring injury |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2006-04-23/lloyd-shattered-by-hamstring-injury/1737222 |access-date=5 March 2019 |work=ABC News ([[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]])}}</ref><ref name="sevenmoments">[http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/seven-controversial-moments-in-career-of-essendon-champ-and-hall-of-fame-inductee-matthew-lloyd/story-fni5f6kv-1226657827182 Seven controversial moments of Essendon champ and Hall of Fame inductee Matthew Lloyd], ''Herald Sun'', 5 June 2013</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Robinson |first=Mark |date=18 November 2006 |title=Lloyd wants to rip season apart |url=https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/nsw/lloyd-wants-to-rip-season-apart-ng-50686fb7db176c2a4e28a82cdf7d7707 |access-date=8 March 2019 |publisher=PerthNow}}</ref> recording only three wins and one draw from twenty-two games to suffer its worst season since [[1933 VFL season|1933]], as well as recording the least-ever number of votes collectively as a team at the [[2006 Brownlow Medal]] count.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.essendonblog.com.au/2006/09/essendon-football-club-news-lucas-stanton-bombers-best/|title=Essendon Football Club News – Lucas, Stanton Bomber's best|publisher=Essendon Blog|date=29 September 2006|access-date=11 June 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://afltables.com/afl/brownlow/brownlow2006.html|title=2006 Brownlow Medal|publisher=AFL Tables|access-date=11 June 2019}}</ref> In Lloyd's absence, [[David Hille]] was appointed captain for the remainder of the season. The club improved its on-field position in [[2007 AFL season|2007]] but again missed the finals.

=== On-field woes and subsequent relocation to Melbourne Airport (2008–2013) ===

Sheedy's contract was not renewed after 2007, ending his 27-year tenure as Essendon coach. [[Matthew Knights]] replaced Sheedy as coach, and coached the club for three seasons, reaching the finals once—an eighth-place finish in [[2009 AFL season|2009]] at the expense of reigning premiers {{AFL Haw}}.<ref>[http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/angry-hawks-clash-with-matthew-lloyd/story-e6frfb9x-1225767346687 Angry Hawks clash with Matthew Lloyd], ''Herald Sun'', 29 August 2009</ref> On 29 August 2010, shortly after the end of the 2010 home-and-away season, Knights was dismissed as coach.

[[File:EssendonPlayers2013.jpg|thumb|right|Essendon players prepare to take the field before a match against {{AFL GWS}} in 2013.]]
On 28 September 2010, former captain [[James Hird]] was named as Essendon's new coach from 2011 on a four-year deal. Dual-premiership-winning coach with {{AFL Gee}} and triple-premiership-winning player with Essendon [[Mark Thompson (footballer)|Mark Thompson]] later joined Hird on the coaching panel. In his first season, Essendon finished eighth. The club started strongly in 2012, sitting fourth with a 10–3 record at the halfway mark of the season, but won only one more match for the season, finishing eleventh to miss the finals.

In 2013, the club moved its training and administrative base to [[The Hangar]], a new facility in the suburb of [[Melbourne Airport, Victoria|Melbourne Airport]] which it had developed in conjunction with the [[Australian Paralympic Committee]]. Essendon holds a 37-year lease at the facility<ref name="airport">{{cite web|url=http://www.racingandsports.com.au/racing/rsNewsArt.asp?NID=196164&refID=379&tag=Australian%20Government|title=Bombers take flight to Airport site|date=16 December 2010|access-date=30 March 2014|publisher=Racing and Sports|archive-date=30 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140330065110/http://www.racingandsports.com.au/racing/rsNewsArt.asp?NID=196164&refID=379&tag=Australian%20Government|url-status=dead}}</ref> and maintains a lease at Windy Hill to use the venue for home matches for its reserves team in the [[Victorian Football League]] as well as for a social club and merchandise store on the site.<ref name="connolly">{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|title=Lifetimes of memories and legends depart Windy Hill|date=28 October 2013|access-date=30 March 2014|url=http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/lifetimes-of-memories-and-legends-depart-windy-hill-20131028-2wbx2.html|author=Rohan Connolly}}</ref>

