Essendon hard man Heath Hocking is excited about the challenge the Bombers face this weekend coming up against Sydney at the SCG.

The Swans are flying high off the back of a 47 point win against Collingwood on Friday night and will be a tough opponent on home soil.

“It is an exciting challenge because they are built around contested footy and winning a hard tough slog of a game,” Hocking said after the Bombers Dreamtime at the G victory.

“I think that is a positive for us as we see our contested ball as a strength of ours.”

“To go up there to the SCG next Saturday afternoon and put that on show will be great for the players and we are excited about it.”
Essendon’s midfield depth has been the hallmark of the club’s impressive start to the season that sees them sitting inside the top four at 7-2.

Brent Stanton said the midfield group had worked hard on improving the defensive aspect of their game over the last twelve months.

“We have been working as a midfield group for a couple of years now on being more accountable and working both ways,” Stanton said.

“I really think that showed out on Saturday night and the character of the guys to sacrifice their game when they needed to in order to play defensive footy and that also drives your attack.

“If we can keep providing that depth through the midfield it is going to be hard to get a spot through there throughout the rest of the year.”

Stanton also paid tribute to the performance of indigenous duo Patrick Ryder and Courtenay Dempsey.

Dempsey returned to the side after a club-imposed suspension for not following rehabilitation protocols saw him play in the VFL.

“They are both really important players in the way that we set up and the structures that we want to play,” Stanton told MMM.

“The drive that he (Dempsey) provides off that half back line and the run is important.

“He is able to create from that back line and break lines I think it is very important.

“I think if we are able to keep those two guys playing at a consistent level to what they were playing last night it is going to help us going forward.”