Q. Will Salmon play this week?
A. He could be available - I am not quite sure yet. He will be close. It is whether we go with three ruckman at the moment. I am not quite sure if we will do that. Melbourne don't usually play a tall side.
Q. Will Moorcroft be available?
A. Moorcroft will be available. He played in the reserves last week.
Q. What about Rioli?
A. He played in the reserves last week, so it was good to get that VFL game. Mr. Demetriou - it was great to have a VFL game last week so our players can play and get fit. They are contracted to Essendon not the AFL.
Q. Will you select Rioli?
A. He would be very close to selection I would think.
Q. How is his fitness?
A. He has been training very, very well - in fairness to him, I put him under that sort of pressure to make sure he comes back fitter than what he did when he went out. That was a challenge. That is where Peverill hasn't let himself down. I think you have to put those sort of challenges to your players then you are always near the cutting edge.
Q. Did you lose any players due to injury from the Hawthorn game?
A. No. We will have a better list this week than we did the previous week, which is pleasing at last. It was good we didn't lose anyone from the VFL game either because we took a risk where perhaps other clubs might not have taken that risk.
Q. It is not too late for you to be in contention come finals?
A. Well we are probably in the middle with six or seven other clubs. We have a lot of work to do still. The players had a break and I think in the end if we didn't play that game in the VFL last week, we would have had 29 players that didn't play. Well that would have left our VFL side very, very average. I think we tried to balance it out with the right decision and we rested our mid-fielders which was important.
Q. In a way, you have had a lot of injuries in the first half of the year but you could come good at the right time of the season.
A. We will have a good side.
Q. You will get them all back eventually?
A. Yes and if that is achievable but you just don't know what will happen in the next ten weeks in this game. I have been there done that before.
Q. You are a great supporter of Victorian football - how would you feel if the two preliminary finals were played interstate?
A. We have no control over it - the AFL will do what they like in the end. I think the MCC have a contract so you wouldn't want to be throwing money around too much in regards to paying out contracts. If you had a preliminary final in Melbourne with two interstate teams you would still get a very good crowd. Victorians love watching good football. If Brisbane were playing Port Adelaide, it would be interesting to see who would support who. It is awkward, there is no doubt about that. The interstate sides have a pretty tough draw because they have to fly out of town about 11 times a season. Particularly the Western Australian teams - they do it hard.
Q. What do you think of Akermanis' move to play rugby?
A. I hope that he really achieves his dreams and takes up rugby union - it will be fantastic for all of the other clubs!
Q. CEO Peter Jackson has again raised the issue of Essendon playing an unfair amount of night matches - what are your thoughts on the matter?
A. Your fans will only cop it for so many years - you need to find a balance. It is a very difficult situation where the CEO and the AFL put in their requests and when you don't get them, it can throw your club out financially.
Q. It might go against your fans but it doesn't necessarily go against your team?
A. We don't go training at night - we train at 3pm. We don't have many daylight games so it is different - there is no doubt about that.
