You are currently logged in to Club Exclusive access
HIRD TO TAKE ON TIGERS, FLETCHER OUT
There was good and bad news at the selection table for Essendon this afternoon. Captain James Hird is a certain starter against Richmond but Dustin Fletcher has failed to recover from an ankle injury and will miss. Mark Mercuri (knee) and Paul Barnard (hamstring) will both play along with Shane Harvey and first-gamer Jason Winderlich. Dean Rioli (hamstring) will miss while Cory McGrath and Darren Walsh have been omitted.
There was good and bad news at the selection table for Essendon this afternoon. Captain James Hird is a certain starter against Richmond but Dustin Fletcher has failed to recover from an ankle injury and will miss. Mark Mercuri (knee) and Paul Barnard (hamstring) will both play along with Shane Harvey and first-gamer Jason Winderlich. Dean Rioli (hamstring) will miss while Cory McGrath and Darren Walsh have been omitted.
Essendon assistant coach Robert Shaw says there are a number of very good young players going around at the moment but says one who is as good as any of them is getting under everyone’s guard – Richmond centreman Mark Coughlan. ""In my opinion Coughlan is as good as any of them – he is a gun,” Shaw said. The 21-year-old Western Australian is already a star according to Shaw and statistics back up his assessment.
