Essendon’s latest recruits got their first taste of what it takes to be an AFL footballer today, partaking in their first rigorous training session with the team since arriving in Melbourne on Tuesday night.

Impressed with their work-rate throughout the skills session, Matthew Knights has vowed to ensure they all receive their fair share of opportunities next season if they are able to prove they deserve it.

“One thing they are guaranteed at this club is that they will get an opportunity,” Knights said.

“I have a mantra of injecting youth into this football club but only if they deserve it - particularly from fitness levels and skill levels.

“I just want to make sure that we are really realistic with these guys and their development is really important to me so I want to ensure they are ready when they do come in.

“And, when this does happen, I would like to see them come in for an extended period of time rather than coming in for a week and then having to go back to Bendigo.”

Despite the three latest draftees having only spent two days at the club, Knights is already impressed with their characters and, with some of the Bombers’ key names likely to retire in the upcoming years, believes they will play an integral role in the club’s succession plan.

“You would love to have the sort of guys like Dustin (Fletcher) and Mal (Michael) there forever,” Knights said.

“But that is just not realistic and we obviously have to plan for the future.

“Mal, Scott (Lucas), Matthew (Lloyd) and Dustin could have two, three or four years left in them but we want players to come through and fill those roles when the pieces of the puzzle present.

“This was part of the set plan we had in place prior to the draft and we went after it aggressively.”

Refusing to set a time frame as to how long it will take before the new recruits emerge on the big AFL stage, Knights assured Essendon supporters that the Bombers will be playing finals football in the not too distant future.

“If you are worth your salt in this league then you are aiming to play finals football,” Knights said.