Essendon are set to make another big statement, choosing to leave veteran ruckman Todd Goldstein out of the side for their clash against Geelong on Saturday night at the MCG.
Goldstein, 35, did not ruck in the Bombers’ 30-point win over the Eagles on Sunday, with coach Brad Scott now choosing to keep him in cotton wool to rest ahead of a likely September campaign.
For the Cats, this clash will be the biggest test of their tenacity and ability to compete with 2024’s best.
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But if they drop this game, a rebuild could be on the cards for one of the most successful clubs of the modern era.
It could be why Scott is electing to leave out Goldstein, considering the Cats are struggling with their own ruck stocks.
Geelong was forced to use key defender Sam De Koning to ruck against his brother Tom in their 63-point loss to Carlton in round 15.
Ageing big man Rhys Stanley was injured for last week’s loss, but ended up playing VFL, while young ruckman Toby Conway was also out with a hip complaint.
Despite the Cats winning 12 of the last 14 meetings between the two clubs, the Bombers going in with just one ruckman is a sign that they believe they can likely overcome a depleted Cats side with ease.
Essendon coach Scott confirmed that Goldstein will be rested, with younger ruck Sam Draper to go at Geelong alone.
“(Draper’s) pulled up better than he has in my time here, so he’s in good shape,” Scott said on Wednesday.
As for their reasoning behind Goldstein’s rest, Scott simply wants to manage the 35-year-old’s load.
“He’s actually been a player who has just pushed on, done every session, played every game, played high minutes,” he said.
“We’re trying to flip that script (and get him ready for finals).”
The Cats have just one win from their past seven outings, while the Bombers sit in third on the ladder with a 9-4-1 record.