Essendon's players will be told about specific plans for them on game-days in 2008 when they return from a two-week Christmas break on the 7th January.  

Coach, Matthew Knights, said the team, as group, will continue to build its fitness and skill base but that individual players will be spoken too about what is expected from them. 

""We will focus more on specific roles for players and also set plays and structure when they return from the break,"" Knights said.

""I haven’t wanted to burden players with that to much to date because we are achieving in the three priority areas of feedback, skill and defensive actions.

""We’ve certainly made some good ground in those areas but we have a long way to go.""

Knights said that while he is happy with the team's progress, the business end of the pre-season is rapidly approaching and there will be no time to waste before the NAB Cup begins.

""We will not be giving the players a soft start, it will be a very solid first week,"" Knights said.

""The players know they have to be diligent over Christmas because when they come back they have to be ready to take off again. I am not into wasting a week when we get back trying to kick the players’ legs into action or get them ready for top speed.

""We have to be at top speed when we return from Christmas because the reality is you play games in five or six weeks after you return so we can't afford to waste a week.""

The players were handed a Christmas program on the 21st December 2007 and High Performance Manager, John Quinn, said the important thing is to maintain fitness and lay the foundation for the next phase of training when they come back.

""During their break they are expected to do repeat speed training, which will then be included in their skills sessions when they come back,"" Quinn said.

""They will have to maintain strength and not get distracted by Christmas cheer because we will do skill-fold testing on their first day back

""They will have to do extra training immediately if they are over the skin-fold levels we expect.

""They have been given dietary recommendations but there is also some room for them to enjoy a nice Christmas dinner too which is only fair.""