SPOTLIGHT: BEN HOBBS

I am a superstitious man. I don’t want to be … but I am.

In the many years of supporting the Essendon Football Club, I’ve often gone on very elongated rants about what I tend to think of as, ‘the good press curse’. In essence, any piece of news in a newspaper or on television that singles out a player for praise.

Without any evidence to back up this curse, I believe that only bad things can follow such bold and public declarations of a player’s successes. In my superstition-addled brain, only injury, public embarrassment and potential scandal can follow such glorifications.

But surely, this is folly.

I’m just being stupid.

Well, let’s test this theory…

How good has Ben Hobbs been in 2025?

In his fourth season with the club, after being drafted at Pick 13 in 2021, Hobbs has certainly had Bombers fans wondering what sort of player the club had collected. At the beginning of this season, there was discussion on The Sash podcast about whether Hobbs or Elijah Tsatas had the greater upside. At that time, I was more inclined to believe that Tsatas was in the lead.

Now, time may eventually turn my pre-season assessment of Tsatas v Hobbs into a victory, however, at this point in time Hobbs has proven the more AFL capable player.

After what can only be described as an underwhelming campaign in 2024, where he only managed a paltry 12 outings in the seniors, including an average of 12.5 disposals, 2.9 tackles, 0.9 clearances a game and just two goals to his name, Hobbs has shown key improvements in only a handful of matches this year.

Ben Hobbs has come a long way since being drafted in 2021.

As it stands, Hobbs is averaging 16.6 disposals, 4.4 tackles, 2.6 clearances and already two goals! These numbers aren’t elite by any stretch, but for a guy who struggled to find his role in years gone by, this improvement is exciting. But it’s his tenacity that has really set him apart. To quote my old man, if there’s a contest for the footy, the last guy up will always be Ben Hobbs. Combine his improvement plus this kind of mindset and Hobbs is building, possibly, a truly impressive 2025 campaign.

Bluntly put, the kid has the dawg in him – and it’s not just because his stern haircut reminds me of a staffy.

Hobbs is the kind of player who hits every contest like it could be his last. On Good Friday, Hobbs was a key figure in the Dons comeback victory against the Eagles, with his tenacity a major part of what kept Essendon close enough to claw back a victory from the jaws of defeat. His disposals aren’t crazy high (15), but what didstand out was his tackling (6) – behind only Will Setterfield (9) and Dylan Shiel (7), who continues to defy ageing with his efforts.  

But it was against Port Adelaide and then the Dees during Gather Round that Hobbs transition from fringe player to best-22 staple was truly stamped. With stat lines comprising 21 and 20 disposals, four and four tackles, four and five clearances, a scoreline of 2.1 and combined total of 35 pressure acts, Hobbs let everyone know that he had finally arrived.

It's this sort of output that has Hobbs squarely described as blue-collar, a real run into a brick wall type of footballer. But this may simplify matters a little too much. Because, despite his hard-nosed attack on the footy, he harbours a touch of class that sets him apart. In ’25, it looks like Hobbs has found a way to sharpen his already capable hands and even tidy up his kicking, though some work remains. Should he be capable of harnessing this even further, it’s fair to say that Hobbs ceiling could be higher than fans expected.

This is handy news for a club who has been dealt a pretty rough hand on the injury front in just the earliest parts of the season, especially in the contest.

After several false starts, Hobbs is beginning to look like the kind of player fans can rely on.

Darcy Parish’s unlucky streak continued recently with a new calf injury which has him marked as ‘TBC’ on the club’s injury report. This coupled with Jye Caldwell’s hamstring issues (marked as three weeks via the club) left many wondering who would step up, especially to fill the void of Caldwell, whose firm approach to contest work has won him the admiration of the red and black legions.

Enter Ben Hobbs.

It’s been a curious journey so far for the 21-year old Hobbs, but as he continues into his fourth season with the club, it looks as though he’s finally found his place … and his form. But can he maintain it? The club has now won three games in a row, but with a slew of injuries and a rejuvenated Collingwood Magpies awaiting – the challenge has never seemed so daunting.

ANZAC Day is said to be the biggest game outside of the Grand Final itself.

A day that tests players.

Demands more from them.

And ultimately asks them how hard are they willing to go to win?

If Essendon is even the slightest chance of upsetting the Pies come Friday, they’ll need their best to stand their ground and fight. And I think right now, Ben Hobbs is the kind of player you can rely on to do just that.

Go Planes.