"A vital member of our team" - Essendon coach Brad Scott confirms Sam Draper will play against Collingwood on Anzac Day
Essendon Bombers coach Brad Scott has confirmed that ruckman Sam Draper will compete in their upcoming match against Collingwood on Anzac Day.
Besides him, Peter Wright will also be joining the team after a month-long suspension. Wright was suspended after he had an incident with Sydney's Harry Cunningham. He will finally be back on Thursday, April 25. Scott recently confirmed the players of his team.
Speaking of Draper, Scott admitted he's a "vital" member in the side. He said (via AFL):
"He's in. It's more a matter of how we shuffle ... he's a vital member of our team."
Additionally, he spoke about the selection of other players, saying:
"I should know better than to look at the weather forecast in Melbourne a week out. It just keeps changing all the time. So that'll come into play as well in terms of what we do there. This is a bit of an art this week in terms of what can it look like, how do we want to structure up. But I can tell you, I'm extremely pleased to have that option available."
Essendon Bombers will next face Collingwood on Anzac Day. In Round 7 of the AFL 2024 season, Bombers and Collingwood's match is scheduled to take place on Thursday, April 25, starting at 15:20 AEST.
How have the Essendon Bombers played in the 2024 AFL season so far?
Essendon Bombers started the season with a victory against Hawthorn on March 16. However, after a good start, they struggled in Round 2 when they faced Sydney and lost 131-101. They again won 71-67 against St. Kilda Round 3 but were again derailed from the track and had a terrible loss against Port Adelaide (111-42).
In Round 5, they finally emerged victorious against the Western Bulldogs by 96-67. Essendon again defeated Adelaide on April 19.
Meanwhile, Collingwood started the season with two back-to-back losses, followed by a victory against Brisbane in Round 3. The winning streak continued in Round 4 when they won against Hawthorn by 77-72. Collingwood won 123-81 against Port Adelaide in Round 6.
In Round 8, Essendon Bombers will face Western Coast on May 4, while Collingwood is scheduled to play a match against Carlton on May 3.