ET: Hurley the forward?
Essendon may swing Michael Hurley into attack for added firepower on Saturday night.
The Bombers’ swingman has spent much of this year as a key defender, but minus the injured Jake Carlisle could be the man to step up.
“There is definitely some opportunity for him to go forward as we know what he can do when he goes down there,” Essendon assistant coach Simon Goodwin told SEN.
“He has the ability to impact the scoreboard as we saw a couple of weeks ago and he is a weapon that we need up and firing in the finals.”
Hurley has kicked just four goals this season, but has proven form as a forward throughout previous seasons. He has kicked more than 20 goals in each of the past three years.
One player certain to play in attack is emerging youngster Joe Daniher.
The 20-year-old kicked two goals when North and Essendon last faced off, and has booted 24 for the season.
"I feel like our forward line has been different throughout the year. We've had a lot of midfielders come down, we've had different guys go through those roles. We're feeling really comfortable at the moment," Daniher told AFL.com.au.
The Bombers were convincing winners when the teams last met in the season opener, but that result will mean little in the do-or-die Elimination Final.
“It was a long time ago, Round 1 seems like last year almost and they are a different team now,” Goodwin added.
“They (the Kangaroos) have changed some of the things they have done in their game in terms of having some midfielders that are now going forward and impacting the scoreboard.
“We feel like we have some things in our game style that will challenge North Melbourne at times and they are the things that we are going to really focus in on.”