“But I can tell you, I’m extremely pleased to have that option available.”
While Draper missed an easy shot at goal and has beent taking less hitouts, he brings energy and aggression to the Bombers which will be welcome against a Collingwood side that rediscovered their ballistic style last week against Port.
Coming off successive wins, the selection pressure positions Essendon well to try to end a four-game skid against the Magpies. Craig McRae has not lost to the Bombers since taking the Collingwood reins ahead of the 2022 season.
Three of Essendon’s four defeats against the Pies were by 13 points or less – the Bombers even led by 14 points at the final change in round 19, 2022 – before the round-24 outlier last year when the Magpies surged to a 70-point win.
With Sam Durham and Jye Caldwell in the midfield the Bombers look a vastly improved side to the one that was split open by Port Adelaide three games ago. They now sit inside the top eight with a 4-2 win-loss record.
“They have built the midfield, a bit of a tougher midfield, obviously [Ben] McKay has stiffened up the defence. The forward line is still a work in progress, but they get Peter Wright back now. They are in a good position, in terms of the ladder,” former Dons premiership star Matthew Lloyd told 3AW.
Bomber Harrison Jones is taking his opportunities in 2024.Credit: Getty Images
Jones has kicked seven goals in the five games he’s played this year and is averaging six marks a game. Against Adelaide he also laid four tackles, a stat that appealed to Scott and the coaches.
“Because [Jones] has got huge capability, people have probably looked for him to play at that high level,” Scott said. “But since I arrived at the club, he’s just had injury issues, he’s had an inability through injury to have any continuity of training.
“In my first pre-season, he did 11 per cent of our pre-season training load, and no one can perform on that preparation. Whereas this pre-season, he’s done everything. He hasn’t missed a beat.
“His professionalism has gone [up]. He’s worked really closely with Peter Wright, the way he prepares for games, the way he’s prepared in the pre-season.
“There’s no secrets as to why he’s performing well, it’s all based on his prep.”
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