Jade Gresham is settled, fit and ready to play an important role as Essendon seek the consistency required to finally unlock the door to AFL finals success this season.
The Bombers, once competition powerhouses, are on a well-documented run without a finals victory over the past two decades.
And while many current players, including second-year Bomber Gresham, aren't a major part of that history, it weighs heavily on the club's large and frustrated supporter base.
It was felt as much as ever last season, when Essendon squandered a hot 8-1-2 start to Brad Scott's second year as coach by losing nine of their last 12 games and missing the top eight altogether.
"We had a strong start last year but dropped off towards the end," Gresham said on Monday.
"We know if we can be more consistent through four quarters throughout the year we can match it with anyone, so that's the main aim this year.
"We're tweaking little things as well, but if we keep it more consistent we know we can match it with anyone."
If Essendon can find that consistency, a sharp rise up the ladder could be on the cards.
"Anything's possible. If you time your season right, anything can happen," Gresham said.
"We're going in confident and ready to go and ready to attack the year. Who knows where that can take us.
"You want to be playing in September, so everyone's really hungry and driven."
Gresham's only finals appearance so far came in the last of his 136 games for St Kilda - defeat to GWS in a 2023 elimination final - before he joined Essendon on a three-year deal.
The 27-year-old kicked 19 goals from 22 games in his first year with the Bombers, having put to bed the injury concerns that cruelled his 2020-21 seasons.
Now he's preparing to step up in a remodelled Essendon forward line that will be without explosive matchwinner Jake Stringer, traded to the Giants at the end of last year.
"I've come back in really good nick and had an uninterrupted pre-season, so I'm feeling strong and healthy, which is the main thing," Gresham said.
"I just can't wait to play footy again. I'm really excited and it's not long now.
"Coming into a club first year you're getting used to how everyone plays and how the system works, so I feel like I'm a lot more comfortable this year in the way we want to play.
"I'm really excited to see what we can achieve this year."
Stringer kicked 42 goals last season - second only to Kyle Langford (43) at Essendon - and leaves a large hole in the Bombers' attack.
Gresham expects to spend most of his time forward, with bursts through the midfield, and is bullish about what the likes of Harrison Jones, Nate Caddy and boom draftee Isaac Kako can produce alongside established stars Langford and Peter Wright.
"'String' is obviously a great player and we're going to miss him a lot, but I think our forward half will look a lot different," Gresham said.
"We're pretty young down there, so I'm really excited to see what us forwards and the team can do this year.
"Kako is going really well. He works hard and he's come in wanting to learn every day.
"I'm really excited to hopefully play with him this year and in years to come."
