Essendon VFL won’t be taking Coburg lightly, despite the Lions winless start to the season, when the sides meet at Piranha Park on Saturday.
That’s the message from Performance Coach Mark Corrigan, as the Bombers look to secure their third win of the season and move inside the top eight.
“We have had really tight games and they’ve had the wood over us at times,” Corrigan said.
“We are expecting a really hot contest. No matter what with Coburg, you know you’re going to get four quarters of effort and that’s what we’re expecting.
“We are going to have to play our best footy to get past them.”
Essendon is coming off a 61 point win over Geelong, a performance they hope to recreate on Saturday.
“It’s good to see the boys were challenged in the first quarter, and the way they stayed really positive and the belief in the group to play what we are trying to coach,” he said.
“It showed that when we do it, we actually play really good footy. We were challenged and the boys were able to find a way through it and play really good footy for three quarters.”
Jackson Merrett, Tom Bellchambers and Craig Bird were included in the AFL squad after strong performances last week.
The AFL side will be finalised at 5pm on Friday.
Midfielder Kobe Mutch and key position player Matt Darby will bolster the VFL side’s stocks.
The Dons will need to nullify Coburg midfielders Nick Mellington and Blake Mullane.
Mellington is averaging 26 disposals per game this season, while Mullane can also hurt sides on the scoreboard.
“In previous weeks we haven’t really given run with roles, but we have given guys the assignment of being a little bit closer checking at stoppages,” Corrigan said.
“If it curbs their confidence then it goes a long way to win the game. In saying that we don’t want to get dictated to it.
“We will be really proactive and hope that we can get first use, we understand that [Tom] Goodwin is a really good ruck for them.
“Hopefully our boys play similar to last week and give us first use.”
The round six clash against Coburg will kick off at 1pm at Piranha Park.
Essendon vs Coburg
Saturday May 20
Piranha Park
1pm
B 25. A Morgan, 63. M Darby, 60. B McNiece
HB 39. H Hocking, 50. J Ferry, 20. J Merrett
C 57. N Hind, 24. C Bird, 8. M Gleeson
HF 30. K Langford, 16. J Begley, 34. J Long
F 19. K Mutch, 38. S Draper, 51. A Boyse
R 2. T Bellchambers, 5. B Stanton, 40. B Howlett
Int 55. D Younan, 77. N Holmes, 37. D Clarke
56. J Peters, 62. M Luxford, 54. N O'Brien
65. O Uysal, 71. J Cornell, 66. K Strachan
58. B Dobson, 74. J Madded, 27. M redman
23P 69. A Marklew
