Having watched longingly from afar for many years, the privilege of experiencing the annual Anzac Day clash isn’t lost on Brad Scott.

As Essendon and Collingwood get set to take to the MCG for a prominent day on both the football and national calendar, a massive crowd is expected to flock in and pay their respects to all who’ve served for the country.

Scott says both he and the club are embracing the emotional context of the game as the week unfolds.

“(We lean into the day) hugely,” Scott said.

“I speak for both clubs when I say we’re privileged to be a part of it, and privileged to represent what Collingwood, Essendon and the AFL have created. We’ll have veterans and past players come in to talk about their Anzac Day experiences, so we’ll marry up the two with the enormity of the event.”

The element of remembrance on Anzac Day is a big factor for Scott, whose father served in the Vietnam War.

As the game approaches, Scott hopes that the day’s significance beyond football is understood by younger generations of fans flocking to the gates on Thursday.

“I hear it a lot, but it’s really important that people keep listening to it – We’ve been really fortunate in my lifetime and people younger than me that we haven’t experienced a lot of the things that people had to endure,” Scott said.

“There were some real and serious threats to the freedoms we enjoy today, and the veterans have enabled us to enjoy those. Young people have got to understand what the people that have gone before us have done to enable us to live a life that we live.

“The Anzac Day game puts that back in the forefront of young people’s minds, because there’s a risk in my view that we take those things for granted. It’s an honour and a privilege.”

Scott is urging Bomber fans to get amongst the action on Thursday for what he describes as a standalone experience.

Preparing for his second edition of the fixture as the Bombers’ Senior Coach, Scott also believes he’ll be better prepared for the atmosphere this time around.

“I was really looking forward to it last year, but I was surprised at the enormity of the day,” Scott said.

“We broke the (fixture crowd) record last year and it’s Essendon’s home game this year, so we need to get all of our members (here), 96,000 plus will break the record.”

“It’s just an unbelievable occasion and it sits separately in terms of finals, even Grand Finals. It’s an occasion that sits on its own on the AFL calendar.

“If you haven’t been part of this day, go and experience it and if you have been part of it, you’ll want to be part of it again.”

The Dons’ lead-in to the game comes with its selection headaches, notably with key forward Peter Wright raring to return after serving his four-match suspension.

While Wright is set to return, Scott isn’t set on finding a like-for-like omission this week, emphasising the importance of fellow tall Sam Draper to his line-up.

“(Draper’s) in. It’s a matter of how we shuffle more than in-for-out, he’s a vital member of our team,” Scott said.

“(Wright’s) done a power of work. He’s always impressed me with his professionalism, he’s approached this block almost as a mini pre-season. I doubt there’s a better prepared player going into this round of football than Peter Wright.

“He’s worked extremely hard, been able to work on all elements of his game and he’s obviously in peak condition going in, so in terms of his prep he’s ready to go.”

Scott is confident Wright’s return can pay dividends for his forward mix, providing another target to complement the solid form of Harry Jones and Kyle Langford.

A healthy Dylan Shiel is another potential inclusion for Scott to consider, but he’s taking a cautious approach with the experienced midfielder given his lengthy stint away with injury.

“(I see Jones fitting in) very well,” Scott said.

“He’s worked really closely with Peter Wright, the way he prepares for games, there are just no surprises and no secrets as to why he’s performing well.

“We just think that the preparation of our players is really important and we’ve got to weigh that up with ‘Shiely’, because he’s obviously a high-level player.

“(Shiel’s) done a fair bit of work, has he done enough, that’s what we have to get to the bottom of. We’ll make a call on Wednesday.”

The looming potential of a rainy Anzac Day is also adding to Scott’s selection process, looking to factor in the conditions for how the Dons’ outfit looks on the day.

With Collingwood fresh off a big win over Port Adelaide, Scott is aware of the challenge they present on the big stage, but he’s ensuring the side stays focused on what they can control, including soaking up the MCG environment.

“I should know better than to look at the weather forecast in Melbourne a week out, it just keeps changing all the time so that’ll come into play as well in terms of what we do,” Scott said.

“The best of the best talk about process, system, staying in the moment, controlling the things that are in their control, and that goes for coaches as well.

“You should enjoy the atmosphere, enjoy the moment, don’t block it out, soak it in, but at the end of the day we’ve got a game to play and actions to deliver on, that’ll be our message to the players.

“Like the whole football world, we’re aware of the threats that Collingwood pose both individually but as a collective with their team. We’re just going to have to come up with a plan that we can go 100 per cent at, try to execute and then adjust.

“It shapes up as a huge challenge for us, but that’s what the competition keeps dishing up.”