Take a look at our comprehensive preview of Essendon's clash with Greater Western Sydney on Friday night.

ESSENDON v GWS

Friday, August 7
7:50pm AEST
Metricon Stadium
Live on Channel 7

THE HISTORY

Games played - 10
Won – 6
Lost – 4

FIVE FACTS

1. Four ex-Giants to don the sash

The Bombers will field four of their five ex-Giants on Friday night, with Dylan Shiel, Jacob Townsend, Devon Smith and James Stewart taking on their old side. Andrew Phillips, who has been named as an emergency, is the only one missing in the group. Shiel, Townsend and Smith were part of the Giants' foundation squad, while Stewart arrived later in the year with pick No.27 in the 2012 national draft.

2. Efficiency the name of the game

The Bombers bettered the Lions in inside 50s (42-37) last week, but couldn't make it show on the scoreboard, conjuring just three goals - their lowest output of the season. It's a different story for the Giants, who are the best team in the competition for converting an inside 50 to a score. Despite having just 31 inside 50s per game - ranked 18th - they are converting heavily from limited opportunities and have multiple threats in the air through Jeremy Cameron, Jeremy Finlayson and Harry Himmelberg.

3. Control possession, control the game

The Bombers struggled to get their hands on the footy last week, beaten comprehensively in disposals (248-317) and marks (41-99). They can ill-afford a repeat against the Giants, who play a possession-based style and rely on a methodical build-up. Ranked fourth for uncontested possessions and fourth for time in possession, the Giants will try to slow down the Bombers and prevent speedsters Adam Saad and Conor McKenna rebounding off half-back. If the Bombers can rediscover their pressure and limit the Giants' space, it'll go a long way to avoiding a repeat of last week.

4. Giants' tall order

Despite fielding two ruckmen last week for the first time this season, the Bombers had just three players over 194cm to the Giants' seven. Those numbers will stay the same this week as Shaun McKernan replaces Tom Bellchambers and Shane Mumford replaces Sam Jacobs. Forecast rain for Friday evening could negate the Giants' aerial advantage and aid the Bombers, however, who will back their pressure, tackling and ground-ball work as we saw in wet conditions against the Magpies in round five.

5. Bombers lose experience

The Bombers will again feature a youthful line-up in the continued absences of All Australians Dyson Heppell, Cale Hooker, Jake Stringer and Joe Daniher. They'll have seven players with less than 50 games of experience and six over 100, while the Giants will have six and 10 respectively. Second-gamer Sam Draper (21) will be the youngest to shoulder the ruck load across the competition this round, coming up against the oldest ruckman in Mumford (34). 

LAST TIME WE MET

Round 15, 2019: Essendon 12.5 (77) defeated GWS 10.11 (71) at Marvel Stadium

A win for the ages.

Trailing by 19 points early in the final term, the Dons kicked five of the last six goals in a grandstand finish to avenge their round one defeat to the Giants.

Cale Hooker was the hero in a final-term switch from defence to attack, kicking the match-winning goal with just 30 seconds left.

Entering the clash at 6-7 and losing Tom Bellchambers early in proceedings to a calf injury, the Bombers showed incredible spirit to keep their finals hopes alive.

They went on to win their next four in a season-defining streak, losing just once between rounds 11 and 19.

FORM

Essendon
Round seven: Lost to Western Bulldogs 7.9 (51) to 14.9 (93) at Metricon Stadium
Round eight: Defeated Adelaide 9.8 (62) to 8.11 (59) at Adelaide Oval
Round nine: Lost to Brisbane 3.10 (28) to 14.7 (91) at Metricon Stadium

Last week was one to forget for the Bombers, who kicked their lowest score and suffered their biggest defeat of the season at the hands of a slick Brisbane.

The loss saw them drop out of the eight and their percentage fall to 88, capping off a rollercoaster July and a 2-2 start to life in the Gold Coast hub.

Encouragingly, the Bombers are yet to suffer consecutive losses in 2020 and will back themselves to respond and stay in touch with the top eight.

Friday night's match will mark the first of three in 10 days, further testing their depth in a line-up already missing Dyson Heppell, Jake Stringer, Orazio Fantasia, Joe Daniher and Cale Hooker.

GWS
Round seven: Lost to Brisbane 10.8 (68) to 13.10 (88) at GIANTS Stadium
Round eight: Defeated Richmond 9.8 (62) to 6.14 (50) at GIANTS Stadium
Round nine: Defeated Gold Coast 9.7 (61) to 4.11 (35) at Metricon Stadium

After a slow start to the season, the Giants have found their groove to move back into the top eight.

They're the only side that has managed to knock off the high-flying Tigers in the past five rounds, and will be gunning for three consecutive wins for the first time this season.

Their task will be made harder without star forward Toby Greene and the competition's No.1 tagger Matt De Boer, who were casualties in the win over the Suns, but they've regained former captain Callan Ward.

Coming off a challenging month that has pitted them against top-four sides Port Adelaide, Brisbane and Richmond, the Giants have held their own to re-establish themselves as a premiership threat.

TEAMS

ESSENDON

Backs: Aaron Francis, Michael Hurley, Brandon Zerk-Thatcher
Half-backs: Jordan Ridley, Conor McKenna, Adam Saad
Centre: Tom Cutler, Darcy Parish, Matt Guelfi
Half-forwards: Will Snelling, Jacob Townsend, David Zaharakis
Forwards: Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, Shaun McKernan, Kyle Langford
Followers: Sam Draper, Zach Merrett, Andrew McGrath
Interchange: James Stewart, Mason Redman, Devon Smith, Dylan Shiel
Emergencies: Brayden Ham, Dylan Clarke, Martin Gleeson, Andrew Phillips

In: Langford, McKenna, McKernan, Guelfi

Out: Cahill (omitted), Ham (omitted), Gleeson (omitted), Bellchambers (managed)

GWS

Backs: Heath Shaw, Phil Davis, Aidan Corr
Half-backs: Nick Haynes, Lachlan Keeffe, Zac Williams
Centre: Lachie Whitfield, Stephen Coniglio, Harry Perryman
Half-forwards: Josh Kelly, Harry Himmelberg, Brent Daniels
Forwards: Jeremy Finlayson, Jeremy Cameron, Callan Ward
Followers: Shane Mumford, Tim Taranto, Jacob Hopper 
Interchange: Jye Caldwell, Lachie Ash, Zac Langdon, Xavier O’Halloran
Emergencies: Jackson Hately, Bobby Hill, Matt Flynn, Jack Buckley

In: Ward, Mumford, O'Halloran

Out: Jacobs (managed), Greene (hamstring), De Boer (hamstring)

New: Xavier O'Halloran (Western Jets)

BOMBER TO WATCH

Will Snelling

With likely wet conditions and the ball spending more time on the ground, expect the diminutive and tough Snelling to shine.

The second-year Bomber, who turned 23 on Thursday, thrives on contested ball and pressure, ranked 10th in the competition for tackles per game and ninth for tackles inside 50 per game.

He was one of the standouts in driving rain in the win over Collingwood in round five, and will look for a similar output on Friday night as he splits his time between midfield and forward.

DANGEROUS OPPONENT

Jeremy Cameron

The jewel in the crown of the Giants' three-pronged tall forward combo, Cameron will again have Essendon's defenders on high alert.

Averaging three goals a game against the Bombers, the reigning Coleman medallist has been the leading goalkicker in the past two clashes between these sides.

He is the Giants' No.1 target inside 50, leads his side for goals and score involvements, and will be relied upon even more without the injured Toby Greene.

Expect Michael Hurley to go straight to Cameron in arguably the most crucial match-up of the night.