The Bombers have plenty to play for this week as they farewell four great AFL players.
Adam Ramanauskas, Damien Peverill, Jason Johnson and Mal Michael will don the red and black guernsey for the final time in their illustrious AFL careers.
Essendon will be desperate to put in a solid showing for their departing team-mates who have contributed so much to the club throughout their careers.
Tom Bellchambers will again lead Essendon’s ruck department in the absence of the injured David Hille and Jason Laycock. He was solid last week against the Bulldogs in just his second game as he teamed with Patrick Ryder to match Ben Hudson and Will Minson in the centre.
The 19-year-old will be looking to build on last week’s performance but again faces a tough day at the office against Stephen King.
The Saints look to hold the edge in the centre against a tiring Bombers and the game could be decided here. Heath Hocking will be given a job to shut down a key St Kilda play-maker - possibly Lenny Hayes - and Ricky Dyson and Andrew Lovett will be called on to provide some much needed run. Leigh Montagna and Nick Del Santo will need to be contained - a job made harder with Andrew Welsh ruled out this week - and the Bombers will be hoping Jobe Watson is over an ankle injury sustained last week.
The stage is lit for Mal Michael to go out with a bang, with the three-time Premiership player set to end his illustrious career as a key defender by lining up in Essendon’s forward line. He found the ball easily near goals last week and kicked two goals.
Ramanauskas and Johnson have also been named in the forward line for their last games and will be eager to finish their career with some final game goals. They will be supported by Matthew Lloyd and an in-form Angus Monfries and Sam Lonergan.
Despite the fact Dustin Fletcher will miss again with an injured adductor - and Michael has been named forward - the Bombers look fairly settled at the other end of the ground. Patrick Ryder, Henry Slattery and Jay Nash will need to be on song to control a fiery Stephen Milne, Nick Riewoldt and Justin Koschitzke.
Slattery is expected to line-up on Milne and Ryder will battle Riewoldt in an interesting tussle. After spending over a month on the sidelines injured, Mark McVeigh fought to get into the match last week but wasn’t his usual damaging self. However with one match under his belt, he will look to fight back in defence this week and could take St Kilda's Robert Harvey.
Danny Chartres and John Williams have been named on an extended bench and are in the running to make their debuts. They replace Welsh (hamstring) and Adam McPhee (ankle).
Despite having an ailing list and being ruled out of finals contention, Essendon have everything to play for as they get one last chance to give their team-mates and good friends a final win.