=== ASADA/WADA investigation (2013–2016) ===
{{See also|2013 Essendon Football Club season|2014 Essendon Football Club season|Essendon Football Club supplements saga}}
During 2013, the club was investigated by the AFL and the [[Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority]] (ASADA) over its [[Essendon Football Club supplements controversy|2012 player supplements and sports science program]], most specifically over allegations into illegal use of [[peptide]] supplements. An internal review found it to have "established a supplements program that was experimental, inappropriate and inadequately vetted and controlled", and on 27 August 2013, the club was found guilty of bringing the game into disrepute for this reason. Among its penalties, the club was fined A$2 million, stripped of early draft picks in the following two drafts, and forfeited its place in the 2013 finals series (having originally finished seventh on the ladder); Hird was suspended from coaching for twelve months.<ref name="result">{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-08-27/dons-v-afl-your-fiveminute-guide|title=Dons' D-Day: your five-minute guide|website=afl.com.au|date=27 August 2013 |access-date=29 April 2019}}</ref> Several office-bearers also resigned their posts during the controversy, including chairman David Evans<ref>{{cite news|title=Essendon chairman David Evans quits|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/essendon-chairman-david-evans-quits/story-e6frg7mf-1226686845155|access-date=16 August 2013|newspaper=The Australian|date=27 July 2013}}</ref> and CEO Ian Robson.<ref>{{cite news|title=Robson quits Essendon|url=http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/robson-quits-essendon-20130523-2k2ex.html|access-date=16 August 2013|newspaper=The Age|date=23 May 2013|author=Will Brodie|author2=Jake Niall}}</ref>

In the midst of the supplements saga, assistant coach [[Mark Thompson (footballer)|Mark Thompson]] took over as coach for the [[2014 AFL season|2014 season]] during Hird's suspension.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-10/mark-thompson-to-coach-essendon-while-james-hird27s-serve-afl-/5014754|title=Thompson to coach Bombers in Hird's absence|date=10 October 2013|website=ABC News|access-date=29 April 2019}}</ref> He led the club back to the finals for a seventh-place finish but in a tense second elimination final against archrivals North Melbourne, the Bombers led by as much as 27 points at half time before a resurgent Kangaroos side came back and won the game by 12 points. After the 2014 season, Mark Thompson left the club to make way for Hird's return to the senior coaching role.

In June 2014, thirty-four players were issued show-cause notices alleging the use of banned peptide [[Thymosin beta-4]] during the program.<ref name="abcnotguilcup">{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-01/asada-considers-next-move-in-wake-of-afl-verdict/6363556|title=ASADA boss Ben McDevitt to front media in wake of AFL verdict clearing 34 past and present Essendon players|date=1 April 2015|access-date=3 April 2015|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation}}</ref> The players faced the AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal over the 2014/15 offseason, and on 31 March 2015 the tribunal returned a not guilty verdict, determining that it was "not comfortably satisfied" that the players had been administered the peptide.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Roar|first1=The|title=AFL Tribunal finds Essendon players not guilty|url=http://www.theroar.com.au/2015/03/31/not-guilty-reports-tribunal-finds-essendon-players-not-guilty/|website=The Roar|access-date=31 March 2015}}</ref>

Hird returned as senior coach for the 2015 season,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/james-hird-returns-to-essendon-after-suspension-20140825-107z55.html|title=James Hird returns to Essendon after suspension|first=Daniel|last=Cherny|date=24 August 2014|website=The Age|access-date=29 April 2019}}</ref> and after a strong start, the club's form severely declined after the announcement that WADA would appeal the decision of the AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal. The effect of the appeal on the team's morale was devastating and they went on to win only six games for the year. Under extreme pressure, Hird resigned on 18 August 2015 following a disastrous 112-point loss to Adelaide.<ref name="afl.com.au">{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-08-18/hird-bombers-part-ways|title=End of the road for Hird: Dons coach resigns|website=afl.com.au|date=18 August 2015 |access-date=29 April 2019}}</ref> Former West Coast Eagles premiership coach [[John Worsfold]] was appointed as the new senior coach on a three-year contract.

On 12 January 2016 the Court of Arbitration for Sport overruled the AFL anti-doping tribunal's decision, deeming that 34 past and present players of the Essendon Football Club, took the banned substance Thymosin Beta-4. As a result, all 34 players, 12 of which were still at the club, were given two-year suspensions. However, all suspensions were effectively less due to players having previously taken part in provisional suspensions undertaken during the 2014/2015 off-season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-01-12/guilty-court-bans-the-essendon-34-for-2016|title=Guilty: Court bans the Essendon 34 for 2016|website=afl.com.au|date=11 January 2016 |access-date=29 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/cas-verdict-essendon-players-to-miss-season-2016-20160107-gm18nq.html|title=Essendon CAS verdict: Bombers players to miss season 2016|first=Jake|last=Niall|date=12 January 2016|website=The Age|access-date=29 April 2019}}</ref>
As a result, Essendon contested the 2016 season with twelve<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-01-12/where-are-they-now|title=The Essendon 34: Where are they now?|website=afl.com.au|date=11 January 2016 |access-date=29 April 2019}}</ref> of its regular senior players under suspension. In order for the club to remain competitive, the AFL granted Essendon the ability to upgrade all five of their rookie listed players and to sign an additional ten players to cover the loss of the suspended players for the season.

