High Essendon draft choose Nate Caddy will make his AFL debut within the Dreamtime sport on Saturday evening as star defender Jordan Ridley was declared a sure starter.
Caddy, 18, will play his lengthy awaited first senior sport after he instantly impressed in his first pre-season however was hampered by successive again accidents following heavy landings from marking contests throughout coaching.
The 193cm ahead, who was drafted with choose 10 final yr, will come into the Bombers’ facet together with Ridley after the necessary interceptor performed half a sport within the VFL final week.
Earlier than telling Caddy he would debut at coaching on Wednesday, Bombers coach Brad Scott instructed reporters he was weighing up a chance for the ahead or younger ruckman Nick Bryan to switch Harry Jones following his one-week suspension.
The 193cm ahead, who was drafted with choose 10 final yr, will come into the Bombers’ facet together with Ridley after the necessary interceptor performed half a sport within the VFL final week.
“(Caddy) has had a very productive three weeks, and he’s been in good type,” Scott stated.
“We all know he’s capabilities … it’ll be a mixture of construction, personnel, whether or not we go a bit taller or smaller,” Scott stated.
Scott stated Ridley had ticked all bins in his comeback from a 3rd consecutive quad damage, with the procession of accidents holding him sidelined since spherical 19 final season.
“He’ll simply play … we have been very conservative with him, felt he may’ve in all probability performed the GWS sport however we waited one other week,” he stated.
“He needed to play final week; we felt a half within the VFL was one of the best ramp again to taking part in, so he began this week figuring out he was taking part in AFL footy … he’ll come again in.”
In-form midfielder Sam Durham examined out his sore ankle and confirmed no indicators of discomfort throughout Wednesday’s coaching session as he tried to show his health for the conflict towards the Tigers.
Scott stated he “understood the predicament” Richmond was going through, with presumably fewer than 25 gamers to select from for the MCG conflict.
“We simply put together for each workforce at their finest, and Richmond nonetheless have numerous high quality, actually good personnel,” he stated.
“However do I’ve sympathy? I spoke final yr to the predicament (West Coast coach) Adam Simpson was in.
“It’s very tough to teach unavailability – you may solely coach what’s at your disposal, and Adam went by that the final couple of years … (Richmond coach) Adem Yze is confronted with that problem proper now.”
