Essendon is expecting a tough midfield contest when it takes on Brisbane on Sunday at Etihad Stadium.
The Lions are coming off two impressive wins, with Dayne Beams leading the way through the middle of the ground.
“We obviously need to be competitive throughout the midfield, that’s their strength,” Essendon Coach James Hird said.
“They’ve done very well through the midfield, their win against Port Adelaide was an exceptional win.”
Essendon has struggled to beat the opposition in the contested possession count across its seven matches so far this season.
Hird acknowledged its an area that needs to improve, but said the numbers don’t tell the full story.
“Contested football can get broken down into a number of things.
“Against Fremantle we lost the contested footy because we lost the free-kicks.
“Against another team it was contested marks.
“You can throw around stats but when you lose the free-kick count 6-15 that can affect your contested football.”
The Essendon forward line will again be in the spotlight as the Bombers look to improve their potency in the forward half.
The inclusions of Jake Carlisle, Adam Cooney and Paul Chapman will help that push but Hird is also looking for the side to continue move the ball quickly.
“The guys were aggressive with their ball movement (last week) and that’s what you have to do to be successful at AFL football.”
Carlisle trained fully today after overcoming a neck injury.
He’s kicked seven goals from his six games this season and despite impressive performances in defence earlier in his career, Hird will continue to play the 23 year old in the attacking half.
“Jake’s committed to playing forward and he’s doing a relatively good job,” Hird said.
“You’ve got to remember, Jake had a pre-season where he didn’t really get on the track until February.
“Against ‘Freo’ he did some good things so we’re confident Jake’s going in the right direction.”
The game on Sunday begins at 1:10pm and kids will be admitted free of charge.
Head to the Game Day hub for more information.
