ESSENDON believes it will field a competitive outfit for the NAB Challenge despite the absence of more than half its senior list, with veteran Paul Chapman saying the Bombers will be playing to win.
Essendon begins its pre-season campaign against St Kilda at Morwell on Saturday, but will do so without the 25 players on its list who were at the club in 2012.
That group chose to sit out the pre-season competition to protect the anonymity of the 17 or so players handed infraction notices by ASADA and under provisional suspensions.
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However, the club has drafted more than 10 top-up players – with seven signing short-term contracts with the Bombers for the next few weeks – into their club to fill their side, and Chapman says the squad would not be using the situation as an excuse.
"We want to win every game. We've got to play the right way and that's the first thing and that's all we're really worried about," said Chapman, who will be stand-in Essendon captain on Saturday.
"It's a good opportunity for the younger guys and I'm really happy to be running out there with them and trying to help them along the way. We'll see we're they're really at, they'll learn what AFL footy is all about, and where they need to get to as players."
The 33-year-old admitted he had generally not played in the early part of the pre-season, but that he would likely play the first and third games of Essendon's NAB Challenge series.
He also allayed fears the senior players not involved in the NAB Challenge would be behind in preparation for the start of the home and away season without any competitive hit-outs.
"I think it hurts. But I think our program's good enough to replicate games. I know they'll be well-prepared when round one comes around and in round one there's no excuses, the guys will be ready to play," Chapman said.
A number of the club's top-up signings – including Clint Jones, Mitch Brown, Mitch Clisby and Jared Petrenko – trained with the senior group on Wednesday at the club's Tullamarine base, while James Magner and James Polkinghorne completed light duties off the track.
Chapman acknowledged the new players were aiming to show they could still match it at AFL level, "but not at the expense of what we want to do as a football club".
"Together we all look better. If we go out and try to do our own things then it's just going to fall apart and nobody's going to achieve anything," he said.
"They're going to be well aware of that, and hopefully we can put on a good performance."
The 271-gamer and three-time Geelong premiership player arrived at Essendon at the end of 2013, and at that stage hoped the end of the ASADA saga engulfing the club was imminent.
Although it carried on throughout his first season with the Bombers, Chapman says the players have been able to put it aside and focus on their preparations while the AFL's Anti-Doping Tribunal considers its verdict, which is expected later this month.
"The end's in sight – how many times have you heard that being said? – but we really believe it is and we're really looking forward to that. The mood's been really good," he said.
"I believe we're in a pretty good position this year and once this stuff is all done, then we can just concentrate on football, which is what we all want to do and I'm sure what everybody wants that too."
