Essendon Performance Coach Mark Harvey is confident the returning players will make a smooth transition back into the cut and thrust of the home and away season.
The Bombers campaign gets underway against Hawthorn at the MCG on Saturday March 25th.
The playing group has had two hit-outs in the JLT Community Series and will round off preparations this Sunday against Geelong in Bendigo.
Harvey said the cohesion would increase as the season goes on, but he’s been impressed with what he’s seen so far.
“There is an underlying ambition with this team,” Harvey said.
“Everyone knows we are all under pressure for spots in the team and expectation.
“We’ve got a number of young players that we have high expectations of to put pressure on our senior guys to make sure that we’re all on song.
“I’m pretty sure you’re going to find that this group is going to challenge each other and we’ll be a dangerous side throughout the course of the year.
“They still need to play a lot more football with each other but their understanding of our game plan, the instruction, the communication that is being put forward at training sessions – I think we’re going to be a well-organised team.”
Essendon are likely to field their strongest line-up of the JLT Community Series against the Cats.
Eight of the ten returning players have played at least one pre-season match so far, with only Cale Hooker and Tom Bellchambers yet to feature.
Hooker could make his return this week.
Teams are allowed to name 24 players in their final line-ups for this round of the JLT Community Series, but the Bombers could stick with the traditional 22 to aid the returning players preparation for round one.
“I can clearly see what they want out of their football,” Harvey said.
“I wouldn’t have thought it would be difficult at all.
“It has been interesting having the eight man interchange bench and now players getting exposed to the duration of a game with the cap on rotations.
“That will be our next faze and we’ll look at the on Sunday against Geelong.”
