Despite Essendon being without seven experienced players yesterday (Dustin Fletcher, Mark Mercuri, Sean Wellman, Mark Johnson, Mark McVeigh, Damian Cupido and Dean Solomon), no one predicted the one-sided outcome. ""We were positive when we left on Saturday and we had a look at the match-ups and we gave ourselves every chance of winning whether we were being depleted or not. It was an extremely disappointing effort in the end,"" Johnson said.
Essendon kept Port Adelaide goalless for the majority of the first quarter and controlled the majority of the play. Byron Pickett broke through in the dying minutes of the term for Port’s first major and then scored another one in as many minutes. Port put its foot on the accelerator after the first change and the floodgates opened. ""In the first 20 minutes we had most of the play but we couldn’t convert on the scoreboard. They got two quick goals in the dying minutes of the quarter and they just went from there,"" he said.
In the absence of several senior players, a number of young players got a taste of senior football. Nathan Lovett-Murray, Brent Stanton and Kepler Bradley all made their senior debut. ""We don’t expect anything from the young players coming in. We just really want them to have a go and I think they did that. It was the senior group of players that were very disappointing.""
Johnson said the players are turning their attention now to the Round 2 match against St.Kilda. ""There is not much you can do about it now – there is no point dwelling on it. Once Sheeds had spoken to us it was all over and done with it and we just need to get on with next week. St.Kilda is in good form and are a good side. We should get a few guys back and we will still go into that match confident.""
Solomon, Mercuri, Johnson, Fletcher, McVeigh are all available for selection and Wellman might also be a chance to come into the side. ""We have got some experience in the stands and we would love to bring those guys in. But you have to be careful you don’t bring too many guys in that haven’t played much football in the last couple of weeks. We will probably make three or four changes,"" Johnson said.
