Mark Alvey has the skills and the experience to be an influential player for the Bombers in 2004. The 24-year-old played 45 games at his former club, the Western Bulldogs, and was renowned for his lightening pace and silky smooth skills.

Alvey has lacked senior opportunities in the first half of the season at his new club. He has played just five matches and game time has been limited. He continues to impress in the Bendigo Bombers side, so another senior berth might be just around the corner for the mid-fielder.

Alvey is type of player the Bomber midfield is screaming for. So what do the Essendon coaching staff think of Alvey’s game? Assistant Coach Mark Harvey answers those questions.

Q. Is Alvey a player who can make an impression in the second half of the season?
A. Mark Alvey was a guy that we got to the club because he got over 400 possessions in the midfield for the Western Bulldogs a couple of years ago. He’s coming off a knee reconstruction and we are still finding out about him.

Q. What attributes of his game can help the club challenge for a top four position?
A. He’s got that great skill requirement of maintaining possession when you have got the ball. He has got great vision and he rarely turns it over.

What he has got to do is get come to terms with the way we play and he has still got to work continually on the defensive side of his game. That message has been put to him.

Q. Is he the player you are looking for to make an impact off the bench?
A. He can certainly slot into our midfield or as a wingman during the course of the next nine rounds. He is very handy as a goal kicker and would be well suited to a role off the bench as a playmaker for the club.

Tomorrow we take a look at Ben Haynes.