Essendon listed player, Tom Bellchambers, has been one of Bendigo’s best players in the first month of the VFL season and coming off another great game last week he will be important when Bendigo take on Sandringham at Trevor Baker Oval this Saturday. 

Bellchambers was taken by Essendon in last year’s Pre-Season Draft with the final selection overall and his early form suggests the Bombers may have got a real bargain with this 200cm ruckman from Launceston.

Bendigo Coach, Adrian Hickmott, said he noticed Bellchambers early in Pre-Season and is not surprised with the rate of his progress since joining Essendon this season.

“Tom’s development has been good and he went well on the weekend, working hard all day. He still has some work to do on his running patterns and what he does when he doesn’t have the ball but he is developing into a good ruckman,” Hickmott said.

When Bendigo met Casey last weekend Bellchambers took on St Kilda’s Ben McEvoy, the Saints first selection in the National Draft taken at pick nine overall and the contest showed there was little between the two big men at this point.

Essendon star youngster, Courtenay Dempsey, is expected to make his return to football with the Bendigo side as he recovers from the hamstring injury he suffered against Geelong in Round 2 and he will be joined by Tom Hislop also returning to the Bendigo line up following an injured wrist.

Dempsey began season 2008 in great form for the senior side and looked as though he was set for a big year, after the minor setback he will use this weekend to get fit and ready to return to the Essendon team and Hickmott is looking forward to having him in the side.

“I’m pretty excited to have Courtenay playing with us, he looks as fresh as a daisy and it will be a good experience for the rest of the team to play with a very talented footballer,” Hickmott said.

Hickmott also said despite the loss to Casey he continued to be encouraged by the performances of his side.

“The unity is the main thing and that is slowly coming together. The way the young kids are using the ball has improved in the first month and I’ve been pleased with that aspect of their development,” he said.

The challenge does not get any easier this week as Bendigo tackle a Sandrigham side full of confidence following a 88-point win over Box Hill. Gun forward, Nick Sautner, booted nine majors in that game.

Hickmott said the main focus for Bendigo after three straight losses was to concentrate on the defensive side of their game.

“The focus this weekend is on defence. We can attack alright but we need to work on defending when we haven’t got the ball and this weekend that means single coverage, when ever the opposition has the ball we need to each have a man,” Hickmott said.

BendigoBombers play Sandringham on Saturday at Trevor Baker Oval at 1.10pm.