The recent case study that has Matthew Lloyd cautious about Essendon this season

Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd says he’s as excited as anybody about what the Bombers may achieve this season.

But parallels with St Kilda in 2020 has got Lloyd “holding” for now when it comes to Essendon’s top-four hopes.

Speaking on 3AW, Lloyd said the Bombers had top-six talent on their list but this season would show what the club was “truly made of” after they returned to finals last year.

“Why I’m holding is because I saw Alan Richardson moved on (as St Kilda coach) and Brett Ratten came in and straight away there was a spike in performance and they won a final,” Lloyd said in his first appearance of the year on Sportsday.

“They would have thought the next step is top-four, with another year into Max King and all of those things and then they don’t make the finals.

“Essendon? John Worsfold goes, Ben Rutten comes in and there is a spoke in performance and they make the finals.

“Now? Can Nik Cox go again, does Archie Perkins go again, Harrison Jones.

“We’ll see.

“The honeymoon period for Rutten is over, there is expectation, everybody is ready for the Bombers now.

“Now we’ll see what they are truly made of.

“They need to win a final.”

Press PLAY below to hear Lloydy’s thoughts on the Bombers