Bombers should play hard ball to retain star forward

AFL champion Jonathan Brown says Essendon should “absolutely” match a bid for Joe Daniher if he decides to leave under restricted free agency.

Daniher roared back on to the football landscape on Thursday night with a three-goal, 10-mark display against Hawthorn that showed he remained one of the game’s most talented players.

He appeared to offer Essendon fans hope he would remain next year when he said unprompted post-match he wanted to “keep moving forward with this footy club”.

Some of Daniher’s teammates believe he will remain at the Dons.

But even if he decided to leave, the Bombers could match a bid and try to broker a new contract.

It would then force him to sign, ask for a trade or go into the national or pre-season draft.

Brown told Fox Footy he believed the club would match a rival offer should Daniher continue playing with the same impact he had against Hawthorn.

“Absolutely, certainly if he keeps playing like that. Even if it’s a couple of hundred over (their own offer),” he said.

“You are not losing a generational key forward, All-Australian capacity for a couple of hundred grand.

“He is absolutely staying for sure if he continues to play like that.”

Essendon will have to consider whether he is available off a five-day turnaround as it tries to keep its finals hopes alive.

Conor McKenna is ready to return from a hip injury but was not picked, while Sam Draper is available against Nic Naitanui after being rested against the Hawks.

Coach John Worsfold is confident Michael Hurley will play after recovering from an ankle injury.

Dyson Heppell is not far away after his build-up from a foot injury.

“Heppell is pushing as hard as he can to be back soon, whether it’s next week who knows,” Worsfold said.

He said after the rampaging second half against Hawthorn that fans should have been able to see the strategies the club was trying to execute with its new-look game plan.