The Bombers make seven changes for their Dreamtime in Darwin match against the Tigers.
22 hrs
The Bombers make seven changes for their Dreamtime in Darwin match against the Tigers.
Essendon has named seven changes for its Dreamtime in Darwin game against Richmond , welcoming back stars Jake Stringer and Devon Smith.
The pair join debutant Irving Mosquito as inclusions, while Aaron Francis , Mason Redman , Tom Bellchambers and Brayden Ham also come into the side.
Kobe Mutch , Josh Begley , Tom Cutler, Brandon Zerk-Thatcher , Jacob Townsend , Shaun McKernan and Josh Begley have been omitted, while a hip injury has forced Conor McKenna out.
Senior coach John Worsfold said McKenna’s injury was a minor one.
“It’s just a slight strain in a muscle up high on his hip that’s restricting him,” Worsfold said.
“He tried to train on Thursday and couldn’t get through that session unfortunately, but hopefully he’ll only miss one week.”
Stringer will play his first game since suffering a syndesmosis injury in the round five win over Collingwood.
Worsfold said the star goalkicker, who began his rehab in Melbourne before continuing it on the Gold Coast during a two-week quarantine period away from his teammates, would be a welcome addition.
“He’s done all the workload he’s had to do, and joined the training sessions we’ve been able to manufacture for him,” he said.
“The preparation and build-up has been very different for him, but he’s a very good player. He’ll get better over the next few weeks, but he deserves to come in.”
Smith, Francis, Redman and Bellchambers return to the side after being managed during Essendon’s heavy schedule last week.
The Bombers will go head-to-head with the Tigers from 7:45pm AEST at TIO Stadium on Saturday night, with all the action shown live on Channel 7.
ESSENDON’S RD 13 TEAM:
Backs: Adam Saad, Aaron Francis, Michael Hurley
Half-backs: Jordan Ridley, Matt Guelfi, Martin Gleeson
Centre: Dylan Clarke, Andrew McGrath, Zach Merrett
Half-forwards: Dylan Shiel, Brayden Ham, Irving Mosquito
Forwards: Jake Stringer, James Stewart, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti
Followers: Sam Draper, Will Snelling, Darcy Parish
Interchange: Mason Redman, Devon Smith, Kyle Langford, Tom Bellchambers
Emergencies: Brandon Zerk-Thatcher, Kobe Mutch, Josh Begley, Andrew Phillips
In: Stringer, Mosquito, Redman, Francis, Bellchambers, Smith, Ham
Out: McKenna (injured), Cutler (omitted), McKernan (omitted), Mutch (omitted), Begley (omitted), Zerk-Thatcher (omitted), Townsend (omitted)
New: Irving Mosquito (Gippsland Power)
