Essendon midfielder Ben Howlett believes the even contribution from the midfield group during the club’s two point win over North Melbourne was a sign of things to come.
A key focus for the Bombers in the pre-season was preparing younger players to spend more time through the middle of the ground.
Howlett said there were now a number of his team mates who could play in the midfield when called upon.
“We have Zacka, Hepp, Stants, There is a lot of guys that go through there now so there is plenty of us that can get a rest up forward,” Howlett said.
“Some of the young guys are really coming up which is a real positive sign for the club.”
The Bombers held on to win their opening match of the season by just two points after North Melbourne ruck man Hamish McIntosh missed a shot at goal after the siren.
Howlett said the resilience shown by the Bombers was an important factor in the win.
“The heart was in the throat a bit at the end but it is nice to get the four points,” he said.
""They came at us pretty much right through the match.
“We knew they were going to come at us all game and we just had to be resilient and fight through that but it was great to get the result.”
