""I like Scott Lucas at centre half forward - he probably hasn't had as good a season as last but he did kick 57 goals. He kicked three goals in a half against Richmond so that was a good sign,"" Sheedy said.
""Scotty is playing in a fairly difficult position because you are in and out of the 50m more often than a full forward. Full forwards have the added pressure of trying to kick the goals but Scott Lucas has got to push up the ground and then run back down the ground. We could try Scott at full forward for a period in the game.""
Sheedy said it was unfair to compare Scott Lucas and Matthew Lloyd even though they appeared on he scene at the same time and both play in the forward half. ""It is like comparing the great Francis Bourke and Dick Clay - they are both great wingmen but different styles of players. The same with Keith Grieg and Wayne Schimmelbusch,"" Sheedy said.
""Scotty Lucas is a very, very good player. When he is playing best...I wouldn't drop off Scott Lucas just at the moment if I was any other club. He will be very determined to do well and show people he is better than sitting on the bench.""
Sheedy said the club had a number of options for the goal square this weekend. ""We could put Alessio there - he has always done well there and we have also won most of the games when Lloyd hasn't been there. We have got some fairly talented players who can go down there,"" he said.
""It is disappointing that he (Lloyd) is not there but we will need everybody to lift together. Carlton had (Lance) Whitnall on the weekend and he didn't kick five goals and sometimes you get bgeaten so it is just a matter of finding someone who can play well for you.""
Hawthorn was very good against Port Adelaide last weekend but it was an effort that hardly surprised the Essendon coach. ""Well I picked Hawthorn to win last week. I just felt that they (Port Adelaide) haven't played that many players this year - I think they have made the least amount of changes this season - and you only have to lose one or two and all of a sudden you need the blokes that haven't played. I think that Hawthorn had it on them a little bit and of course they have a tall forward line. I don't think the Port Adelaide back line is as good as our backline.""
Sheedy added fuel to speculation that Dean Wallis could be a surprise inclusion in the Bombers Preliminary Final side. ""If he trains well this week we will look at him. It would be a risk to put him in but if I had to I would - he can create goals for us,"" Sheedy said. He rated Mark Bolton ahead of Aaron Henneman on the score of fitness. ""There might also be more than one out. We will look at what we have to do to win this match and if that means making two changes then so be it. I don't mind having Wallis in the forward line and one of the other two across half back - I have no problems with that thinking at all.""
Sheedy said he doesn't read anything into the round nine result when Essendon comfortably defeated Hawthorn. But he was hopeful that his players' finals experience would hold them in good stead. ""I would imagine there could be up to 12 different players in this match compared with the last time we played so I won't read anything into that result,"" Sheedy said.
""We have played in a few Preliminary Finals and I think it is great to have that sought of experience. I think the finals are just starting now ... these players know what they have to do. They have been pretty solid for a few seasons now and we don't want to let ourselves or our fans down. It will be a great game - Hawthorn have been a magnificent club and look where they have fought back from - it is a real credit to the whole place.""
