That thinking would lead to a dyl rookie listing, and potentially him finally getting an extended run 
AFL 2022: Essendonâs great Covid escape as pre-season continues despite virus complications
While most clubs grapple with Covid and its implications during pre-season training, Essendon has managed stay on track despite soaring isolation numbers. How they did it.
ll continue to crackdown on head high hits and umpire contact in 2022.
AFL News
Donât miss out on the headlines from AFL News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Around 20 Essendon players and staff members have missed the first menâs pre-season session of the year due to COVID-19 isolation requirements.
The Bombers not impacted by the virus hit the track as captain Dyson Heppell said clubs would look to overseas sporting competitions on how best to manage the season as the highly infectious omicron variant has continued to cause headaches in leagues across the world.
Newscorp revealed last week that some of the Bombers players were believed to have had contracted the virus while attending teammate Michael Hurleyâs wedding on December 29.
âWe had a few missing today. It was great to get back into action but we were a bit thin on numbers,â Heppell said.
âThe guys have handled it really well and been really clear with protocols and taking all measures to keep everyone safe and healthy.â
The Bombers are not the first club to be impacted by the virus this off-season, with the Sydney Swans having their own outbreak last month.
While senior AFL club officials confirmed to Newscorp last week some clubs would be missing between 5-15 players this week because they either had Covid-19 or were deemed a close contact.
The pandemic has had a significant impact on sport worldwide and Heppell said that the Bombers can draw upon what has happened in both Europe and America throughout various sporting competitions to give the Bombers an edge heading into 2022.
âThe teams that are handling it best and managing to stay healthy are moving up the ladder,â he said.
âMajority of the list, bar Covid issues, are healthy and training properly.â
In more positive news for Bombers fans, Heppell and superstar Jake Stringer trained strongly and are ready to continue their pre-season at full tilt.
The skipper said that his body is feeling âthe best it has in six yearsâ as he looks to overcome a series of lower leg and foot injuries.
The 29-year-old managed 19 games throughout the 2021 season, primarily playing off half-back as Essendon transitioned towards a new-look midfield. He averaged 24.7 disposals throughout his campaign and his composure and leadership helped to assure the Essendon defence.
Small forward Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti has returned to the club following his absence last year and âis in really good spiritsâ.
Heppell is confident that the cult-hero can recapture his best form, which has captivated football fans across the country.
âHe is a star ⌠we will support him as much as possible to get his body back in good knick and I canât wait to play with him again soon,â Heppell said.
Michael Hurley is âprogressing wellâ in his recovery from a hip infection that caused him to miss the entirety of the 2021 season. However, no time frame has been put on his return to the field and it appears unlikely that he will be ready for Round 1.
âHis energy that he brings around the club is fantastic and it would be bloody good to see him back out on the trackâ.
The Dons are looking to use last seasonâs improvement as a launch pad heading into the new season and the playing group are hungry for success in 2022.
âWe really enjoyed last season and felt like we made some fantastic inroads but to bow out like that was pretty disappointing,â Heppell said.
âThereâs a lot of drive and hunger among the group.â
The Bombers have scheduled a practice match with the Western Bulldogs and will face St Kilda at Marvel Stadium in the AAMI Community Series on March 5 as they gear up towards their season opener against Geelong in Round 1
5 Likes
Essendon 2022 preview: Season predictions for the Bombers
Essendon is out to improve on their eighth-placed finish and a young gun will be crucial to their hopes of ascending further. Full analysis of Essendonâs 2022 prospects.
The Bombers with Ben Rutten in the drivers seat for the first time exceeded all external expectations with a surprise top eight finish losing to eventual runners-up, the Western Bulldogs in a soggy elimination final down in Tasmania.
They still have haunting recent finals record and a Twitter account serving them constant reminders that they havenât won a post-season match since 2004 but, with a young list and improving gamestyle, Rutten and co are on the up.
Will Hogan looks at the Bombersâ 2022 prospects.
COACH: Ben Rutten
CAPTAIN: Dyson Heppell
WHERE DO THEY FINISH IN 2022?
