Essendon listed first-year players Darcy Daniher and John Williams have recovered from shoulder injuries and will debut for the Bendigo Bombers this weekend against North Ballarat in the second round of the VFL.
 
Daniher is the son of former Bomber champion, Anthony Daniher, and was drafted last year with pick 39 under the father/son rule.
 
Coach, Adrian Hickmott, said both Daniher and Williams - who was picked up by the Bombers in the 2007 pre-season draft - are fit and ready to go.
 
""I saw a fair bit of Darcy last year before we both came to Essendon and he is good forward and back but I will rotate him mostly through the forward line,"" he said.
 
""I am probably as keen as he is to see how he goes because it is a different level of footy for him.
 
""Darcy and John have been training hard and strong for over a month now and have held up well after their injuries so it will be good for them to get out there and play.""
 
Also coming into the side for their first games for Bendigo this year are Essendon listed rookies Jarrod Atkinson, Rhys Magin and Dean Dick.
 
Despite coming off a comfortable 29 point win over Tasmania in Round One, Bendigo is well aware of the challenge of taking on the in form Roosters on their home ground and Hickmott is looking forward to seeing how his young team will back up on Saturday.

“The main thing this weekend is to get these guys doing all the same things again, especially on the bigger, North Ballarat ground,” he said.

Hickmott praised the efforts of his defenders in the season opener against Tasmania and made special mention of Bendigo local players, Stewart Crameri, Shannon Geary and Captain James Flaherty, who will all be vital to the team’s success this weekend.

Flaherty may get the job on North Melbourne Rookie, Michael Wundke, who booted six goals for the Roosters including four in the first quarter to set up a 70 point win over the Box Hill Hawks last weekend.

Bendigo recently played North Ballarat in a VFL Practice Match and Hickmott knows to expect a tight contest.

“North Ballarat looked good two weeks ago. They had sharp skills with lots of run and carry. The home ground is also an advantage as they know how to use it, but we are planning to give plenty of run back,” Hickmott said.

Former Adelaide midfielder, Hayden Skipworth, will make his first appearance for Bendigo this season as he recovers from a serious knee injury.  

The winning side from last week will be without Andrew Lovett, Kyle Reimers and Angus Monfries who were all selected in the senior Essendon side following good VFL performances last weekend.

B        Flaherty Johns Williams

HB   Anderson Hooker Atkinson

C        Dick    Johnson  Magin

HF     Neagle Chartres Crameri

FF    Skipworth Lee   Pears

FOLL Bellchambers Geary Slattery

INT (FROM) Bowe, Holmes, Fahour, Daniher, Hartigan, Davies

BendigoBombers VFL team play North Ballarat at AUSTAR Arena (North Ballarat) on Saturday April 5 at 12.30pm.