ESSENDON coach John Worsfold has locked in a time later in the week for AFL Umpires boss Hayden Kennedy to come to Tullamarine and address the club's "alarming" free kick differential.
The Bombers have received a total of 35 less free kicks than their opponents over the last three weeks in games against Brisbane, West Coast and Collingwood.
Against the Magpies at the MCG on Sunday, the Bombers received 17 free kicks to the opposition's 27.
"It would be fair to say that I want general clarity. We're down 35 free kicks in three weeks which is really quite alarming," coach John Worsfold said on Tuesday.
"That doesn't mean anyone's made any mistakes, other than some of our guys' technical stuff or our understanding of it so we need to be clear on that.
"That's the idea. We'll get Hayden out, let's go through it and I'll get the other coaches involved in any queries that they may have whether it's in marking contests or stuff around the ball.
"That will help us."
How holding the ball free kicks are adjudicated by umpires will be at the top of the agenda for Kennedy's visit.
"The prior opportunity is a real tough one. The AFL probably have to say, 'Is there any good definition of what prior opportunity is? And if there's not then maybe it's either dropping the ball or it's not,'" Worsfold said.
"I'm not sure if it's around specific types of free kicks that's why I want Hayden to come and address us. He'll have a better analysis of what's been going wrong for us and why we're either giving away so many free kicks or potentially not getting any."
Meanwhile, star forward Orazio Fantasia is no certainty to return from a groin complaint against Gold Coast on Saturday night and will have a fitness test later in the week.
The important forward was a late withdrawal out of Sunday's clash with Collingwood.
"He's certainly not ruled out this week but he needs to prove his fitness," Worsfold said.
"He went for a run yesterday (Monday) just to get up and going and he'll test it more seriously in the coming days, so really unknown at this stage."
Worsfold expects David Myers (corked calf) to play, with the Bombers forced to make two changes with Jake Stringer (calf) to be sidelined for up to a month and Patrick Ambrose (hamstring) to miss the rest of the season.
The Bombers have also not put a line through Joe Daniher (osteitis pubis) as yet and if everything goes to plan Worsfold is hopeful the big forward may return later in the season.
"The call is he'll progress his rehab and he's got a program mapped out that will see him back potentially playing footy later this year providing he meets all the criteria along the way," Worsfold said.
Darcy Parish gathered 39 disposals in an impressive first hit-out back in the VFL after overcoming a thumb injury and will push for a recall.
Defender Aaron Francis and Matt Dea, the carryover emergency for the game against the Pies, will be others who are considered for senior selection.
