Following the excellent debut of Michael Hurley on Sunday, the question of who should play on Fremantle's Matthew Pavlich becomes an interesting one.
Hurley contained Warren Tredrea while Tayte Pears looked very comfortable down back in just his sixth game and Dustin Fletcher and Paddy Ryder are obvious choices.
Last week we asked if you were confident the Bombers will start the season off with a win and the result rang true with 57.03% of fans voting 'no' and 42.97% selecting 'yes'.
Here are some of the comments people made:
Peter Klaaysen from Macleod Victoria says: Don't think we will have the cattle on the field to push the power. Again injuries are my concern. What are we doing to put a stop to this problem? We start behind the eight ball again with players not doing a full pre-season.
Dy from Sale says: Port are our woodoo team we don't have a win rate over them and at AAMI stadium with Port playing a better in pre-season I hate to say it but the odds are against us with a more consistant preformance from the 50 - 80 game players we may turn those stats around.
Paul Drake from Canberra, ACT says: No McVeigh, Welsh, Gumbleton or Reimers, so not confident. Port is a better drilled team than Essendon with a more evenly spread player age profile. The Power's senior players will lead Port to a comfortable victory.
Cohlby.giblett from WA says: Come on fans, if use were proper supporters u would pick the Bombers every week
Matthew from Croydon says: We will get smashed, just like the last 4 games last year. Two of our best three midfielders are out injured and we were too gutless to draft Ben Cousins to bolster our one glaring weakness. The Burgoynes and Cornes brothers will smash us.
Sean Hyatt from Wheelers Hill says: I am not expecting a win from this game, its a pretty hard one first up. Although over the last 3 or so years we have won our first round against the odds so a win is on the cards. But i won't be upset if we were to loose, after all it is in Adelaide.
Adrian from North Haven/SA/Australia says: Confidence has got to start somewhere. In this case it starts with the SUPPORTERS. Where are you ever faithful?? ESSENDON, now your own supporters aren't confident that you will beat Port Adelaide and you can't blame them. The Power really do have us on the ropes. To Win back Your Supporters Faith and put Pride back into our History, THIS IS THE TEAM FOR US TO BEAT. You have no choice but to defy all odds and go turn the so called ""power"" into ""blackouts"". Us Bomber Supporters here in SA are sick of the Port supporters having good reason to repeatedly bag us. So PLEASE, Hold Your Heads Up High and SHOW NO MERCY !!! We will be there for you with our faith. So go out there and show them what our History, Present and Future means to us. WE ARE THE MIGHTY BOMBERS!!! NEVER FORGET THAT!!!
Michael from Brighton, Vic. says: Given our poor history in interstate games, coupled with the fact that Port are a better side than last year's results reflect, we could be in a bit of strife. The big unknown is just who will actually be on the park and can they show an improvement on the poor skills that were evident in the NAB Cup - also, can they implement the game plan...let's hope so...Go DONS!!
Austin from Melbourne says: I think we CAN win, but due to the fact that Port are a pretty good side, not to mention the home ground advantage they will have, I am not confident.
Grasshopper from Footscray says: Our form in Adelaide is not good and we'll be far from having our ""A"" team available. History says we are pretty quick out of the blocks so hopefully we'll pinch a win first up.
James from Berwick, Vic says: how can we be confident of a win? We have a number of players out injured, it's in Adelaide, and let's not forget Port was in a grand final 2years ago. They have the same list they did in '07, with a few more younger blokes. Port will challenge for the flag again this year... they tanked last year, how can no one see that, yet everyone noticed Carlton?
Ruby Cox from Hughesdale says: I am so sick of all the negative people who write comment as well as vote in polls on this website... if you are so negative about Essendon..my question is why do you even bother going for the Bombers... it makes me very angry, upset and confused to see that some people have no respect for how hard everyone at the Essendon Football Club work...GO BOMBERS!
Jasmine from Melton says: We are totally going to win this game. no chance we are going to lose, we are going to thrash the Port big time.
Jayden McPhee from Victoria says: Hi my name is Jayden i think the Bombers will play well againts Port Adelaide we are a good side we play well together if if the Bombers play as a team againts Port Adelaide they will have a chance
Julien Johnson from Australia, Victoria says: CARN THE BOMBERS A GOOD YEARBTHIS YEAR A TOP 8 SPOT I WANT COME ON...!!!!!!
