While the rest of the football world is happy to label Port Adelaide as ‘chokers’ following yet another loss in a final, its opponent this week Essendon was playing with a straight bat at Windy Hill on Monday.

The Bombers will travel to AAMI Stadium to meet the Power on Saturday night after Port’s upset loss at home to Sydney on Sunday.

The Power has now lost five of its six finals appearances since entering the competition in 1997, including three of four at home.

But both tenacious Essendon rover Jason Johnson and assistant coach Robert Shaw said there will be no need for the Bombers to jibe their opponents over their woeful record in finals.

“Once you get on the field, you don’t really (do that),” Johnson said. “I’m not the type of person that’s a sledger and there’s not too many blokes at Essendon that would do that.”

“I think the Adelaide media will do that for us,” Shaw added.

Kevin Sheedy’s right hand man said the players will be concerning themselves with more important matters than taunting their opponents.

Shaw denied suggestions that Port’s susceptibility under finals pressure would be used in Essendon’s build-up.

“Because you’re thinking about other things instead of the game-plan (if you do),” he said. “You’re thinking about things other than winning your own ball when it comes into your area.”

Shaw was very impressed with the way the Swans blasted the Power with seven goals to one in the second quarter on Sunday and knows a strong start by his side can have a larger impact than just on the scoreboard.

“That was the key to Sydney’s win, because if you get behind it’s natural human instinct to start to worry about the scoreboard,” he said. “It will be reasonably important for us to have an honest start, be there at half-time with a good list and hopefully with some run to come.”

But Shaw was wary not to say too much, when asked if he saw Port Adelaide as vulnerable, particularly since Port defeated Essendon in the semi-final last year, after a build-up that had very similar circumstances to this one.

“A very interesting question that,” Shaw replied. “Their record over the year doesn’t tell us that. The way they responded last year in similar circumstances – they came out and played very well, so they got their act together during the week, which I expect them to do (again). They’re a pretty experienced group over there, a very experienced team.”

However, both Shaw and Johnson agreed that this year’s Bombers side is far stronger than the one beaten at AAMI Stadium in the finals last season.

For one, gun spearhead Matthew Lloyd missed last year’s match due to concussion, but is now in career best form.

Secondly, skipper James Hird is similarly in great touch and injury free at this time of the season - the first time in several years - and full-back Dustin Fletcher might be available.

Fletcher missed last year’s game through suspension and in an eerie case of déjà vu, will have to face the AFL Tribunal on Tuesday night after being reported for striking Docker Roger Hayden last Friday night.

“For the first time since 2000, Essendon has gone into a finals series in form, injury free and settled,” Shaw said. “History tells us – no matter where you are – if you can put those three things together, you’re very hard to beat.”