Essendon are set to take on St Kilda this weekend in the club’s first full scale match of the year.
The Bombers will take on the Saints in the second round of the NAB Cup competition on Saturday night at Wangaratta.
General manager of football operations Paul Hamilton said this weekend’s match was just a minor part of the team’s overall preparations for the upcoming home-and-away season.
“This week is about getting a bit more of a taste for a real-type game and it is good preparation for the first game of the season ahead,” Hamilton said.
“All of our players’ pre-season schedule has been designed around how much game time they are going to play in particular matches.
“This weekend is an opportunity for some of the guys to play their first game, for others to be rested and for some guys to even play half a game as we continue to build them up for Round 1.”
Hamilton said the NAB Cup competition was a platform for the players to put in place the game style and training implemented over the gruelling pre-season campaign from second-year coach James Hird and the extended coaching panel.
“We have worked on a lot of different things over the pre-season and it is important we continue to work to make sure we get those things right,” he said.
“This time of year is a vital time in making sure our team structures are developing how we want them to, so we look forward to seeing the players in action again come Saturday night.”
The Bombers will take on the Saints in the second round of the NAB Cup competition on Saturday night at Wangaratta.
General manager of football operations Paul Hamilton said this weekend’s match was just a minor part of the team’s overall preparations for the upcoming home-and-away season.
“This week is about getting a bit more of a taste for a real-type game and it is good preparation for the first game of the season ahead,” Hamilton said.
“All of our players’ pre-season schedule has been designed around how much game time they are going to play in particular matches.
“This weekend is an opportunity for some of the guys to play their first game, for others to be rested and for some guys to even play half a game as we continue to build them up for Round 1.”
Hamilton said the NAB Cup competition was a platform for the players to put in place the game style and training implemented over the gruelling pre-season campaign from second-year coach James Hird and the extended coaching panel.
“We have worked on a lot of different things over the pre-season and it is important we continue to work to make sure we get those things right,” he said.
“This time of year is a vital time in making sure our team structures are developing how we want them to, so we look forward to seeing the players in action again come Saturday night.”
