Why Watson likes “generous” deal for Ridley

Despite having Essendon close to his heart, Tim Watson is a fan of the deal for Jordan Ridley.

The injury-prone defender was traded to Geelong along with Pick 60 and a future fourth-rounder. Jack Bowes, a future first-round pick (2027) and a future second-round pick (2028) went the other way to the Bombers.

After years of attempting to get his body right with the Dons, Ridley has now moved on, and club great Watson feels it is a good deal for the player to get a fresh start.

“That deal in itself it's an interesting deal because if you go back to 2020 Jordan Ridley was in the All-Australian squad and he also won the Essendon best and fairest,” Watson said on SEN Breakfast.

“That's a long time ago, that's six years ago now. This last three years he's played 26 of a possible 69 games, and he's had some really serious concerns about his body.

“There's no doubt in my mind he's lost confidence in himself when he's out there playing about the fact that he's going to break down. But he appears to have also lost confidence in the people around him at Essendon in their ability to be able to rehabilitate him as well.”

Watson suggests the trade itself has been skewed towards the Dons given Ridley has been unlucky with his body since playing 17 games in 2023.

“At face value, if you look at where he is right now, I think Essendon got a very, very generous bid and deal from Geelong,” he continued.

“He's still young, he's still only 27 years of age, so he still should have a lot of footy in front of him. If they get him back to what he was, playing the way that he did, they’ve got themselves a fine player.

“Back in those days, he was one of Essendon’s best three players.”

Co-host Garry Lyon reckons the Cats obviously feel they can get Ridley right.

“So, Geelong are clearly backing themselves and their medical people to get him right,” Lyon said.

“He clearly - and we know this to be a fact - that he lost the confidence in Essence's ability to get him right and he probably looked at other clubs. Brisbane was his initially where he was looking at longingly because the number of players that have gone up there with issues with their body that have been turned around.

“So it can change and the Cats are outstanding in this area as well.”

Earlier this week, Lyon was big on the Bombers finalising the Zach Merrett trade with Hawthorn.

He also loves the fact that the Dons - with John Longmire and Mark McVeigh now at the club - have moved Ridley on so swiftly after their respective arrivals.

“The thing that I'm really impressed with is it got done,” Lyon added.

“It just got done quick, as it did with Zach Merrett. I spoke about this the other day, Andrew Welsh said what he said about Merrett and the Hawks, and then bang, it was done.

“No procrastinating, no hanging on, ‘Oh, we might get him, he might stay, we know how good he is’. No, no, we've had him for long enough. We can't quite get it done. If there's a good deal, let's do it. Bang, done.

“This smacks of a decisive new reign at this footy club. They've been mired in the muck for that long, things had to change. This is the way I read it. And now they've got Spike McVay as the coach, you've got John Longmire and they're not looking back, they're looking forward.

“So, okay, we've done the Merrett thing, bang, done. We've been talking about Jordan Ridley for year upon year upon year. We can't get him right, bang, good deal, done, out the door.

“And you know what the other thing is, Tim, and I'm hearing this a little bit. Get all your ducks in a row, shop early, get them out, get your picks in order, and then you just sit back and go, ‘Ok, we're in a good position now if something is to happen’. If something like Nick Blakey is on the market. So they've got a fantastic in.

“They've got John Longmire and Mark McVeigh sitting there. If they want to make a concerted play, they're in a good position to do it.

“I like it from an Essendon footy club point of view, I think there's decisive decisions being made, there's no looking back, they're moving forward, they're setting themselves up.

“I think for the first time in a long time it appears they know where they want to go as a club and they're prepared to make decisions around it. And they are right there for Nick Blakey if in fact he wants out and they're a chance. They can go and pitch hard.”