News

Essendon set for final game

Thursday, 28 August 2008
for essendonfc.com.au
Page 1 of 1

The Bombers have plenty to play for this week as they farewell four great AFL players.

Adam Ramanauskas, Damien Peverill, Jason Johnson and Mal Michael will don the red and black guernsey for the final time in their illustrious AFL careers.

Essendon will be desperate to put in a solid showing for their departing team-mates who have contributed so much to the club throughout their careers.

Tom Bellchambers will again lead Essendon’s ruck department in the absence of the injured David Hille and Jason Laycock. He was solid last week against the Bulldogs in just his second game as he teamed with Patrick Ryder to match Ben Hudson and Will Minson in the centre.

The 19-year-old will be looking to build on last week’s performance but again faces a tough day at the office against Stephen King.

The Saints look to hold the edge in the centre against a tiring Bombers and the game could be decided here. Heath Hocking will be given a job to shut down a key St Kilda play-maker - possibly Lenny Hayes - and Ricky Dyson and Andrew Lovett will be called on to provide some much needed run. Leigh Montagna and Nick Del Santo will need to be contained - a job made harder with Andrew Welsh ruled out this week - and the Bombers will be hoping Jobe Watson is over an ankle injury sustained last week.

The stage is lit for Mal Michael to go out with a bang, with the three-time Premiership player set to end his illustrious career as a key defender by lining up in Essendon’s forward line. He found the ball easily near goals last week and kicked two goals.

Ramanauskas and Johnson have also been named in the forward line for their last games and will be eager to finish their career with some final game goals. They will be supported by Matthew Lloyd and an in-form Angus Monfries and Sam Lonergan.

Despite the fact Dustin Fletcher will miss again with an injured adductor - and Michael has been named forward - the Bombers look fairly settled at the other end of the ground. Patrick Ryder, Henry Slattery and Jay Nash will need to be on song to control a fiery Stephen Milne, Nick Riewoldt and Justin Koschitzke.

Slattery is expected to line-up on Milne and Ryder will battle Riewoldt in an interesting tussle. After spending over a month on the sidelines injured, Mark McVeigh fought to get into the match last week but wasn’t his usual damaging self. However with one match under his belt, he will look to fight back in defence this week and could take St Kilda's Robert Harvey.

Danny Chartres and John Williams have been named on an extended bench and are in the running to make their debuts. They replace Welsh (hamstring) and Adam McPhee (ankle).

Despite having an ailing list and being ruled out of finals contention, Essendon have everything to play for as they get one last chance to give their team-mates and good friends a final win.

The Essendon team is:

Backs: Slattery Lovett-Murray McVeigh

Half-backs: Nash Ryder Peverill

Centres: Dyson Watson Lovett

Half-forwards: Johnson Lloyd Monfries

Forwards: Lonergan Michael Ramanauskas

Rucks: Bellchambers Hocking Stanton

Interchange: Atkinson Chartres Hooker Jetta Magin Reimers Williams

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Will we be adding Lovett to the list of players we'll see for the last time? I really hope not. We don't have enough genuinely skillful midfielders to go throwing them away. If carlton can forgive fevola, surely Lovett deserves another go.

- Andrew Dunsy (posted 28/08/2008 5:39:23 PM)

It is bewildering that Chartres has been delisted yet in the mix for his first and last game?????

- Stefan Hruszowski (posted 28/08/2008 6:46:41 PM)

Being our last game, I would like to see the bombers outwit the saints by at least five goals. I hope all the coaches will have this resolve & effectively rotate players. I am sure Pevrill will play his normal game, but I would like to see the younger players step up & accept the saints challenge. In the meanwhile good bye & good luck to all those players who will not be with us next year. Knighty you gave us your best for this year & i am sure you will be excellent next year. As for the board there might be a few surprises for them. May be the changes may do us good.

- Winston D'Cruz (posted 28/08/2008 8:24:48 PM)

With the Bombers having the 2nd worst defensive record in the competition, there is a real danger that the Saints could score over 200 points this week. No Fletcher, Michael at full forward and Lovett-Murray at fullback, and no Welsh for some defensive pressure in the middle. Bring on 2009

- Tom Smith (posted 29/08/2008 9:32:53 AM)

Very sad to see these players go!

- Caroline Smith (posted 29/08/2008 11:50:36 AM)

cheers for eveything guys! lets send them off with a bang!

- Benn Lapham (posted 29/08/2008 12:43:58 PM)

it would be great to see what williams has got so we could look into next and to see if chartres could cut it if given a chance good luck hope they play

- Jay Wright (posted 29/08/2008 5:07:10 PM)

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