A highly confident and very motivated Essendon side will hit Colonial Stadium tomorrow night for their opening match of the 2000 season against Port Adelaide.
Essendon was undefeated in winning the Ansett Cup and it is hardly surprising it has been installed short-priced favorites to claim their first four points of the season tomorrow night.
But the Bombers will not be taking Port Adelaide match lightly with Port's pace having posed problems for the Bombers in the past.
In fact Port Adelaide is the last side to defeat Essendon in a home and away match after rolling the Bombers by 37-points in their round 15 clash last year.
Essendon has named an exceptionally strong side for the match, evidenced by the fact that players of the ilk of Gary Moorcroft, Mark Fraser, Mark McVeigh and Scott Lucas have been over looked by selectors.
The final side is:
Backs: Barnard Fletcher Hardwick
Half Backs: Wellman Wallis Solomon
Centres: M. Johnson Misiti Heffernan
Half Forwards: Mercuri Alessio Long
Forwards: Caracella Lloyd Hird
Rucks: Barnes J.Johnson Denham
Bench: Blumfield Ramanauskas Rioli Bewick
There is bound to be much talk about the Essendon forward kick which is chock full of class.
The thinking will be by most experts that they should be able to manufacture a winning score.
But the battle might be won and lost in the middle where Port Adelaide have a quality ruckman in Matthew Primus and on-ballers who gather plenty of possessions.
Adam Kingsley, Josh Francou, Peter Burgoyne and Brayden Lyle have a happy knack of getting where the ball is and their silky skills usually finish off their good work.
So Essendon's mid-fielders will be looking to make this a very physical contest and not give Port Adelaide's runners the chance to get into the game.
And that is exactly what Essendon's midfielders are capable of as evidenced by Jason Johnson's attack on the football in the Ansett Cup Grand Final.
Sean Denham loves it tough as does Joe Misiti so the opening few minutes should be fiery given the occasion.KEY MATCH UPSMark Mercuri v Gavin WanganeenThis shapes as an enthralling match -up - the 1993 Brownlow Medallist and former Essendon player against the 1999 runner-up and Bomber vice-captain.
Both have sublime skills and it will be a contest worth watching if they do play on each other.
Wanganeen's free flowing style can come unstuck if Port turn the ball over but at the same time he can set up countless attacks when at his best.Dean Wallis v Warren TredreaThe tough-as-nails Wallis will look to make this contest a physical one with this close-checking style the best way to keep Tredrea quiet.
Tredrea is an excellent lead and exceptional mark but Wallis and his fellow defenders will look to limit the space he is given.
He is undoubtedly Port Adelaide's biggest threat in front of goal and if Wallis can hold him the Bombers will be well on the way to keeping Port to a losing score.
