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It won’t be your run-of-the-mill NAB Challenge game when the Essendon Bombers take on St Kilda at Morwell. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 4:40pm (AEDT).
The Bombers will be without most of their regular players as they await the tribunal verdict from the drawn-out supplements saga.
Essendon has been given special permission from the AFL to include 13 top-up players, including several former AFL listed players. Only six players will line up that have played more than 20 AFL games, including former Saint Clint Jones.
Other former AFL players such as ex-Crow Jared Petrenko, ex-Lion Sam Michael and ex-Demons Mitch Clisby and James Magner will be keen to impress in the hope of being given another chance by an AFL club, possibly even by Essendon if their players are found guilty and suspended.
Other Bomber players that have been named and should keep an eye on are Aaron Heppell, brother of Dyson, and Jake Long, son of legendary Bomber midfielder Michael Long.
The Saints have named a strong squad for the game with Nick Riewoldt, Jack Billings and Farren Ray the only regulars missing.
Some new Saints players to look out for include No. 1 draft pick Patrick McCartin, along with their other top pick Hugh Goddard. Former Swan forward Tim Membrey has also been named for his first appearance in a Saints guernsey.
Last year’s wooden spooners will be keen to impress and give supporters hope that the team can improve on last season’s performance. After starting 2014 with a 3-2 win-loss record, the Saints won only one more game from their last 17 games.
They would be hoping their forward line fires this season after scoring more than a 100 points in a game only once in 2014.
McCartin and Membrey will provide much needed height in attack. The Saints will also hope fourth year player Daniel Markworth has shaken off a bad run of injuries.
Prediction
The Bombers go into a third season interrupted by the supplements saga and will be hoping to put things behind as the day of judgement looms closer.
Three-time premiership winning Cat Paul Chapman will lead a team of youngsters, VFL and ex-AFL players, aiming to give the Saints a competitive game. Their top-up players will be keen to impress and take a nothing-to-lose attitude into the game.
However the Saints’ more stable squad should see them run out winners.
Saints by 20 points.
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