AFL 2021: Prized baby Bomber Archie Perkins firms for his debut; Dyson Heppell faces fitness test

It’s a rapidly expanding injury list which has Essendon fans reaching for oxygen masks, but the club still has field a side against St Kilda. Who do the Bombers blood this week?

AFL Round 1. 20/03/2021.Essendon v Hawthorn at the Marvel Stadium, Melbourne. Dyson Heppell of the Bombers marks . Pic: Michael Klein

Injury-ravaged Essendon looks certain to blood at least two more debutants in Saturday’s clash with St Kilda at Marvel Stadium as it plans to give wounded skipper Dyson Heppell until the last minute in an effort to overcome his nagging back issues.

In last week’s flogging at the hands of Port Adelaide, the Bombers fielded the club’s least-experienced team in almost a decade — and their youngest in five years.

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But Ben Rutten’s team seems certain to go into the clash with the Saints with an even younger and less experienced line-up after long-term injuries to key players Dylan Shiel, Jye Caldwell and Sam Draper suffered in the 54-point loss to Port Adelaide.

Last year’s No. 9 draft pick Archie Perkins — an explosive midfielder from Sandringham Dragons — looks ready to play his first game after a few solid performances at VFL level, while mature-age forward Alec Waterman is considered a chance to make his long-awaited AFL debut, seven years after first being drafted by West Coast.

Teenage ruckman Nick Bryan — a 203cm draftee from 2019 — will get his chance at some stage to assist big man Peter Wright in Draper’s absence, though it may not be this week.

High draft pick Archie Perkins has been solid in his VFL appearances. Picture: Getty Images

Jake Stringer is certain to return after a second game at VFL level last week and Matt Guelfi also looks set for a recall.

Essendon general manager of football Josh Mahoney told the Herald Sun that Heppell remained a “50/50 chance” to take on the Saints after some slight training on Tuesday.

“Dyson did some walking and some light running which is what we expected him to do and all things being well … we will test him later in the week,” Mahoney said.

“He is a genuine 50/50 chance for this week.”

Essendon’s Jake Stringer will be a welcome return against the Saints if selected. Picture: Josie Hayden

Mahoney said of Heppell earlier on SEN: “He had a bit of a back spasm there on Thursday and a bit of a disc issue there, which can take some time.”

“We’re hopeful he’ll get up for this week, but if not maybe next week when we play in Sydney five days later.

“He’s tracking along pretty well, but he’s becoming a really important player for us in the backline as we try a few different players down there who are starting to gel and build some cohesion.”

Dyson Heppell is struggling with disc issue in his spine and may be unavailable again.

Mahoney said the extended injury list had provided an earlier than expected opportunity for the young Bombers in terms of game time and exposure at AFL level.

Already last year’s draftees Nik Cox and Harry Jones have played the first two games.

“We are going to be looking at different players at different stages,” Mahoney said. “It has probably come a bit earlier than we expected for some players, but you can’t always plan a season perfectly.”

The Essendon team which lost to the Power was — at 24.3 years — the youngest Bombers side to take the field in a match since Round 19, 2016.

It was also the least experienced Essendon side since the final round of the 2012 season, with 65.4 games.

ESSENDON’S POSSIBLE LINE-UP

B: Jayden Laverde, Aaron Francis, Mason Redman

HB: Nick Hind, Jordan Ridley, Dyson Heppell (pending fitness)

C: Darcy Parish, Zach Merrett, Brayden Ham

HF: Devon Smith, Harry Jones, Jake Stringer

F: Nik Cox, Cale Hooker, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti

Foll: Peter Wright, Kyle Langford, Andrew McGrath

Inter (from): Matt Guelfi, Will Snelling, Archie Perkins, Alec Waterman, Nick Bryan, Martin Gleeson

Originally published as AFL 2021: Prized baby Bomber Archie Perkins firms for his debut; Dyson Heppell faces fitness test