Essendon‘s promising ruckman Sam Draper is on the verge of returning to the field after recovering from knee surgery, with coach Brad Scott indicating his availability for the upcoming matches. Draper, who underwent an arthroscopy last month following a stint on the sidelines, has been actively participating in full training sessions recently.
Coach Scott expressed optimism about Draper’s recovery, highlighting his solid progress since the operation. However, Scott refrained from confirming Draper’s immediate return, citing competition in Essendon’s ruck department. Veteran Todd Goldstein has impressively stepped up in Draper’s absence, bolstering the team’s lineup alongside emerging talent Nic Bryan.
Essendon’s upcoming clash against West Coast could potentially see additional reinforcements in Mason Redman, Xavier Duursma, and Ben Hobbs returning from respective injuries, enhancing the team’s depth ahead of the critical fixture. Unfortunately, defender Kaine Baldwin has encountered setbacks due to ankle soreness post-training, possibly sidelining him for up to a month.
Reflecting on Essendon’s ruck strategy, Scott emphasized the team’s flexibility in choosing between Draper and Goldstein based on match conditions and opponent strengths. Scott underscored the importance of Draper’s presence on the field, describing him as an “energiser” who significantly boosts the team’s performance when in top form.
Looking ahead, Scott reiterated the team’s approach of preparing Draper diligently while maintaining adaptability with their ruck setup, ensuring the best possible combination to support Essendon’s campaign as they aim to bounce back from a recent two-match losing streak.
