David King believes the penalties imposed on Essendon due to the supplement saga has helped revitalize the way in which the club looks at its list.

The Bombers have jumped out of the gates with back-to-back wins to open the 2017 season, and are seeing the benefits of being forced into getting games into a host of young players last season, while 12 of their stars were suspended.

“It’s been enjoyable, it’s been refreshing and I think that everyone wants them to go well,” King said on SEN’s Pure Footy.

“They’ve almost become, through adversity, everyone’s second team.

“In a lot of ways this whole thing has sparked Adrian Dodoro and his team into action and awoken them form their slumber.

“‘We are going to have to do different things here, we’re going to have to really invent ways to acquire talent.

“Only the Adelaide Crows have been as impacted as this club over the last few years regarding the draft.”

The North Melbourne premiership star said that the gains of last year have held strong so far, pointing to the form of Zach Merrett, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, and Orazio Fantasia as three examples of players who have built on what they showed in 2016.

“They are playing a really aggressive brand now – through the corridor, it’s exciting to watch,” he said.

“This is how Essendon wanted it to be all those years ago.”

Fantasia in particular has been on the of the main beneficiaries of extra game time last season. He played 19 of a possible 22 matches in 2016, booting 29 goals, and has started this season in fine form kicking nine majors in the first two rounds – including a five-goal haul against Brisbane last weekend.

“He’s their next elite player, Fantasia. He moves like a star,” King said.

“He’s got that real healthy footy arrogance about him, which all the good players have got.”