Bombers captain Jobe Watson escapes the clutches of St Kilda's Dylan Roberton. Source: Getty Images
ESSENDON captain Jobe Watson says the Bombers are now better placed to contend with Collingwood's powerful midfield in the Anzac Day blockbuster.
The Bombers, who will be without bookends Michael Hurley and Dustin Fletcher on Thursday but could regain forward Stewart Crameri, have not beaten Collingwood in their past seven meetings and not won on Anzac Day since 2009.
Brownlow medallist Dane Swan has led the Magpies' midfield dominance against the Bombers, gathering 42, 42, and 45 touches from their past three clashes, while vice- captain Scott Pendlebury has averaged 32 possessions.
"The opportunity for our midfield is to be able to be competitive with them and then turn the game into a real scrap, which is what Anzac Day seems to be," Watson said.
"I think the Collingwood midfield for me is the best in the league so it's an enormous opportunity for us to challenge a team that's a great side.
"I think that we're in a better place to do so with the added depth that we've got through Hep (Dyson Heppell) being through there and BJ (Brendon Goddard) as well.
"Heath's (tagger Heath Hocking) been in good form for us . . . but I think it's the responsibility of all the midfielders to negate one guy having a huge day.
"If our pressure's good and the tackling and contested ball is high, then it gives us an opportunity to play the game in our forward 50 and hopefully minimise the effect those guys can have."
The Bombers won eight of their first nine matches last season before falling in a hole -- caused largely by a spate of soft-tissue injuries.
But Watson said his side was better prepared to sustain its form this season.
"There's no fear that we'll fall off," Watson said.
"To maintain it we stay true to what we believe in and what works well for us. We maintain the standards that we've set so far and we keep striving to get them higher but we don't allow guys to slip."
Travis Cloke, who notched a career-high seven goals on Saturday, kicked 5.4 against the Bombers in Round 23 last year, but Watson was confident emerging defender Jake Carlisle could stop the "monster".
"He (Carlisle) doesn't seem to be too fazed by opponents and their reputations," he said.
"He (Cloke) is a monster of a bloke and Jake will get the opportunity and I don't think he will be overawed by that."
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