Essendon will enter its blockbuster clash against West Coast on Thursday night with an unchanged line-up.
Coach John Worsfold said the selection was not a simple process despite a gritty win over Brisbane prior to the club’s bye last weekend.
“We always go through it and the VFL team performed extremely well again and had some great individual performers as well,” Worsfold said.
“We certainly considered how those guys were going and whether we needed anyone in particular to come into this line-up, but we’re also happy with the way the team performed.
“It wasn’t five minutes in and out of match committee, we still spent a fair bit of time working through all of that.”
Mason Redman was one of four inclusions in the 22-point victory over the Lions and immediately impressed in his senior return with 24 classy disposals.
Worsfold said the coaches were “rapt” with his performance and thrilled to keep him in the side to face the Eagles.
“His form in the VFL really translated straight across to the way he played the game,” he said.
“He has been working extremely hard and deserved his opportunity, and he certainly made the most of it.”
Captain Dyson Heppell suffered a concussion in the win, but Worsfold said the skipper was “feeling really good” after the timely break.
“In a way, he only played a quarter and a bit, so it was actually physically a pretty good rest for his body,” Worsfold said.
The Eagles have lost just two games this season and sit second on the ladder by percentage with a game in hand over Richmond, but Worsfold said he expects his side to take it up to the home side at Optus Stadium on Thursday.
“We know when we’re playing our best footy what it looks like and we talked about it maybe five weeks ago that we wanted to develop our own identity as a group and we’re starting to see that come through.”
FINAL TEAM:
B – Dea, Hooker, Z. Merrett
HB – Saad, Brown, Hurley
C – Heppell, Goddard, McGrath
HF – Smith, McKernan, McKenna
F – Baguley, Stringer, McDonald-Tipungwuti
R – Bellchambers, Langford, Fantasia
I/C – Redman, Myers, Guelfi, Green
Emergencies – Stewart, J. Merrett, Clarke, Francis