Due to this unprecedented situation, many in the football community predicted the club would go through the [[2016 AFL season]] without a win; however, they were able to win three matches: against {{AFL Mel}}, {{AFL GC}} and {{AFL Car}} in rounds 2, 21 and 23 respectively. The absence of its most experienced players also allowed the development of its young players, with [[Zach Merrett]] and [[Orazio Fantasia]] having breakout years, with [[Darcy Parish]] and [[Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti]] impressing in their debut seasons. Merrett acted as captain in the side's round 21 win over the Suns.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/2016-08-14/merrett-seeks-out-selwood|title=Merrett seeks out Selwood|publisher=EssendonFC.com.au|first=Simon|last=Conway|date=14 August 2016|access-date=14 August 2016}}</ref> The club eventually finished on the bottom of the ladder and thus claimed its first wooden spoon since 1933.

=== Post-investigation (2017–2022) ===

Essendon made their final financial settlement related to the supplements saga in September 2017, just before finals started.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/more-news/afl-daily-live-rolling-footy-news-from-around-australia-for-september-8-2017/news-story/a167d84223eaa7d7e84815f422bb762e|title=AFL Daily: Live rolling footy news from around Australia for September 8, 2017|newspaper=Herald Sun|date=8 September 2017|access-date=12 September 2017}}</ref> They also improved vastly on their 2016 performance, finishing 7th in the home-and-away season and becoming the first team since {{AFL WC}} in 2011 to go from wooden spooner to a finals appearance, but they ultimately lost their only final to {{AFL Syd}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-09-12/season-review-essendon|title=Season review: Essendon|last=Twomey|first=Callum|website=AFL.com.au|publisher=Australian Football League|date=12 September 2017|access-date=12 September 2017}}</ref>

The [[2017 AFL season|2017 season]] was also capped off by the retirement of much-loved club legend and ex-captain [[Jobe Watson]], midfielder [[Brent Stanton]], and ex-Geelong star [[James Kelly (Australian footballer)|James Kelly]], who later took up a development coach role at the club. Midfielder [[Heath Hocking]], who played 126 games for the club, was delisted.

Expectations were high for the [[2018 AFL season|2018 season]], with the club having an outstanding offseason. The recruitment of [[Jake Stringer]], [[Adam Saad]] and [[Devon Smith (footballer)|Devon Smith]] from the [[Western Bulldogs]], [[Gold Coast Football Club|Gold Coast Suns]] and [[Greater Western Sydney Giants]] respectively was expected to throw Essendon firmly into premiership contention.

After beating the previous year's runner up {{AFL Ade}} (which went on to beat reigning premiers {{AFL Ric}} the following round)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/2/adel-v-rich|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171104001322/http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/2/adel-v-rich|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 November 2017|title=Match report: Strong Crows win soured by injury|publisher=AFL.com.au|first=Lee|last=Gaskin|date=29 March 2018|access-date=28 September 2018}}</ref> in round one,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/1/ess-v-adel|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171104061701/http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/1/ess-v-adel|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 November 2017|title=Match report: Dons steal a stunner off Crows|publisher=AFL.com.au|first=Marc|last=McGowan|date=23 March 2018|access-date=28 September 2018}}</ref> Essendon's form slumped severely, only winning one game out of the next seven rounds and losing to the then-winless Carlton in round eight.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/8/carl-v-ess|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180410042603/http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/8/carl-v-ess|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 April 2018|title=Match report: Carlton breaks its drought|publisher=AFL.com.au|first=Jennifer|last=Phelan|date=12 May 2018|access-date=28 September 2018}}</ref> Senior assistant coach [[Mark Neeld]] was sacked by the club the following Monday.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/mark-neeld-resigns-from-coaching-role-at-essendon/news-story/c1c9569342c0f29a9bbb181edccfd71e|title=Mark Neeld sacked from coaching role at Essendon|publisher=Fox Sports Australia|first=Tom|last=Morris|date=14 May 2018|access-date=28 September 2018}}</ref>

The team's form improved sharply after this, recording wins against top-eight sides Geelong, GWS, [[2018 AFL Grand Final|eventual premiers]] West Coast, and Sydney, winning ten out of the last 13 games of the season. However, the mid-season revival was short-lived, with a loss to reigning premiers {{AFL Ric}} by eight points in round 22 ending any hopes they had of reaching the finals.

