In the heart of enemy territory, the Bombers hit the training track at Optus Oval this morning in preparation for Sunday’s first Wizard Cup match against the Blues. The two-hour training session had a strong emphasis on kicking skills, and match simulation as the team finalised their preparation for the game.

But the Carlton spies weren’t too far away, sitting with their binoculars in the George Harris stand. Who said the Wizard Cup wasn’t fair dinkum?

Senior players, Jason Johnson, Dean Rioli and Dean Solomon are expected to miss the match as a precaution but captain James Hird will play.

Coach Kevin Sheedy said he expected some second and third year players to step up and grasp the opportunity on the weekend.

""We’ll probably have something near our best side, we won’t have our best side out there, most of the sides wont, but we’ll play pretty well, I just think a lot of our guys are looking forward to getting back and playing a game."" Sheedy said after training this morning.

""We have a few players here who have been around the club for a couple of years and they need their opportunity. We’ll put in Bradley, Laycock, Stanton and Dyson, Winderlich, Reynolds, Henneman.""

""We’ve lost Misiti and Mercuri and Wellman and they’ve got three opportunities there, so if they don’t put their hand up and don’t go after that. When players retire of that ilk you’ve got that opportunity to further your own career.""

However, Bombers fans might have to wait just a little longer to see a few of the new recruits.

""I think in the end you need to earn your game."" Sheedy said, ""Look, maybe one might get a game. It could be Monfries or Thomas or some one like that.""

And the master coach is taking the pre-season competition seriously, his only criticism its sudden death nature.

""I think the Wizard Cup is fantastic, because it actually gives a really good serious competition to analyse the list, the recruiting and see how you’re going to fair. I'm not rapt it is a knock out competition, I thought we had it right when the best group of four went on,"" he said. 

Matthew Lloyd had a modified training session and will miss Sunday’s game, but James Hird again trained strongly and will be in the line up.

""Lloydy won’t play. Hird will play, I think Denis (Pagan) reminded me that we are here to win these games and probably in the end if we are not having Lloyd out there we will have Hird out there,"" Sheedy said. 

New recruit Ty Zantuck will also miss on the weekend, but Sheedy is already impressed with the former Tiger.

""He’s fantastic, he really is training pretty well, he had a minor operation, we’ve had him building himself up fitness wise and he’ll probably be back out next week and into it. You rarely pick up a 22 year old with 70 games.""