The entire Bombers' squad will begin pre-season training on Wednesday, November 7 at Windy Hill. 

 

Essendon coach, Matthew Knights, said it is a good sign that the full group will start pre-season together. 

 

""We are developing a comprehensive pre-season plan for them to make sure they get the right combination of run and ball skills. They will touch the ball at most, if not all, training sessions because I want us to really focus on improving our skills in 2008,"" Knights said.

 

""While my philosophy is to give younger players more responsibility and bigger roles next season they will have to attain maximum fitness to earn their spot so this pre-season is very important for them and our club.

 

""What has really impressed me over the past few weeks has been seeing some of our younger blokes in the Windy Hill gym preparing for the pre-season ahead.

 

""Guys like Jason Winderlich, Bachar Houli, Courtenay Dempsey and Dean Dick have been building up their fitness and strength so they will be able to hit the track running next month.""

 

Knights said the Bombers are excited about injecting some more quality young men into the squad with a good spread of early picks in the November NAB national draft.

 

Essendon, having finished 11th this year, is entitled to picks 6, 23, 39 (father/son selection used on Darcy Daniher), 55 and 71 in the NAB AFL national draft on 24th of November.

 

""We have had some good recruiting success over the past two or three drafts, in particular, and we will add four or five more quality young players this year and see them all develop together as a group,"" Knights said.

 

""Darcy Daniher was an excellent pick for the club at  number 39 and he will be able to join the squad for the first training session on November 7.""