Essendon will play three ruckmen againstCollingwood on Monday, Bombers coach James Hird confirmed on Saturday.
First-choice ruckman David Hille starred forEssendon's VFL affiliate side last week, the Bendigo Bombers, and the best andfairest winner will return for the Anzac Day clash, alongside Tom Bellchambersand Patrick Ryder.
Kyle Reimers and Henry Slattery will also comeinto the senior side, while Michael Hibberd, Andrew Welsh and Alwyn Davey willbe emergencies.
Hird said the unconventional plan to play thethree ruckmen would not be a one-off.
??""We'llsee how it goes. It's not something we're necessarily picking for one week;we're picking a structure and type of side that we'll play for more than oneweek,"" he said. ??
""We think the guys can play together for awhile, but I think if it starts raining at midnight before Anzac Day and itrains all day, then you wouldn't play three ruckmen."" ??
Hird said Reimers, after an impressive firstmonth in the VFL, had to concentrate on the basics.
Reimers' pace, he added, would be a boost afterlosing speedy duo Courtenay Dempsey and Jason Winderlich to knee injuries lastweek.
??""(Heneeds to) just play well, play his role, and try his hardest. He doesn't needto do anything sensational, he just needs to win his fair share of the ball,defend when he needs to defend and set up in the right areas,"" Hird said.
??""We'vebrought Kyle in, who is more of a running player, and Henry will play more of adefensive role than Courtenay Dempsey did. But we've got plenty of run and speedwith (David) Zaharakis, (Leroy) Jetta, (Jake) Melksham, and (Dyson) Heppell, sowe don't think we lack for runners.""?
Hird said the club had learned from its 22-pointloss to Collingwood in the NAB Cup Grand Final, but he acknowledged the sidewould need to be at its best to win on Monday.
??""Welearned a little bit out of that about Collingwood, but Collingwood's game planhas been in front of everyone for a very long time.
""They've been playing this way for a goodcouple of years, so we got some positives out of the NAB Cup Grand Final butdefinitely some things we need to work on.
""If they've got weaknesses it would be greatif they could show them to me because they look pretty solid at the moment.They look like they're playing with a lot of confidence, their game is verysound, they use ball well, and it just looks like a very good game plan.""??
