Speaking to media, coach Matthew Knights today said that Brisbane’s two key forwards, Jonathon Brown and Daniel Bradshaw, will need to be stopped but that Michael would not be given the job.
“He (Mal) is a little bit sore at the moment and didn’t train this week and won’t train today so that rules him out,” he said.
The Essendon injury list has grown with David Myers and Courtney Johns both out with foot and knee problems but Knights confirmed Dustin Fletcher and Henry Slattery would play on Saturday night.
Chasing a fourth consecutive win, Knights said having a “pretty consistent line-up” has helped with better performances.
To watch the Knights media conference click here
He also poured cold water on a rumor that James Hird would be team-runner during the next three weeks.
“I think if you put James Hird out as a runner you would be concerned about him filling the hole and getting a few disposals,” he joked.
“I haven’t spoken to James about it and I don’t know where it’s all coming from at this stage. As far as I know all our runners are fine so unless that changes in the next 24-48 hours.
“I think he has expressed to the boys like Mark McVeigh and Andrew Welsh that he is fit and runs so he tells us he is right to go with whatever we want to throw at him.
“He loves the environment of football but I haven’t spoken to him about running this week or next week.”
Knights also said the break was good for everyone.
“For a player like a Scott Lucas who has come back off a knee injury and is getting back into the swing of things another week or two of training has done him the world of good,” he said.
“You will have some fresh clubs running around this week.”
