The Essendon selectors have clearly taken the view that they need to find out just what they have at their disposal moving forward. Andrew Lee has been selected to play his first game while Ricky Dyson has been recalled. Both played very well for Bendigo last weekend. Jason Johnson and Damien Peverill find themselves back on the outer for the second time this season. Both have been omitted from the side along with young ruckman Paddy Ryder.
James Hird – who had been a query with a hamstring problem - has been named in the team, as has Dean Solomon. Solomon is the major surprise after being ruled out for one and possibly two weeks earlier in the week. He completed a fitness test before training yesterday and then joined in full match practice and got through well enough to be named in the team.
Lee has been named at centre half back for tomorrow night’s game and it was a position in which he impressed last weekend. Bendigo had 22 goals kicked against it last week and Lee did not concede a goal to either opponent he played on. He collected 10 touches, took six marks and effected five spoils.
Results for the remainder of 2006 are largely inconsequential. What will be of more interest will be the performances of players such as Henry Slattery, Andrew Lee, Ricky Dyson, Joel Reynolds, Courtney Johns, Kepler Bradley, Angus Monfries, and Jobe Watson. This is the future and Essendon fans want to know what it looks like.
These players will be fully tested against a Kangaroos side that produced a scintillating final quarter against Carlton to chalk up its third win of the season. The Kangaroos are an experienced unit whose form has been far better than its results would suggest having lost a number of close games this season.
Adam Simpson (293 disposals), Brent Harvey (263 disposals) and Daniel Harris (60 tackles) give the Kangaroos plenty of grunt and ball-winning ability in the midfield. Daniel Wells is a match-winner. He has brilliant skills and kicks goals and he will provide the Essendon midfield with some headaches during the course of the night.
From an Essendon supporter’s point of view the questions asked will be, Is Watson good enough to match a Simpson? Can a Dyson be as effective as a Harvey or a Wells? Can Monfries match the desperation of a Harris? The coaching panel and the fans would want to put a tick in every box.
Nathan Thompson (28 goals) and Shannon Grant (16 goals) will be the main dangers up forward for Essendon. The return of Dustin Fletcher from injury is a bonus – he will get Thompson. Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy might throw another big job Henry Slattery’s way and get him to shadow Shannon Grant.
The performance of Courtney Johns will also be of great interest to Essendon supporters. The effort has been there thus far but the reward hasn’t been. Clearly he needs to kick more goals than has been the case so far. If he can kick 20 in the next 10 weeks, Bomber fans will start to like the idea of him lining up alongside Lloyd in 2007.
Essendon supporters want to get excited by the future. That future must start taking shape in the next two and a half months. It all begins in a little over 24 hours.
