David Myers, the No.6 pick in last year’s draft, will play his first game in the red and black while father-son selection Darcy Daniher and rookie-list player Jarrod Atkinson are the other Bombers to earn promotion.
On Wednesday the news was filtering out that a Daniher would again be in action for the Bombers, but on Thursday morning it was a smiling and clearly proud coach Matthew Knights that fronted the media flanked not only by Daniher but also the two other debutants.
The trio’s inclusion means that Essendon will possibly field one of its youngest-ever sides.
Knights hinted the Bombers, in the midst of an injury crisis, were likely to give others an opportunity against the Power.
“As well as these three first-gamers we might have one or two more youngsters coming into this team as well,” he said.
Knights denied the inclusion of three debutantes was the result of last week’s ANZAC Day belting against Collingwood.
“There’s no reaction in my coaching,” he said.
“It’s about where this club is headed for the future.”
Knights said Essendon would continue to follow the “same direction” and wouldn’t alter its expectations about season 2008 despite the club’s injury woes.
The Bombers’ casualty list might have forced the coach into debuting three young players in the one match but Knights doesn’t believe playing Myers, Daniher and Atkinson is a risk.
“I said at the start of the year, whoever we put out on the ground we’re going to expect to win footy games,” he said.
“And the team we put out there against Port Adelaide Power on Sunday, we’re going in to expect to win the game. It’s no different to last week or the first round against the Kangaroos.
“[It’s] not a risk at all. Not a risk where the club’s heading and what our vision is for the future.”
Despite being underdogs to take the points against Port Adelaide this weekend – and turn his team’s season around – Knights is genuinely excited about watching his young side develop.
“To be able to see them run out on the Telstra Dome on Sunday is exciting and I just look forward to watching them play and showing me what they've got,” he said.
“I expect them to be creative and to take the game on and be daring and I know they’ll develop better that way … that’s what excites me.
“I said to Mal [Michael] and Lloydy [Matthew Lloyd] yesterday … ‘You’re probably the only two I haven’t coached at Bendigo in the last three years’, which is a little bit eerie really.
“So we had a bit of a light-hearted moment with the group.”