The 2018 season was capped off by the club not offering veteran [[Brendon Goddard]] a new contract for 2019.

Essendon acquired [[Dylan Shiel]] from {{AFL GWS}} in one of the most high-profile trades of the [[2018 AFL draft|2018 AFL Trade Period]].<ref name="bombersgettheirman">{{cite web |last1=Twomey |first1=Callum |last2=Beveridge |first2=Riley |title=Bombers pay up to get Shiel at the death |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-10-17/bombers-dig-deep-and-get-their-man |website=AFL.com.au |date=17 October 2018 |access-date=8 September 2019}}</ref> The Bombers had inconsistent form throughout the [[2019 AFL season|2019 season]] but qualified for the finals for the second time in three seasons,<ref name="bombersmakethe8">{{cite web |last1=King |first1=Travis |title=See you in September: Dons down Dockers to book finals spot |url=https://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2019/22/fre-v-ess#/match-report |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190817130920/https://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2019/22/fre-v-ess#/match-report |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 August 2019 |website=AFL.com.au |access-date=8 September 2019}}</ref> finishing eighth on the ladder with 12 wins and 10 losses. The Bombers, however, were no match for the West Coast Eagles in the first elimination final and lost by 55 points to end their season.<ref name="20191stelimfinal">{{cite web |last1=Chadwick |first1=Justin |title=West Coast Eagles defeat Essendon in First Elimination Final: Premiers advance after thumping Bombers |url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/live-afl-finals-first-elimination-final-west-coast-eagles-v-essendon/news-story/f476326faa5bf458935779130e57e242 |website=FOX Sports Australia |date=5 September 2019 |access-date=8 September 2019}}</ref> The defeat extended their 15-year finals-winning drought, having not won a final since 2004.<ref name="5479dayslol">{{cite web |title=AFL: West Coast extend Essendon's 5479-day wait for finals win |url=https://7news.com.au/sport/afl/afl-west-coast-extend-essendons-5479-day-wait-for-finals-win-c-437790 |website=7NEWS.com.au |date=5 September 2019 |access-date=8 September 2019}}</ref>

Following the end of the 2019 season, assistant coach [[Ben Rutten]] was announced as John Worsfold's successor as senior coach, effective at the end of the [[2020 AFL season]]. Rutten effectively shared co-coaching duties with Worsfold during the 2020 season.

[[2020 AFL season|2020]] was a particularly disappointing year for the club. The Bombers failed to make the finals, finishing thirteenth on the AFL ladder with just six wins and a draw from 17 games. [[Conor McKenna]] became the first AFL player to test positive to COVID-19 during the pandemic. A number of players also left the club at the end of the 2020 season, including [[Joe Daniher]], Conor McKenna, [[Adam Saad]] and [[Orazio Fantasia]]. This also marked 20 years since their last premiership win, a new record for the club's longest premiership drought, with the previous record of 19 years from [[1965 VFL grand final|1965]]–[[1984 VFL grand final|1984]] being dethroned.

With Rutten solely at the helm in 2021, Essendon improved significantly from the previous year and returned to the finals, finishing eighth on the ladder with 11 wins and 11 losses; and, despite having beaten the [[Western Bulldogs]] towards the end of the regular season, the Bombers would lose to the same team by 49 points in the first elimination final.

