Carlton celebrate premiership success in 1995. But it has been slim pickings for the weakened superpowers of yesteryear with Carlton having not tasted the ultimate success since 1995. Next season their premiership drought will balloon to a club record-equalling 23 years. In 2018, Essendon will not have won a flag for 18 years, which will equal the second longest drought in their history. The Bombers have now gone the longest of any club without winning a final (13 years) after Richmond's incredible September this year. What was once one of the league's fiercest rivalries has become a shadow of its former self.

Bomber glory: Captain James Hird and coach Kevin Sheedy lift the 2000 AFL premiership cup. Credit:John French Sure, the two clubs and their supporters maintain a healthy dislike for each other, but it has become largely irrelevant in the context of the AFL. In recent years, Essendon and Carlton have resembled a couple of hobos fighting each other in the corner of a dingy bar room with none of the other patrons paying any attention to them. Their past six meetings have failed to attract a crowd of more than 60,000. Eleven of their previous 16 did. But is all of that about to change?

Having returned to the finals this year for the first time since the doping scandal crippled them for four seasons, Essendon's transformation from pariah to destination club has been dramatic. Already boasting one of the most exciting young lists in the competition, the Bombers have now added to the mix talented trio Devon Smith, Adam Saad and Jake Stringer. Given the Bombers already have a swag of senior regulars who are 24 or under in Joe Daniher, Zach Merrett, Orazio Fantasia, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, Andrew McGrath, Darcy Parish, Conor McKenna, James Stewart and Marty Gleeson, the additions of Smith, Saad and Stringer to that age bracket are daring the Essendon faithful to dream. Add established stars Michael Hurley, Cale Hooker, David Zaharakis, Dyson Heppell and Brendon Goddard and the Bombers could be quite formidable for the next few years. While Essendon have aggressively attacked the trade period to fast-track their development, Carlton have taken a more long-term approach with the national draft their major avenue to potential success.