WILL Setterfield knows the job description.

Essendon has Setterfield as its midfield match-up man – the member of its on-ball unit who is assigned the task of stopping the best while also having an impact on the other side with the ball.

Last week's job on former Carlton teammate Patrick Cripps was the latest in a run of big tasks sent the way of the ex-Blue and Giant, with Cripps held to a season-low 15 disposals in his side's win over Essendon. It was his lowest disposal tally since the 2023 preliminary final against Brisbane.

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Champion Data shows of the 49 minutes Setterfield was opposed to Cripps, the dual Brownlow Medallist managed just five disposals.

Setterfield was given the run-with role against Marcus Bontempelli in round 10 and blunted some of his influence, conceding 17 disposals in 73 minutes of game time the pair were against each other in the Dogs' crunching win.

The week before, Setterfield was handed the role of limiting Sydney gamebreaker Isaac Heeney and managed that one too, keeping the Swans star to nine disposals in their 51 minutes against each other in an important role in the Bombers' win.

Setterfield has been called upon to take on bigger midfielders and add extra presence around the ball to assist the likes of Zach Merrett, Jye Caldwell, Sam Durham and now the returning Darcy Parish.

In his first game this season, the 27-year-old was brought into Essendon's line-up to take on Clayton Oliver in the Gather Round clash with Melbourne.

He kept the four-time best and fairest to 16 disposals and low impact across their 75 minutes paired up at Adelaide Oval, closely tracking the Demons midfielder for the third time in recent years.

In 2022 he did well by keeping Oliver to nine disposals from 42 minutes, before Oliver was at his best against him in 2023, when he had 34 disposals from 78 minutes in the first Gather Round.

Setterfield, the No.5 pick at the 2016 draft, has played 23 games in his two-and-a-half seasons with the Bombers, with coach Brad Scott turning to him to add a defensive edge to his midfield group.

The big jobs won't stop there. This week's task? Probably Patrick Dangerfield when the champion Cat strolls into the centre square or shuffles up to a stoppage.

*Main match-ups over 40-minute mark this season (which qualifies as significant match-up under Champion Data)