The common consensus is that if you can shut down Port Adelaide’s mid-field, you can almost certainly put the four points in the bank. Much easier said than done. Port Adelaide’s running brigade is as good as any going around.

The Power has a number of mid-fielders that just knock up getting the football. Jarrad Schofield, Nick Stevens and Josh Francou are all averaging in excess on 20 possessions per game. Schofield has been one of the real stars with his hard running. He has also capped off his work with 12 goals. He is one player the Essendon hierarchy will have thought long and hard about this week.

The Port Adelaide mid-field links well and once they have the ball turnovers are rare. But they are used to running the one way and that is something Essendon will be hoping to take advantage of. Port Adelaide has just one player (Peter Burgoyne) in the top 40 tacklers in the AFL. They like to run froward of the contest – if the Bombers can win enough hard balls or force turnovers, Port might find itself in unfamiliar territory.

Of course the key to winning the ball at contests will be shutting down the effectiveness of Port Adelaide ruckman Matthew Primus. The Port giant can simply bully opposition ruckman and give his on-ballers an armchair ride. The input of Paul Salmon and Steven Alessio will be very important in this regard. Both have the bulk to go with Primus and Essendon must get its share of the football at stoppages.

Essendon has been very good defensively this season. In fact, statistically it has the best defence in the competition. They will need to be at their best against a Port Adelaide side that boasts multiple goal-kicking options. Port has eight players who have kicked 10 or more goals to this stage of the season. The star is Warren Tredrea. He leads the way with 20 goals but the real story is told when you look at the marks. Tredrea leads the competition with 83 and provides his teammates with a real target. Chad Cornes has also found a lot of the football in the air – he has 54 marks.

As usual, the job of the Essendon defence will be made much easier if Essendon can create pressure in the middle. Firstly they must win as much of the football as possible and secondly, when they don’t they need to put enormous pressure on the Port ball carrier. Salmon and Alessio need to get their hands on the football and Essendon must be ferocious at ground level.