Essendon is one of the hardest teams to predict. Are the Bombers heading on a continual upwards trajectory or will it take another season to reach the top four? They have fixed depth issues surrounding their midfield through the rise of Darcy Parish and acquisition of Jye Caldwell â who weâre yet to see reach full throttle but there are still questions marks on just when the list can fire as a whole. Their forward line was heavily reliant on the magic of Jake Stringer and the promising but young Harrison Jones is still a few seasons away from being a heavyweight forward of the competition. While their backline has been bolstered with the signing of former Crow Jake Kelly but it would be further strengthened if Michael Hurley can recover from serious hip surgery. The Bombers are on the rise but with a few sides who finished below this year expected to bounce back, they could be set for another fight on their hands for a top eight.
Will the Bombers break their drought by winning a final in 2022?
Essendon
Donât miss out on the headlines from Essendon. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The Bombers with Ben Rutten in the drivers seat for the first time exceeded all external expectations with a surprise top eight finish losing to eventual runners-up, the Western Bulldogs in a soggy elimination final down in Tasmania.
They still have haunting recent finals record and a Twitter account serving them constant reminders that they havenât won a post-season match since 2004 but, with a young list and improving gamestyle, Rutten and co are on the up.
Will Hogan looks at the Bombersâ 2022 prospects.
Catch every moment of The Ashes live and ad-break free during play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-days free now.
Reinvented half back Dyson Heppell will lead the bombers again in 2022. Picture: Michael Klein
COACH: Ben Rutten
CAPTAIN: Dyson Heppell
WHERE DO THEY FINISH IN 2022?
Essendon is one of the hardest teams to predict. Are the Bombers heading on a continual upwards trajectory or will it take another season to reach the top four? They have fixed depth issues surrounding their midfield through the rise of Darcy Parish and acquisition of Jye Caldwell â who weâre yet to see reach full throttle but there are still questions marks on just when the list can fire as a whole. Their forward line was heavily reliant on the magic of Jake Stringer and the promising but young Harrison Jones is still a few seasons away from being a heavyweight forward of the competition. While their backline has been bolstered with the signing of former Crow Jake Kelly but it would be further strengthened if Michael Hurley can recover from serious hip surgery. The Bombers are on the rise but with a few sides who finished below this year expected to bounce back, they could be set for another fight on their hands for a top eight.
Will the Bombers break their drought by winning a final in 2022?
Yes, itâs time
No, the drought will extend another season
BIGGEST IMPROVER
He was mentioned above but Harrison Jones looms as the key figure in the Bombers ascension up the ladder. Late in the year Rutten moved away from relying on veteran Cale Hooker â who is now retired â and challenged Jones in tandem with the towering Peter Wright to be tall targets up forward. At just 20, some would argue there is too much reliance on a developing key forward but the positives are that heâs already showing signs he can be what the Bombers desire.
X-FACTOR
Off the back arguably his best season Jake Stringer has found perfect balance between impact and consistency in his new-look role. The centre-bounce specialist who then moseys on into the forward line produced regular matchwinning moments in the back half of the season and earned a healthy new contract. Thereâs all the talk about providing incentives to motivate but the fact is Stringer is as competitive as they come and a higher finish up the ladder will be enough of a carrot for the one they call âthe packageâ.
COACH STATUS
Ben Rutten is as safe a coach can be at the moment after making finals in the first year of a three-year deal. The succession-plan between John Worsfold has so far paid off from a transition point of view with a top eight finish exceeding external expectations. The pressure will always be there for the former Adelaide defender given heâs at the helm of such a large and passionate club but for now he has time and a developing list on his side.
