FB: Dustin Fletcher Tayte Pears Henry Slattery
HB: Dyson Heppell Cale Hooker Courtenay Dempsey
C: David Zaharakis Jobe Watson Mark McVeigh
HF: Angus Monfries Scott Gumbleton Michael Hurley
FF: Leroy Jetta Patrick Ryder Alwyn Davey
FOLL: David Hille Brent Stanton Heath Hocking
I/C: Ben Howlett Jason Winderlich Stewart Crameri
SUB: Michael Hibberd
Injury list
Darcy Daniher (groin) - ongoing assessment
Alwyn Davey (broken arm) - 1-2 weeks
Anthony Long (hamstring) - indefinite
Tayte Pears (foot) - ongoing assessment
Henry Slattery (broken thumb) - 2-3 weeks
Andrew Welsh (abdominal) - ongoing assessment
Most valuable player
It’s obvious given he’s won the last two best and fairests at the club, but Jobe Watson is the key to Essendon success. Watson sits at an elite level: he’s crucial at the clearances, sets up most of Essendon’s attacking forays, and cops the heaviest tag. Essendon’s best, and most valuable, player by far, probably too far in recent seasons.
Track specialist
With Essendon needing new options through the midfield, David Zaharakis has improved his fitness and added bulk over the pre-season. Zaharakis played 20 games last year and kicked 19 goals, but is set to spend more time further up the ground in 2011. Given it’s his third season in the system, more will be expected of him this year.
Dream Team special
Courtenay Dempsey has had an encouraging start to the year. He’s not cheap in Dream Team terms (DEF, $300,000), but he could be decent value if he can find the balance between attack and defence. Dempsey averaged just a touch over 72 last year, but given his NAB Cup form, he’ll be pushing that past 80 in 2011.
Pivotal match View the full Bombers fixture here
Essendon has an excellent recent record against Carlton, and will be hoping it continues in round four. The Bombers have a tough start to the season - their first five games are against finalists from last year - but if they can sneak a win over Carlton and perhaps over St Kilda or the Bulldogs, they’ll be on their way to a solid season. In the month preceding its first bye in round 10, Essendon faces Gold Coast, West Coast, Brisbane Lions and Richmond, all winnable games.
Draftee watch
Dyson Heppell and Michael Hibberd are the obvious ones, and they will play a lot of senior footy this year, but the smoky is Alex Browne. Browne showed that he has the temperament, ability and poise to play at the top level in the NAB Cup. Will float through defence and has the size to play as a midfielder as well.
The Bombers will have a good year if…
Jobe gets some help. The Bombers have had such a reliance on their skipper that if he fails to put in a match-winning performance, they tend to struggle. Jason Winderlich needs to be become a week-in, week-out contributor, Brent Stanton needs to be able to deal with a tag better, and the likes of Zaharakis, Heath Hocking, Leroy Jetta and Jake Melksham need to keep improving.
The big issues
Can the Bombers sustain their pre-season form? It will be tough, because it is based on tackles, contested possessions and high-energy football, but they have had their pre-season geared towards more fitness work.
Are the young key position players ready to take the next step? We think so. Patrick Ryder will have a huge role to play up forward, as will Michael Hurley and Scott Gumbleton, but they’re all capable. Tayte Pears’ foot injury, however, will see him miss the start of the season.
How will the James Hird and Mark Thompson dynamic unfold? It’s the question everybody’s asking and, if nothing else, Essendon has certainly lifted in profile since last season. It remains to be seen if the off-field success in the membership department translates to wins on the field.
Callum Twomey is afl.com.au's beat writer for Essendon FC. Follow him on Twitter: @Cal_Twomey.
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