[[2022 AFL season|Season 2022]] was the club's 150th anniversary. Hopes were high, with some even predicting Essendon to break their 21-year premiership drought.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.sen.com.au/news/2022/03/02/why-malthouse-thinks-essendon-can-win-the-premiership/ | title=Why Mick Malthouse thinks Essendon can win the premiership }}</ref> However, these predictions proved drastically wrong, as the Bombers went on to finish 15th, winning only 7 games with a percentage of 83.2%.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.essendonfc.com.au/competitions/ladders?Competition=1&CompSeason=43&GameWeeks=610&Live=1 | title=Official AFL Website of the Essendon Football Club }}</ref> This poor performance placed Rutten's position under scrutiny, and after a late attempt to lure former Hawthorn coach [[Alastair Clarkson]] failed,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/teams/essendon-bombers/afl-news-2022-alastair-clarkson-interest-in-essendon-bombers-gws-giants-pulls-out-of-race-north-melbourne-kangaroos-offer-contract-ben-rutten-future-latest/news-story/f93f8596d3958cf50a990bcf27137099 | title=Clarko's 'strong interest' in Bombers revealed as Giants pull OUT of race for master coach | date=16 August 2022 }}</ref> Rutten was unceremoniously sacked.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/825293/rutten | title=Sacked: Bombers oust Rutten after week of turmoil | date=21 August 2022 }}</ref> He was replaced by former AFL General Manager of Football and North Melbourne coach [[Brad Scott (Australian footballer)|Brad Scott]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/852507/essendon-lock-in-former-north-melbourne-boss-brad-scott-as-their-new-coach | title=Great Scott: Dons poach AFL's footy GM as new coach | date=29 September 2022 }}</ref> As a result of the 2022 season's turmoil, board members such as former CEO Xavier Campbell, former president Paul Brasher, former player [[Simon Madden]], and Peter Allen left their roles.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/teams/essendon-bombers/afl-news-2022-xavier-campbell-resigns-as-essendon-bombers-ceo-quits-announcement-latest-david-barham-board-meeting-coaching-search/news-story/159a912fd88c69645ae456082dc682b6 | title=Four more key Bombers quit as cleanout continues following botched Clarko bid | date=24 August 2022 }}</ref> Campbell was replaced by [[Andrew Thorburn]], who was pressured into resignation after only one day in the role due to his simultaneous position as a board member of the conservative City on the Hill Church Movement—whose controversial teachings conflicted with Essendon's progressive values—was made public.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/854438/new-bombers-ceo-resigns-after-one-day-in-the-role | title=New Bombers CEO resigns after one day in the role | date=4 October 2022 }}</ref> Craig Vozzo replaced Thorburn in November 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Craig Vozzo appointed Essendon CEO |url=https://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/1253954/craig-vozzo-appointed-essendon-ceo |access-date=2023-03-27 |website=essendonfc.com.au |date=December 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

[[Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti]], [[Devon Smith (footballer)|Devon Smith]] and [[Michael Hurley (Australian footballer)|Michael Hurley]] announced their retirements at the end of the 2022 season; however, Tipungwuti revoked the announcement on 10 November 2022. Tipungwuti again announced his retirement at the end of the 2023 after playing only two further games at senior level.

=== Brad Scott era (2023–present) ===
In 2023, reports emerged claiming that the club was reconsidering its logo. These included rumours that the current bomber logo was insensitive due to the operation of bomber jets in conflict. These reports were denied by then-captain [[Zach Merrett]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.sen.com.au/news/2023/06/19/essendon-considering-changing-logo/ | title=Essendon considering changing logo }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last=Zita | first=David | title='Wouldn't bother me': Bombers captain Zach Merrett clears air on logo rumour | website=news | date=20 June 2023 | url=https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/wouldnt-bother-me-bombers-captain-zach-merrett-clears-air-on-logo-rumour/news-story/affa87d129d14912d53345b560cca947 | access-date=21 July 2023}}</ref>

At the end of the [[2023 AFL season|2023 season]], it was announced that former West Coast and Gold Coast player [[Matt Rosa]] would join Essendon as Talent & Operations Manager and that Adrian Dodoro would step back from his position of recruiting manager after the upcoming trade and draft periods.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-19 |title=Long-time Bombers recruiter to step back, ex-Eagle joins |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/1036374 |access-date=2023-09-20 |website=afl.com.au |language=en}}</ref>

In Brad Scott's first season as coach, Essendon sat in fifth position after round 17, but their form fell off later in the season to finish 11th with 11 wins and 12 losses.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wu |first=Andrew |date=2023-08-26 |title='Absolutely gobsmacked': More change looms for Essendon after limp finish to season |url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/more-change-looms-for-essendon-bombers-after-limp-finish-to-season-20230826-p5dznh.html |access-date=2023-09-23 |website=The Age |language=en}}</ref>

In Brad Scott's second season as coach, Essendon finished with a win–draw–loss record of 11–1–11.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AFL Tables - Essendon - Season Summary |url=https://afltables.com/afl/teams/essendon/season.html |access-date=2024-08-31 |website=afltables.com}}</ref> 

On 13 August 2024 club champion [[Dyson Heppell]] announced he would retire at the end of the season after playing 253 games for the club.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bombers give former skipper a farewell game against Lions |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/1201933/essendon-bombers-give-former-skipper-dyson-heppell-a-farewell-game-against-brisbane-lions/amp |access-date=2024-08-31 |website=www.afl.com.au}}</ref> Heppell was the final player of the [[Essendon 34]] still playing at the club.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-08-13 |title=Former Bombers captain announces retirement at end of season |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-13/essendon-dyson-heppell-to-retire-at-end-of-2024-afl-season/104219250 |access-date=2024-08-31 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}</ref>