Buoyant Essendon senior coach Ben Rutten does not want the Bombers to dwell on their 17-year drought without a finals victory and has urged his players to write a successful next chapter in the club's long-standing history when they take on the Western Bulldogs next weekend.
The Bombers warmed up nicely for the finals with an impressive 38-point victory over Collingwood on Sunday and will fancy their chances of claiming a first post-season victory since 2004 when they travel to Launceston to take on Luke Beveridge's side.
While Rutten said the Bombers' recent lack of finals success was a part of the club's history that needed to be embraced, he is adamant he wants the next chapter in their history to be a more positive one.
"That (finals drought) is something that comes with our footy club, but we have also won 16 premierships," Rutten noted.
"That is part of being at the Essendon footy club and part of what our players have really embraced throughout the course of this season is really embracing our history and reconnecting there and bringing a lot of that with us.
"But this next chapter of our history hasn’t been written yet. We are on a journey, we want to achieve something really special and we are committed to doing that."
Rutten said as many as five players that didn't play against the Magpies on Sunday were in the mix to return for the first week of the finals, with unused substitute Nik Cox and veteran swingman Cale Hooker heading the list.
Hooker impressed while playing a scratch match against Greater Western Sydney’s reserves on Sunday, a game which also saw highly-rated onballer Jye Caldwell and livewire forward Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti feature.
McDonald-Tipungwuti has missed the Bombers' last two matches due to personal reasons and Rutten stopped short of declaring the 28-year-old a certain starter to take on the Bulldogs.
"When I select him (McDonald-Tipungwuti) I want to make sure the environment is good, he is in a good place and he is happy, as that is what is going to make him play his best footy," Rutten said.
"We all know what Anthony can do...it was a great sign that he came and played a full game today.
"There are a whole range of things we have been working on with him over the last couple of weeks.
"He is putting in a mountain of work and getting well supported by our staff and other players, so hopefully we see him out there pretty soon."
The surging Bombers will face the Bulldogs from 3:20pm at UTAS Stadium on Sunday, with the winner to face the loser of the first qualifying final between Melbourne and Brisbane.
