BOMBERS TEAM UNDER THE GUN

ESSENDON could be headed for a full list rebuild amid fears the players crucial to its premiership tilt are mentally burnt out.

The Bombers are preparing to make bold calls on the futures on a clutch of senior players in a bid to help rejuvenate their list over the next two or three years.

Like the Melbourne list after years of failure, there is a feeling some players are mentally shot and might require a fresh start for their careers to flourish.

Essendon was considered a premiership threat after beating Hawthorn in Round 2 but the World Anti- Doping Agency appeal of players’ exoneration on doping charges has since shattered their season.

Rival clubs will be wary of trades with Essendon given the players face bans of up to two years.

Leaders Jobe Watson and Brendon Goddard showed the immense strain of living under a three- year investigation, with one effective kick be- tween them against St Kilda.

High- performance coach Leigh Russell – who once worked at the club – said yesterday some players might need a change of scenery.

The dark cloud extends to former Essendon players Patty Ryder, Stewart Crameri and Angus Monfries.

Port Adelaide’s Ryder had three possessions last weekend, Crameri has been dropped to the VFL and Monfries’ production has also nosedived.

Free agents Brent Stanton, Tom Bellchambers and Cour- tenay Dempsey and star swingman Jake Carlisle all face uncertain futures.

An unprecedented 20- plus players are out of contract just nine weeks before the end of the season, setting the club up for an aggressive exchange period under veteran talent chief Adrian Dodoro.

The mental states of the players have become even more concerning on the back of Essendon’s shock 110- point loss to St Kilda on Sunday where coach James Hird said the players “stopped playing”.

Russell said the uncertainty over the players’ futures owing to the impending WADA case would be having a huge impact on their performance.

“What they do need is a fresh culture, a fresh perspective,’’ Russell said.

“A rejuvenation of why they play football and what it means to them.

“It seems to be like some have forgotten the passion and they are burdened by the commitment.

“Once you are burdened by the commitment, as it sounds like Jobe ( Watson) is, everything becomes pretty full on.”