In Matthew Knights’ match preview this week, the head coach discusses which players will make up Essendon’s squad to take on Port Adelaide on Sunday – including two possible Essendon debuts.
The coach said he is confident Scott Lucas and Matthew Lloyd can deliver on the big stage and he will be looking for a big season from reigning Crichton medallist David Hille.
The Essendon squad of 25 is:
Backs: Slattery Hurley Fletcher
Half-backs: Hocking Ryder Dempsey
Centres: Houli Stanton Lovett
Half-forwards: Davey Neagle McPhee
Forwards: Monfries Lloyd Lucas
Followers: Hille Watson Winderlich
Interchange: Bellchambers Skipworth Lonergan Pears Dyson Atkinson Nash
Ins: Michael Hurley (Northern Knights, 2008 NAB AFL Draft first round selection, No. 5 overall), Hayden Skipworth (Bendigo Bombers, 2009 NAB AFL Pre-season draft first round selection, No. 3 overall)
Read Knights’ preview below.
Form line
“The 22 players that run out for Essendon this week will be fit and strong and in good condition both physically and mentally. They are looking forward to going to Adelaide as a tight-knit group and giving a really good account of themselves.
“We spoke to the playing group about considering the players who won’t be able to compete this week, who have trained really hard but, unfortunately through injury, have been ruled out. We want them to represent players like Mark McVeigh, Andrew Welsh, Brent Prismall, Kyle Reimers and Scott Gumbleton when they are out there on Sunday.
“In this industry you have got to be in every game to win it and we are going into Round 1 full of optimism and we are excited about the whole year – not just about this week – and are really looking forward to it.
“Port Adelaide’s early form is looking fairly strong. They had a pretty convincing win against Sydney in their first NAB Cup game and then came up against Geelong. They were defeated and then Geelong ended up winning the NAB Cup so their form line has been pretty strong and their last practice match against St Kilda they won pretty convincingly.
“They have a really healthy list, I think they have just two injuries – Jackson Trengrove and Hamish Hartlett - who are both first year players. Apart from that they are really clean.
“They are going to be a side that is really formidable and at full strength for Sunday.”
Players to watch
“From a Port Adelaide perspective you can never under estimate Warren Tredrea. You underestimate him at your peril. He has been a champion of the game and even though he has had a lot of injuries, Port are a much better side when he plays well.
“Brendan Lade and Dean Brogan have been colossus of the competition for a fair while now as a duo and they sure are a good duo in the ruck. They are a couple of Port Power’s strengths.
“For us, I think we have got a pretty even group in this week. I think David Hille has had an exceptional pre-season. He had a minor hiccup with the stingray and hamstring but, apart from that, he has been first class.
“We had a really good hit out against the Kangaroos in our last practice match. A lot of guys got to play nearly all four quarters so I think our match conditioning is there for Round 1.
“Another strength that I am really looking forward to seeing which I know we have seen a lot of times now is Matthew Lloyd and Scott Lucas playing together. They have done it for so long for the Essendon footy club and I think they are both going to have good games this week and show the wider football community what they are about.
“Lucas and Lloyd are champions and they are great leaders of our football club and I am expecting them to have really good years and I think it will start this week.”
Ins and outs
“What Michael Hurley has been able to achieve after having that gall bladder operation only six weeks ago now is phenomenal. It took him a little while to get moving again but once he got back into training he picked up really quickly. In his two or three games he has played thus far he has shown some really good defensive aspects and also shown his skills with his kicking are first class.
“We are really excited to have him as a first game player and he is a big part of our future. It is always good to put your first round draft pick out there in Round 1 if they deserve a game which Michael does.
“The inclusion of Hayden Skipworth is exciting from a different perspective in that he has been around our environment for two or three years now playing with the Bendigo Bombers – our affiliate team. His form at the Bendigo Bombers when he has played has been first class so to reward him with a spot on the list and to earn a spot in Round 1 is a credit to him and shows his resilience in being able to come back from the injury he has had in the last couple of years.”
Topic of the week
“Looking at the immense interest between Carlton and Richmond this week, I am excited by the return of the Victorian rivalry to AFL football and what we can expect when we play in front of those big rivalry crowds.
“It is very exciting for Victorian football and being one of the clubs in Melbourne that enjoys playing on the big stage as the Essendon Football Club have for a long time now we are really privileged to be involved in those games. It is something that I speak to the players about cherishing every time you play at the MCG or at the Docklands in front of a virtually capacity crowd, you should really enjoy the atmosphere and cherish those games.
“As a player, one thing I was very fond of was playing in front of big crowds and the big thing about the rivalry is that it is an equal crowd when you have around 40,000 people barracking for each side. It is a colosseum- type atmosphere when there is emotion and support for both teams and they are great games to be in when there is that support for two teams. That is what Victorian rivalry does bring.”
