The Bendigo Bombers will go into this weekend's game against Geelong winless and desperate to taste victory.
Coach Adrian Hickmott believes that an injection of experience and the good recent form of key Essendon listed players will be essential for the team.
“We’re hoping that Dave Myers, Bachar Houli, Jay Nash and Tom Bellchambers use their experience and show some quality in the game,"" he said.
“I’ve asked James Flaherty to show more authority as a captain. He needs to keep his communication open with his teammates.
""He’s only 22 and he’s still learning how to be a captain, he’s got to do a lot by his actions. We want him to get hard on young players if they aren’t pulling their weight.
“Paul Scanlon is a much more experienced player, who is going to develop those younger players as well.
“Michael Hurley has moved up to the seniors this week, we’ll be looking at replacing him with Jack Redpath down back. He’s been playing in the ruck with Bellchambers and down back so it will be a nice learning curve for him.
“Bristow comes into the side and will give a helping hand to Redpath as well. It’s a pretty inexperienced back half, but they’re bigger bodies, and use the ball really well.""
With five changes overall, the addition of Nathan Lovett-Murray, Darren Hulme and James Bristow will inject the team with experience.
“Houli and Myers were outstanding last week – I’m expecting a lot from them. The guys need to beat their own opponent with AFL intensity and push themselves.
“Zaharakis playing in the VFL is great for us. We want these guys to make a career out of their footy, we don’t want these guys to panic that they’re playing VFL; we want them to use it as a learning curve, to push them forward.
“Tyson Slattery has a slight strain, and he will miss a week and Damon Byrne is also out. Our twenty third player will be Christopher Procktor from the Bendigo Pioneers. He’s a big tall nineteen year old forward who is really strong, and it will be interesting to see how he goes.""
B: Jetta Redpath Flaherty
HB: Weekley Bristow Atkinson
C: Hoffacker Bellchambers Holmes
HF: Neagle Quinn Lovett-Murray
F: Williams Zaharakis Daniher
Foll: Myers Houli German
From: Scanlon, Thompson, Fiske, Hulme, Procktor, Nash, Byrne, Hackett, Klemke
Ins: Bristow, Atkinson, Nathan Lovett-Murray, Procktor, Hulme
Outs: Hackett, Byrne, Hurley, T. Slattery, S
Kick off is at 2pm Sunday 12 July at Windy Hill – please note the venue change.
