Bombers aim to restrict impact of Collingwood’s Grundy Daniher joins ruck
ESSENDON coach John Worsfold has forecast the prospect of last year’s Anzac Medallist Joe Daniher spending some time in the ruck to help curb the influence of Brodie Grundy in this afternoon’s blockbuster clash against Collingwood.
While Daniher has struggled for form so far this season in attack, Grundy has arguably been the inform ruckman of the AFL to date.
Tom Bellchambers will be Grundy’s primary opponent, but Worsfold expects Daniher to help out at stages during today’s much anticipated clash.
“He may do and he could do,” Worsfold said when asked if the 24year- old could help Bellchambers out.
“It is a bit of a workload thing with Joe.
“We are very conscious as a young key- position player he carries a big workload on the forward line, and we are looking after his long- term career by not overworking him through the ruck as well.
“We are constantly searching for that balance, but Joe, in the last couple of weeks, has gone into the ruck more than he did in the first couple of rounds.”
Worsfold admitted the All- Aus- tralian forward – who has kicked only six goals in four games this year – was yet to “hit his peak form”, but stressed he “hasn’t been “poor”.
“I think Joe knows if he keeps working at it, his best footy will come,” Worsfold said.
“It comes if you keep working; it doesn’t come because everyone is telling him he should be playing better.”
Worsfold also suggested Steele Sidebottom and Zach Merrett could go head to head in the midfield tomorrow, joking that the pair could tag one another.
“Zach Merrett and Steele Sidebottom might tag each other, that would be a first, wouldn’t it?” Worsfold said with a smile.
“Sidebottom is a tagger, but we might have to tag him.
“If we use Zach Merrett to tag Sidebottom, then everyone will be happy.”
Worsfold said Collingwood’s forward set- up could allow the Bombers some flexibility in how they could use Cale Hooker.
Hooker has played forward for much of the past year, but returned to defence last week in the club’s win over Port Adelaide.
“We are still weighing up exactly where he will start in the game,” Worsfold said of Hooker.