Bombers reload to tackle daunting Dockers
Essendon are bracing for their biggest test of the season so far when they take on flag fancies Fremantle at Domain Stadium on Saturday night.
The Bombers were competitive in the opening fortnight against last year’s grand finalists, but have since struggled with consistency on their way to a 3-2 win-loss record.
They pushed Sydney all the way in round one despite being underdone following a pre-season wrecked by provisional suspensions for several of their best 22 and staged a thrilling comeback in the final quarter to upstage premiers Hawthorn in round two.
Essendon recovered from a 20-point deficit against St Kilda to win by two points at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
The Bombers have identified their inability to win contested ball as a major problem.
Despite winning three of their five matches, they are yet to win a contested-possession count and average 17.6 fewer a game than their opponents.
Conversely, it is an area in which Fremantle’s big-bodied and seasoned midfield regularly comes out on top.
Bombers defender Michael Hibberd said that made taking on the unbeaten Dockers the toughest task in the game right now.
“They’re probably going to be our hardest opponent of the year so far,” Hibberd said.
“They’ve got a good midfield with Nat Fyfe, David Mundy and Michael Barlow, three big bodies in the midfield that are really good in the contested area of the game.
“If we can match them in that area it will go a long way towards us having a good performance.”
Fyfe has enjoyed a stellar start to the season, averaging 31 possessions, nearly 60 per cent of which have been contested.
He was not bothered by the close attention of Melbourne opponents Bernie Vince and Heritier Lumumba on Sunday.
Hibberd predicted Jake Melksham would get the job on Fyfe this week and said Essendon had taken confidence from a good recent record at the Subiaco ground, where they have beaten the Dockers in two of their past three meetings, including a stirring 2013 win.
