Happy homecoming for Bomber Caldwell

ESSENDON midfielder Jye Caldwell has relished the chance to return home for a few days as a part of the Bombers’ AFL Community Camp in Bendigo.

The tough on-baller and his teammates, including the club’s newest batch of draftees, spent two days last week visiting schools in the region, including at Castlemaine, and passing on tips to eager youngsters at a super clinic at the Tom Flood Sports Centre.

Caldwell, who grew up in Bendigo and is approaching the 100-game mark in a career that has taken him to two AFL clubs, said he had plenty of happy memories from his time in the city and was stoked to be back on home turf.

 

“It’s something I look forward to each year, coming back to Bendigo, the community where I grew up,” the 25-year-old former Bendigo Pioneer and Golden Square junior said when he fronted the media ahead of last week’s super clinic.

“I remember when I was a little kid running around like this when AFL players came and how special it was at the time.

“Now I’m fortunate enough to be that AFL player.”

Caldwell returned to Bendigo in great spirits, having overcome a syndesmosis injury that required surgery and ended his 2025 campaign following a round 17 defeat to the Gold Coast.

 

He declared his ankle as good as new and himself as not having missed a beat early in the off-season.

“It took a while to heal at the start, which was pretty frustrating considering we weren’t going great on the field,” Caldwell said.

“To get back at the end of the season was a stretch, but I did all the rehab I could and can attack 2026 with a fresh ankle.

“I’ve had a great off-season looking for little gains, did plenty of work on my body to get it right, and I haven’t missed a beat in the pre-season so far.”

 

After an injury-interrupted first seven seasons in the AFL, Caldwell, who has played 78 of his 89 senior games since his arrival at Essendon from Greater Western Sydney in 2021, is eager to elevate his game to the next level, as he takes on added responsibility in a young and evolving midfield group.

He’s determined to leave no stone unturned in pursuit of self-improvement.

“There is a lot of different things you can do to keep developing; I feel like the game’s even quicker now, as quick as it’s ever been,” Caldwell said.

“You have to be an inside and outside player as a midfielder now – you can’t just be one dimensional.

“I’m working on my speed from outside the contest to in, and also in to out.

 

“My strength is my contested footy and my handballing and I’m keeping that as my one wood, but there’s definitely lots to work on.”

Caldwell is as excited as anyone at Essendon about the club’s latest draft haul, highlighted by a significant swelling of the midfield talent pool.

The Bombers brought in dynamic midfielder/forward Sullivan Robey, from Eastern Ranges, with pick nine; West Perth defender Jacob Farrow with pick 10; and the player many experts touted as the possible number one pick earlier in the season and late last year, Central District on-baller and this year’s South Australian under-18 captain Dyson Sharp with pick 13.

 

They also added Oakleigh Chargers intercept defender Max Kondogiannis with pick 36 and opportunistic forward and midfield option Hussein El Achkar, from Calder Cannons, with pick 53.

Caldwell labelled Sharp, a developed midfielder, as a standout, but was bullish about the club’s draft as a collective.

“It’s exciting. We touched on it the other day at the club that we have turned over about 30 players in the last three years,” he said.

“You can never take your spot for granted because there are people breathing down your throat. It’s the industry we are in.

“Everyone’s competitive, but I’m very excited about our list going forward.

 

“I feel that we nailed the draft this year, and we brought in Brayden (Fiorini) from Gold Coast, a super-addition to our team.

“It’s a very positive list at the moment and I’m excited where it can go.”

With Zach Merrett having stepped down as captain following a dramatic off-season in which his request to be traded to Hawthorn failed, the Bombers will have a new leader in 2026.

While current vice-captain Andrew McGrath is the early favourite to become Essendon’s next skipper, Caldwell would welcome an opportunity to be a part of the leadership group.

“Leadership is something I’ve pondered on the past few seasons, especially the last 12 months, because we’re the second-youngest team in the AFL,” he said.

 

“I used to look up to all the older guys, and now I take a look around the change room, and I’m one of them.

“I feel like I’ve found my feet at the level and am coming into my prime years, so I want to be a leader.

“Zach did a great job as captain, but there are a lot of leaders at the club who can step up.”

Despite the relatively short time span in Bendigo, Caldwell, who has spent parts of his off-season in Europe and Bali, was able to catch up with a few close friends and family while in town.

He will be back in the region again for Christmas.

“I’ll do a few mates now and a few at Christmas time,” he said. “But it’s always good to see my parents.”