Injuries reveal Bombers' true depth

Updated June 01, 2012 16:49:07

When Essendon's horror run of injuries finally abates, it could prove a blessing in disguise for the league high-flyers.

The Bombers have used 31 players so far this season in marching to eight wins from nine matches and have not yet been able to field their best side because of a spate of injuries - mainly soft tissue.

But these injuries have allowed coach James Hird to sift through the players at his disposal, and discover a deep pool of talent which should make the Bombers even more formidable when all are fully fit.

Conventional wisdom among coaches is that clubs need at least 32 players ready to immediately slot into senior football to be finals and premiership-capable.

Hird believes he now has 35.

But he was careful when pressed about whether that was the magic number for the finals tilt surely coming after the Bombers' sizzling start to the season.

"You'd like to think you've got 35 guys who are ready to come in," Hird said on Friday.

"I'm not sure of how good we can be or where we can go. I suppose that we think we've got 34 or 35 players who can play.

"Whether they're good enough or not, or whether as a team we're good enough or not, the next 15 weeks of the season will play out and we'll see what happens from there."

Virtually all the Bombers' wins this season have come with a good player missing.

It happens again for their clash with winless Melbourne at the MCG on Saturday night, with young defender Dyson Heppell and experienced Mark McVeigh the latest casualties.

Heppell will miss his second successive match with a knee injury, while Hird said McVeigh was being spelled to overcome complications from off-season hip surgery.

Heppell should return next week, with midfielder McVeigh out for no more than a fortnight.

But the plus side of the ledger is a return for veteran defender Dustin Fletcher against the Demons.

And Hird said injury-troubled forward Scott Gumbleton was approaching full fitness, along with experienced ruckman David Hille and speedy midfielder Jason Winderlich.

Hird sees all three as playing some role in the second half of the season.

"Depth in your team, and depth with that sort of class in Hille, Winderlich and Gumbleton who a few years ago were a huge part of this team, is very exciting," Hird said.

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, essendon-3040, vic, australia

First posted June 01, 2012 16:49:07

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Bombers wary of repetitive injuries

Updated February 17, 2012 17:59:01

Essendon is confident this year it will not suffer the slump which hit it hard last season.

The Bombers were surprise preseason cup grand finalists - beaten by Collingwood - and made a fast start to 2011 to be third on the ladder after eight rounds.

But they were halted by serious knee injuries to pacey pair Courtenay Dempster and Jason Winderlich, who were sidelined for the season.

Essendon veteran Mark McVeigh says an overhaul of the club's fitness sector and a rigid new regime was aimed at preventing similar high-impact problems.

"All players learnt a lot from that in that you've really got to watch your body," McVeigh said on Friday.

"We know we had that down period and we'd been up for so long.

"Things may be a little bit different this year.

"Since then we've got new fitness staff and they have brought in a whole different variety of monitoring programs for us all.

"We're certainly monitored pretty heavily in the way we're feeling and body-wise."

McVeigh said the preseason grand final was not a priority for the club - their main objective before the premiership season was to develop the younger players.

Essendon is grouped with West Coast and Fremantle in the opening round of the preseason cup at Subiaco Oval on Sunday.

"We're taking a very young group over and most of our list of young guys will play on the weekend," McVeigh said.

"We're looking at it in terms of really being able to develop our young guys.

"We'll be going out there to play some of our best footy but it's also a great time to see where our young guys are at and give them an opportunity to be able to put their hand up for selection during the year."

Essendon has mapped out specific programs for each of its players for the preseason event.

"Last year we went into the NAB Cup just wanting to play all the guys we possibly could," he said.

"This year you might see an even balance in terms of the whole list playing.

"Some of our real gun players won't be playing this weekend. We'll play the majority of our young guys.

"Some guys will be playing a half on the weekend, some will play a half in a couple of weeks time. It's going to be a real mixture this year."

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, essendon-3040, vic, australia

First posted February 17, 2012 17:59:01

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How can your Children avoid Knee Sports Injuries in India? Advice for Indian parents

Bomber injuries mar epic draw

Updated April 16, 2011 17:27:00

High-flying Carlton has failed to win for the first time this season after James Hird's gutsy Bombers held the Blues to a thrilling draw at the MCG on Saturday afternoon.

Essendon showed courage to fight on after knee injuries to Jason Winderlich and Courtenay Dempsey left the Bombers with only two fit players on the bench for three quarters.

Both players look likely to miss the rest of the season with suspected ACL tears.

There were six lead changes in the frenetic last quarter until David Zaharakis snapped a behind with less than 30 seconds left to tie the scores at 11.13 (79) apiece.

The Bombers looked to have sealed their third win of the season when Leroy Jetta goalled lated in the final term, only to see Kade Simpson hit back moments later to put the Blues into a one-point lead.

It Zaharakis's leveller at the death to force the stalemate, leaving both sides with two competition points apiece from the competition's third draw this year.

Veteran defender Dustin Fletcher was best afield, running down Jeff Garlett with a crucial play late in the final term as the Blues forward was sprinting towards a certain goal.

Zaharakis' behind came immediately after another crucial moment, when Kade Simpson kicked out on the full on the wing while trying to retain possession.

Midfielder Marc Murphy and key defender Michael Jamison were best for the Blues.

Carlton captain Chris Judd was awesome in the last term, while Essendon counterpart Jobe Watson excelled after a slow start.

Carlton was on the verge of breaking the game open when it kicked the first two goals of the third quarter and led by nine points.

But the Blues also kicked five behinds to continue their inaccuracy and kept the door open for the Bombers.

Led superbly by Watson and Fletcher, Essendon clawed its way back into the game a goal and led by a point at the last change.

The Blues recalled key forward Lachie Henderson for this match, but he had a nightmare return with only three disposals as Fletcher blanketed him.

Carlton subbed him off for Andrew Walker approaching three-quarter time, but it probably should have happened earlier in the term.

Essendon started better and had kicked the opening two goals when Winderlich went down at 18 minutes, clutching his left knee in agony.

Nearing quarter-time, Dempsey also hurt his left knee in a contest and had to be carried off.

The Bombers had dominated the opening quarter, but only kicked three goals.

The Blues lifted noticeably in the second quarter, restructuring their attack.

Essendon key defender Cale Hooker, who had taken an astonishing seven marks in the first term, did not have as great a presence as Blues forward Jarrad Waite lifted.

Fletcher also posted an early candidate for goal of the year with his running shot from about 60m, but Carlton steadily ramped up the pressure.

Garlett finally kicked Carlton's first goal of the game 10 minutes into the second term.

A goal to Waite and then two to Simpson approaching half-time meant Essendon only led by six points.

The Blues should have been ahead at the main break as they kicked a wasteful 4.9.

Carlton: 11.13 (79) - K Simpson 3, A Carrazzo, C Yarran, E Curnow, J Garlett, J Laidler, J Waite, M Murphy, R Warnock

Essendon: 11.13 (79) - L Jetta 2, S Lonergan 2, B Stanton, D Fletcher, D Zaharakis, J Melksham, J Watson, M Hurley, T Bellchambers

-ABC/AAP

First posted April 16, 2011 17:07:00

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