Essendon’s coaching staff is pleased with how the playing group performed during the latest instalment of match practice today. 

The Bombers got through about 30 minutes of game simulation in good conditions at Tullamarine. 

“We thought they played with some good energy and we’re at that stage of the year where we’re rolling out some more specificity in our game plan and we saw a bit of that today,” Game Performance Manager Mark Neeld said.

“We’re very much in unchartered waters with having a large group returning … there is no rule book or blueprint in how to do this, but it looked to be pretty pleasing this morning.”

Fleet footed attacking threats Orazio Fantasia, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti and Josh Green were lively in the forward half.

Dyson Heppell, Darcy Parish, Zach Merrett, Ben Howlett got some midfield minutes under their belt while David Myers, Heath Hocking and Brent Stanton spent time across half back.

Neeld said the team had made some minor changes to game plan since last year.

“Footy is an industry where game plans and styles evolve all the time so we’ve made some slight little changes,” he said.

“Some of that, at times, has to do with personnel but also we have an ultimate aim for how we want to play, so we’re moving towards that.

“There is always a few little tweaks and this year will be a similar case.”