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Courtney Johns will play his first game of the season after being selected at full forward for Essendon’s Round 8 match against the West Coast Eagles. In good news for the Bombers, Dustin Fletcher and Mark McVeigh are back in the squad of 25 as are Henry Slattery and Patrick Ryder. James Hird (hamstring) and Courtenay Dempsey (omitted) are out of the side.
The Essendon squad is:
Backs: M. Johnson Fletcher Bradley
Half Back: Welsh Bolton Lovett-Murray
Centres: McPhee Watson Stanton
Half Forwards: Dyson Hille Monfries
Forwards: Lovett Johns Lucas
Rucks: Laycock McVeigh Heffernan
Bench: Peverill J. Johnson Slattery Reynolds Ryder Winderlich Solomon
In his latest column - The Word from Hird - James Hird says Essendon must absorb the pressure collectively if things are to turn around. ""It is critical that teams and clubs remain tight-knit in times such as these. Reminding ourselves that we are trying to right the ship as a group helps alleviate some of the pressure,"" Hird writes. Read the Word from Hird.
Read now180-gamer to take reins as Bombers confirm 2026 leadership group.
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