WHO IS IN LAST YEAR OF CONTRACT
Dyson Heppell, Andrew McGrath, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, Kyle Langford, Michael Hurley, Nik Cox, Archie Perkins, Zach Reid, Aaron Francis, Tom Cutler, Jayden Laverde, James Stewart, Josh Eyre, Brayden Ham, Andrew Phillips, Matt Guelfi, Cody Brand, Kaine Baldwin, Cian McBride, Sam Durham, Alec Waterman, Tom Hird
INS FOR 2022
Jake Kelly (free agent â Adelaide), Ben Hobbs (pick 13), Alastair Lord (46), Garrett McDonagh (50), Patrick Voss (rookie)
OUTS FROM 2021
Patrick Ambrose (retired), Ned Cahill (delisted), Dylan Clarke (delisted), Martin Gleeson (delisted), Cale Hooker (retired), Lachie Johnson (delisted), Ross McQuillan (retired), Irving Mosquito (retired), David Zaharakis (delisted)
FIRST SIX GAMES AND HOW MANY THEY WIN
Rd 1: Geelong @ MCG (W)
Rd 2: Brisbane @ Marvel Stadium (L)
Rd 3: Melbourne @ MCG (L)
Rd 4: Adelaide @ Marvel Stadium (W)
Rd 5: Fremantle @ Marvel Stadium (W)
Rd 6: Collingwood @ MCG (W)
Prediction: 4 wins, 2 losses
BEST 22 IN â22
B: Kelly, Laverde, Redman
HB: Heppell, Ridley, Hind
C: Cox, Merrett, McGrath
HF: Snelling, Jones, Langford
F: Smith, Wright, Stringer
Foll: Draper, Parish, Caldwell
INT: Shiel, McDonald-Tipungwuti, Perkins, Stewart
SUB: Guelfi
EMG: Hobbs, McDonagh, Hurley, Durham, Francis, Ham, Phillips, Cutler
4 Likes
Only if you have COVID
2 Likes
1 Like
@nackers you can tell them
what Truck said to the group today
1 Like
If essendon make finals and win some we will be breaking crowd records
1 Like
If he ever comes out as non binary heâs sorted.
Nackers replying⌠I thought this year was out for you? Or havenât started prepping for the teaching gig yet?
And here I was trying sit back in anonymity in a post booster lethargic stupor. Oh well.
So the group was doing a drill near the goalsquare nearest the new building not far from where we were standing as a group.
Caldwell did something that Truck was particularly happy with, I didnât see exactly what, but after the play was finished he brought the whole group together and gave them a speech for a few minutes.
The gist of it was that what Caldwell did was exactly what they were trying to achieve, that it was all about repetition and was aimed so that when we were in the last two minutes of a tight grand final the players would know exactly what to do, how to react and what was expected of them.
It was quite an impressive speech, not the least because he is instilling into the group with each session that itâs not about making finals or winning a final as most people here seem to be so preoccupied with, everything they do is about winning a grand final, and they are being as thorough in their preparation as possible to make that a reality.
One pleasing part of today was that Jones was back and completed the whole session with the main group, he is in great nick and just raring to go. I think heâs been looking forward to getting out with the main group for some time.
And Martin, the new guy trying out for the SSP is a beautiful kick, he was in the same league as Ridley with some of his passing.
Nothing too much else came out of todayâs session, it was quite low key with the large number of senior players missing and the remaining group made up of a large percentage of JHA members and SSP tryouts.
62 Likes
No thatâs @MattPocock18, who slept in today and came all the way for only the last 10 minutes as the session finished relatively early.
Youâve got to admire his sense of duty, he even apologised for being late!
18 Likes
Ahh got it. Knew it was one of the regulars. Wish I could get to training. but wrong side of town, and start work early. No chance.
Youâve surely got to be a close contact of somebody who has the plague and need a week off to isolate?
A golden opportunity.
Question for the watchers.
Tippa is obviously able to do some training. Any running? Were a lot of people too quick to write him off in your opinion?
Hah I wish. If I isolate, I just work from home.
Is Martin a @benfti special?
When is the next OPEN training session this week. Asking for a friendâŚ!
1 Like
If @MattPocock18 didnât provide a late note from his Mrs I expect a 2 page training report of that 10 minutes as homework posted on here tonight.
1 Like
Nope
2 Likes
Do you mean âbenfti specialâ meaning âwill play 7 career games in QAFL reservesâ?
Or âindigenous Australianâ.
4 Likes