After Zach Merrett’s failed move to Hawthorn in the 2025 AFL Trade Period, he has officially stood down as Essendon’s skipper after three seasons as captain of the club.

The question is, who will be the Bombers’ next captain for the future?

Essendon doesn’t have a standout guy to be the next leader, but they have a few who may be favoured, and a couple of smokey options for the future.

The next captain of the Bombers will have a key role in developing and helping the Bombers’ young side for the future, and the Bombers need to make sure they don’t have another Merrett situation in the near future.

We look through Essendon’s best options for their next captain for the 2026 season and beyond.

1Andrew McGrath 

The frontrunner to replace Merrett is the Bombers’ current vice-captain, Andrew McGrath, drafted by the Bombers with Pick 1 in the 2016 National Draft.

McGrath has played 180 games across his nine seasons at the Bombers, and has been the side’s vice-captain for the last three seasons.

He had been a key leader for the Bombers over his career, winning multiple Best Clubman, Staff and Trainers’ Awards, and is clearly valued by his teammates as a respected leader at the club.

McGrath typically leads from the backline, but because of the Bombers’ injuries last season, he was pushed into the midfield, where he played some of his best football.

Could we see a midfield led by McGrath as the new captain for the 2026 season?