Essendon senior coach Ben Rutten spoke to the media at the NEC Hangar on Thursday ahead of the Bombers' round three clash with St Kilda at Marvel Stadium on Saturday.
Below are the five key takeaways from his media conference.
1. Skipper set to miss again
Essendon will not push captain Dyson Heppell to return after the 28-year-old suffered a back spasm in the final main training session before last weekend’s loss to the Power.
Rutten said Heppell's longevity was at the forefront of the club's thinking.
"He’s unlikely to play this week," Rutten said.
"He’s got an inflamed disc. He’s improving every day, but it’s just that time where (we deliberate over whether we’re) prepared to push it to get him up for this week or whether we make sure he’s going to be alright for the remainder of this season."
2. Stringer to return for first game
Star forward Jake Stringer will play his first game of the season after recovering from an Achilles injury and showing positive signs in two VFL practice matches.
Rutten said Stringer would add firepower to Essendon’s forward line and expected the 26-year-old to contribute strongly.
“Stringer will come back into the team,” he said.
“That adds another dimension to the forward line which we like. We’re expecting Jake to come in and play his role. He’s well-conditioned and he’s had a couple of runs in the VFL as well.
“He just needs to come in and contribute to our forward line and defence as well.”
3. Perkins ready for long-awaited debut
Essendon will roll out its second first-round selection from the 2020 NAB AFL Draft when No.9 pick Archie Perkins lines up for his red and black debut.
Rutten said the dynamic midfielder had the game time under his belt to ensure a strong contribution to the side.
“Archie has played in the Carlton and Geelong (pre-season games) and got through three really consistent games in the VFL,” Rutten said.
“It’s been fantastic to see him get better and get back into footy.”
Former Eagle Alec Waterman will also make his long-awaited AFL debut, with the son of West Coast great Chris Waterman signing a one-year rookie contract in March.
4. Slim ruck options no concern for Dons
When first-choice ruckman Sam Draper went down with a syndesmosis injury at Adelaide Oval on Saturday, many were wondering who the Dons’ next ruck choice would be.
With Andrew Phillips managing his way back from injury and second-year ruckman Nick Bryan learning his craft in the VFL, the Bombers are set to turn to one of their recruits to help solve the ruck situation.
“We can play Peter Wright,” Rutten said.
“He’s (previously) played a bit in the ruck as well.
“Both teams are missing their first-choice ruckman, but we’ll need to find a way because it’s a part of the game, but we’ve got other venues to combat that.”
5. Midfield hole leaves other to shine
With star midfielders Jye Caldwell and Dylan Shiel succumbing to injury against Port Adelaide, Essendon will look to a variety of players to step into roles.
Rutten said Darcy Parish was primed to fill one void, while others will be called upon to run through a midfield rotation.
“Parish played a bit more through the midfield on the weekend,” he said.
“We’ve got some versatility with guys who can run through the middle more and we’ll be well placed to cover that. It also gives guys another opportunity … that’s the exciting part for us.”
