Essendon champion Tim Watson says his former club needs to cast an eye to the future in the second half of the 2018 season.

The Bombers sit 13th on the ladder, two games and a healthy percentage outside of finals qualification, which should adjust their expectations and goals for the reminder of the campaign, according to Watson.

“If I was in charge there, I would be looking beyond this year,” he told SEN Breakfast.

“Essendon aren’t going to challenge for the flag this year, so any decision making that they arrive at has to be with an eye to the future.

“Mason Redman, Matt Guelfi, and all these other younger players that are around the mark, I would keep playing those players with the idea that they need to get some more games to prove whether or not they’re capable of playing at the highest level, which I believe they will.

“That will shore up their future a lot quicker.”

The Dons will look for their sixth victory of the year this Thursday night in Perth against the West Coast Eagles.

Listen to the best bits of this morning's edition of SEN Breakfast with Garry Lyon and Tim Watson in the player below