Bombers chase place in AFL top eight

Essendon has adopted a measured approach to the mauling they received from the Lions last week mindful of the need to maintain an even emotional keel.

Essendon’s Dylan Shiel admits his team has suffered some bad defeats

Essendon has adopted a measured approach to the mauling they received from the Lions last week mindful of the need to maintain an even emotional keel as they chase a place in the eight.

Bombers midfielder Dylan Shiel, who faces his former side in the Giants in the clash on the Gold Coast on Friday night, believes a tempered approach is a must in 2020 given the unusual demands of this season.

“Especially during a time like this when you are playing pretty frequently, it is going to be hard on the emotions if you are having crisis meetings … and honest conversations, and then five days later you could be throwing a party,” he said.

Essendon’s form over the past four rounds has been mixed at best and very poor at worst.

A narrow triumph over the winless Crows in Adelaide was sandwiched by lamentable performances against the Western Bulldogs and Brisbane.

Yet the Bombers are reasonably placed in terms of challenging for the eight. They sit level with the Giants, who have also been inconsistent this season, yet have a game in hand.

Shiel said it was difficult to single out a reason the Bombers were beaten so badly by Brisbane. But he noted rival clubs have been able to handle the adversity of this season.

“When teams have losses as bad as what we have experienced, and other teams have, it is not just one thing you can put it down to. It is a combination of things,” he told RSN 927.

“(It could be) training standards or restrictions, an inability to train, or it could just be individual mental states, (being) away from friends or family, or adapting to training up in the heat. There are so many things that you can come up with.

“The fact is, it is a game of footy and there are teams out there who are playing really well and able to get through these circumstances better than others.

“There is an opportunity here to … bounce back and try to put in a better performance.”

Similarly to all clubs given the compressed fixture, Essendon and the Giants opted to make several changes for what could prove a pivotal clash in terms of the make-up of the eight, with only some forced via injury.

Irishman Conor McKenna, who missed last week due to what coach John Worsfold described as homesickness, returns for the game.

Shaun McKernan, Kyle Langford and Matt Guelfi also return in place of Brayden Ham, Martin Gleeson and Ned Cahill. Ruckman Tom Bellchambers has been managed.

Callan Warn and Shane Mumford return for the Giants, while Xavier O’Halloran will make his debut for a side that is seeking to continue its momentum after wins over Richmond and the Suns.

Similar to Bellchambers, the Giants have opted to rest ruckman Sam Jacobs, while Toby Greene and Matt de Boer both sustained hamstring injuries against the Gold Coast.

O’Halloran, whose grandfather Ron McCarthy was a member of Footscray’s 1954 premiership team, captained Vic Metro in his draft year of 2018.

Coach Leon Cameron told the 20-year-old he had been “a little bit stiff” not to be selected for a debut earlier given some injury misfortune but believes O’Halloran will acquit himself well.

“He has been in outstanding form. He has got a great belly of work behind him,” Cameron said.

“He is hungry and clearly on top of his game. (He) plays aggressively and we expect that on Friday night, because it is a great opportunity.”

It's taken a little longer than he would have liked. But be there for the moment Xavier O'Halloran finds out he'll be making his AFL debut ... and shares the news with his emotional family.

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— GWS GIANTS (@GWSGIANTS) August 6, 2020