Bomber veteran Dustin Fletcher looks certain to sign a new contract in the near future with Essendon assistant coach Gary O'Donnell today confirming talks for 2011 are underway.
""Those talks are ongoing but it's an incredible situation, and it's year-by-year, but there is a 20-year reunion of a (1993) Premiership he played in and that would be freaky if he was still around,"" O'Donnell told Bomber.tv.
""There is no pen to paper but I know we are moving forward talking about next year.""
O'Donnell said he was confident the 35-year-old could still be a valuable player if he decides to go on.
""That's for the club and him to decide, and we still have seven games to go, but it would be wonderful if he could. It would be wonderful if we could get another year out of him like this year because he has been at a pretty high level of form. I am sure they are getting close to making arrangements there.""
O'Donnell donned an Essendon scarf for the media conference and waved it to media saying the club wanted the fans to get to the ground on Saturday night and cheers the team on.
""We have a good history with West Coast, that 1993 game where we won virtually on the siren with a set shot goal from Paul Salmon and Sheeds was waving his scarf ... we want all the Essendon supporters to get there and be swinging the scarves and give us all the support they can with the club battling a little on the field.""
O'Donnell said the club is going well with the development of its players and said the Bombers will be successful again soon.
He backed the coach following significant public criticism and made a veiled reference to incorrect media reports during the week.
""He (Knights) is a big boy and has handed it very well, very professionally and very factually,"" O'Donnell said.
""They all come pretty hard and if it's not us, it's someone else. Sheeds had it when he was here, we are a big club and over the years a successful club so probably a lot of people are pretty happy with what's happening at the moment. We just have to get back on the winners list.""
He said the players have remained focused on winning this week and the club has not discussed the external comments in depth.
""We can't worry about that, we just have to worry about doing the hard work and all the things that we can do to turn it around and start winning games and give us the chance to have sustained success again,"" he said.
""We need to concentrate on the things we can improve and the things we do well.""
O'Donnell said West Coast would not be easy and that any team can win on any weekend.
