It's been a pre-season of experimentation for Essendon's forward line, as the Bombers strive to increase their spread of goalkickers in 2021.

That will be no easy feat given the departures of Joe Daniher and Orazio Fantasia, while dynamic goalsneak Irving Mosquito will need most of the season to recover from a knee reconstruction.

But with a new twin tall threat, a deeper midfield allowing for more resting forwards, and several veterans set to bring experience inside 50, there's reason for optimism.

Dons Digital caught up with forwards coach Dan Jordan to delve into the key questions on his team within the team.

Who are the new faces?

Recruit Peter Wright looms as the Bombers' key focal point inside 50 this season, with the former Sun looking to recapture the form that made him one of the League's brightest full-forwards in the early stages of his career.

The 24-year-old is a proven goalkicker, booting 85 goals from 66 games since being drafted to Gold Coast with pick No.8 in the 2014 NAB AFL Draft.

He hasn't missed a beat in his first pre-season at Essendon, forming a partnership with second-year tall forward Harrison Jones, who is determined to make his AFL debut and stay in senior coach Ben Rutten's best 22.

Veteran Michael Hurley has also trained mainly with the forwards, while Patrick Ambrose, who missed the entire 2020 season with a Lisfranc injury, has been earmarked for a switch to the forward line when he's back to full fitness.

No.39 draft pick and James Hird Academy graduate Josh Eyre is settling in, but like all young key forwards, will need time to find his feet at AFL level.

Ned Cahill's move to defence and Orazio Fantasia's departure have forced a shuffle in the mix of small forwards.

Will Snelling and Devon Smith - the latter used at half-back late last season - have spent more time at the feet of the big guys inside 50, while Dylan Clarke and David Zaharakis are in the forward plans when they return from injury.

Though he was drafted as a defender, Lachie Johnson has joined full training for the first time in his short career, showing traits as a small forward. 

Jordan said the experimentation inside 50 would continue in the lead-up to round one.

"At the moment we’re having a look at a few things up forward," Jordan said.

"Patty Ambrose was going to do a bit more forward training in pre-season, but is still recovering from his foot injury.

"Michael Hurley was exposed to more forward time before his hip mishap, but we’ll keep him going there. 

INJURY UPDATE: FEBRUARY 9

"Pete’s (Wright) had a really good pre-season to date in terms of how he competes and being the aerial target we want. I’ve been really impressed with how he's fitted into the system. The guys are really starting to value him for his work in the air and his attitude.

"Young Harry Jones has taken big leaps forward. He’s still got a long way to go, and he knows that, but fans should be excited to see where he can get to over the next two to three years.

"Clarke and Zaharakis are injured but have played a fair bit of footy up forward as well, so somewhere in that mix of 10 or 11 is what we’ll settle on."

Where will the goals come from?

In its last game of the 2020 season, Essendon had Joe Daniher, James Stewart and Jayden Laverde positioned inside 50.

Daniher's move to Brisbane, along with Stewart and Laverde training with the defenders this pre-season, means all three could be absent in the forward line come round one.

But with a deeper midfield thanks to the arrivals of Jye Caldwell (GWS) and Archie Perkins (pick No.9), the Bombers will look to send more of their midfielders forward in 2021.

Kyle Langford was a perfect example last season, splitting his time between midfield and forward to boot 11 goals from 16 games.

Jordan said he was looking for more scoreboard impact from the midfielders to complement the new blood inside 50.

"There’s no doubt we need more goals from our midfielders, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we need them when they’re playing just in midfield," he said.

"We want those guys to have the capacity to run through forward roles. We saw that with Kyle Langford last year, in terms of the impact he had when he went forward. We’d love to expose Merrett, Shiel, Snelling and Parish to hit the scoreboard and between them kick 30 goals and become a new avenue of scoring for us.

"We’d love them to challenge defenders and be able to get forward and kick goals while they’re in midfield as well. We see good sides having three to four goals a game from their midfield.

"I think you’ll see Smith and Shiel spend more time forward. We’re really experimenting with that mix at the moment. We’ve lost Mosquito, Fantasia and a bit of bite down there.

"It’s also exciting to look at Archie Perkins and where he fits into the mix. He’s showing really good signs as a small and tall option."

Personnel aside, Jordan said the Bombers had adjusted their attacking methods.

"We certainly want to improve our pressure and keep the ball inside our forward half more, which should translate to more scoring opportunities," he said.

"We’re also tinkering with our method going inside 50. You’ll see differences there to previous years."

What role will the veterans play?

Where will Cale Hooker and Michael Hurley line up this season?

It's a recurring question on fans' lips each pre-season, with the versatile veterans proving their worth at both ends of the ground.

While they've spent the majority of recent seasons as defensive partners, Jordan said he saw the merit in splitting the pair to assist a youthful forward line.

"I’d love to be able to have Hurley or Hooker as a mainstay in our forward line, just for that experience and competitiveness," he said.

"The flexibility to be able to play at both ends is attractive, so how we settle down that mix will evolve over that next month or so.

"We’ve also got Stewart and Laverde training as defenders at the moment, but we know they’re proven up forward as well."

Jordan said he also liked what he saw last season from fellow veteran David Zaharakis, who found his groove in a new forward role before suffering a quad injury.

The 30-year-old is yet to rejoin full training having also undergone PCL surgery, but will be keen to pick up where he left off.

"'Zacka' (Zaharakis) was playing near career-best footy in a specific role for our team," Jordan said.

"I was really happy with his last month before the quad, and then obviously he’s had some clean-ups over pre-season. Hopefully he’s back to full fitness in three or four weeks.

"I absolutely see him playing the (forward) role, but we need to tread carefully with his age. When he’s up and going, his experience, selflessness and ability to play a role for team will be invaluable for us."

The Bombers' first hitout against opposition will come in a behind-closed-doors practice match against Carlton at Ikon Park on February 25.