ESSENDON midfielder Darcy Parish is in doubt for the start of the season as the club takes an extra cautious approach with the All-Australian ball-getter.
The Bombers had hoped Parish would be able to face Geelong later this month after battling a back injury since late December.
However, the 27-year-old is now uncertain to be ready for the Bombers' Opening Round clash with Gold Coast on March 8, with coach Brad Scott conceding Parish was in doubt to face the Suns.
"I'd say that, based on the way that we've managed his back to this point, it hasn't progressed as quickly as we would've liked. He's a dynamic player so when we have pushed him it hasn't responded the way we like. I'd say he's in some doubt," Scott told AFL.com.au.
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"He's not completely ruled out at this stage, because it might turn, but he's such an important player for us that we have to make sure we get him right for the long term."
Parish played 12 games last year in an injury-hit campaign and the Bombers had set up a plan for his pre-season this year to ensure his fitness ahead of the home and away season beginning. He is now the Bombers' main injury concern ahead of the start of the season, with Jordan Ridley (hamstring) and Ben McKay (ankle) expected to face the Cats in the AAMI Community Series before the clash at People First Stadium.
"Darcy has just had a wretched run. He works unbelievably hard, he's probably the type of player who pushes so hard we have to hold him back at times as well. He's a really important part of our midfield and we need him back," he said.
"But when he gets out and trains and pushes, it's probably exacerbated his back issue a little bit. We'll be really conservative with him. But we expect Ridley and McKay to play the second practice game."
Essendon has been working through different options for its midfield mix across the pre-season as it looks to expand and evolve through the middle of the ground.
Emerging star Sam Durham has spent portions of the pre-season using his marking ability as a target inside 50 and Scott said the Bombers would continue to use the damaging 23-year-old around the ground in different spots.
"He's a real challenge for us because he's one of those players who we'd like to play in three different positions at once. He'll work in with that broader midfield group and give us that point of difference of dynamic speed and strength," he said.
"We like him forward of the ball, we like him around the ball. We won't be too locked into where we play him but I think where we played him last year was a pretty good start."
The Bombers have given midfield exposure across the pre-season to a range of options, with plenty of experience sent the way of 2022's No.5 draft pick Elijah Tsatas. Tsatas' AFL games so far have largely been played on the wing or spending time across half-forward but Scott said the natural ball-winner had worked hard over summer to cement himself as an inside midfield option.
"If you play AFL football as an inside midfielder, regardless of the team, you're playing against the stars of the game. I think that is Elijah's best position, we always knew it was going to take a bit of time for him to develop into that. He's been able to go head-to-head in the pre-season with our best midfielders and time will tell whether he can carry that excellent pre-season form into regular games against the stars of the competition," Scott said.
"The amount of work he puts into his game in areas he needs to improve on, to focusing on his strengths, is really second to none around our club. So he's set a great example over the pre-season and he's a player that, if he has the year we expect him to, it will be on the back of the work he's done."
The Bombers have shifted Dylan Shiel to half-back, allowing roaming weapon Nic Martin to flow through different roles. As they look for more run and speed off half-back, Shiel's experience has also been beneficial, with Scott keen to see how the former Giant fits into the position once games begin.
"It's a good reminder to all of us just how good a player he is that he's had a full pre-season. We're looking to build flexibility through our midfield, so the emergence of some young players in the inside midfield means we want to be able to play Dylan in different roles," he said.
"Being an experienced player, he has slotted in at half-back really well but he can play wing, midfield, half-forward as well. His pre-season suggests he has laid the platform for a really good year."
