Hamstring injuries to ruckman David Hille and damaging forward Angus Monfries has left the door open for a number of players pushing for selection for a blockbuster clash against Geelong this Saturday night.

Coach Matthew Knights told Bomber.tv today a number of players would be looked at by the match committee following solid performances in the VFL over the weekend.

“Ricky Dyson, Kyle Reimers, Bachar Houli and Henry Slattery all played in the VFL and got some match fitness, so we’ll be looking at five or six players that could potentially come in,” Knights said. 
“It’s not such a bad thing to have some fresh players coming in that are ready to go.”
Essendon’s midfield will receive a boost ahead of their clash with an experienced Geelong outfit with Brent Stanton returning to the side after overcoming an ankle injury that kept him out of the Sydney match.

“We are thinking he is a likely starter at this stage and will have a nice run this morning to blow out the cob webs,” Knights said.

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“It was really disappointing that he couldn’t play last week because we tested him really late last week to get him over the line but he was no good.

“It will be really big bonus to have him back as he was in great form the week before.”

Sharpshooter Mark Williams could be a possible inclusion to the side to replace Monfries in the forward line but Knights said the club has a number of options.

“We will have a look at Mark this week,” Knights said.

“We had to play Michael Hurley back last week which meant that has potentially opened up a position deep forward but we will review that later in the week.”
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Knights said the club had also sought clarification from the umpires on a controversial double 50 metre penalty involving Courtenay Dempsey and David Myers late in the clash with Sydney.

“We have got to the bottom of the incident and have cleared it up with Jeff Gieschen and the umpires,"" he said.

“From our understanding and dialogue with Jeff, the original free kick was incorrect.

“David Myers kicked the ball assuming it was a legal handball by Courtenay Dempsey, which it was. That was what the initial 50-metre penalty was for and Courtenay’s back-chat was the second 50.

“Certainly in the clutch period of the game it was very disappointing at the time. It was just one of those ones that was called and really should have been play on.

“Obviously we have educated our players on the back-chat scenario with what you can and cannot say or do.

“With the back-chat the players know you can talk and remonstrate in a certain way, however if you use certain adjectives and go over the top demonstratively then you are going to get 50.”