AFL 2025: Essendon set to welcome back Darcy Parish
It's a big boost for the Bombers.
Essendon will welcome star midfielder Darcy Parish back for its crunch clash with Carlton on Sunday night.
Parish has not played at senior level since the Bombers' final home-and-away match of last season.
The All-Australian, who had sustained yet another soft tissue setback, played two matches on managed minutes in the VFL last month.
Essendon coach Brad Scott said Parish's addition would provide further flexibility to the Bombers' midfield.
'We planned for this for quite some time and he's had an uninterrupted month in terms of his build,' he said.
'He played two games in the VFL, played really well, so barring an incident today he'll be available.
'It's probably one part of the ground where we do have great flexibility at the moment. It's a good thing, you want to have multiple options running through the midfield.'
Darcy Parish will play for Essendon this Sunday in a welcome boost. Picture: David Crosling
The Bombers used star captain Zach Merrett across half back last week in their brave loss to reigning premier Brisbane.
Merrett found plenty of the ball but didn't have his usual impact, recording only two clearances and one inside 50.
With their pile of injuries, particularly in defence, Scott said the Bombers could use Merrett back again.
'Look, maybe, it's a bit of a reality, Zak Johnson came in for his first game and played in defence,' he said.
'Our VFL team had a really good performance, but we didn't really have any AFL-listed players playing in defence.
'Merrett we would like to use in about four different places, he's a really flexible player.
'We'll just assess where we play him based on the opposition and what suits us best.'
Essendon star captain Zach Merrett could be used across half back again. Picture:)
Essendon veteran ruck Todd Goldstein will have his hands full with brilliant Blue Tom De Koning on Sunday.
Scott praised the efforts of Goldstein since he resurgence back into the side and said the Bombers would only give the 335-gamer a rest 'only if we need to'.
'I've known Goldy long enough to know what he's capable of and we just monitor him really closely,' he said.
'I don't think we will go down the path of pre-planning anything, obviously have some ideas in mind.
'But most of our time will be directed towards assessing how he is recovering from games, how he's performing. I thought he was outstanding on the weekend.'
The Bombers also have Vigo Visentini and mid-season draftee Lachlan Blakiston waiting in the wings.
Originally published as AFL 2025: Essendon set to welcome back All-Australian midfielder
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News.com.au
13 minutes ago
- News.com.au
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Sydney Morning Herald
an hour ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
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The Age
an hour ago
- The Age
Don't blame the referees for the Wallabies woes, blame the injuries
Noah Lolesio didn't even make it to the starting line, and for the avoidance of doubt about the Wallabies' best No. 10 the Reds-Brumbies game in April needs to be rewatched, with Lolesio bossing Tom Lynagh. Across the first two Tests, the Wallabies have actually won two halves of rugby and lost two halves, effectively sticking two fingers up to the doomsayers (including yours truly), and to do so without four of their most influential players does not point to gap between the Home Unions that is so large that cannot be closed within the next two years before the Rugby World Cup. With Valetini, Skelton and Alaalatoa on the field, the Wallabies are leading the Lions 23-17 because they are fluent in the language of Test rugby. The sight of multiple Lions defenders being sat on their backsides is simply not one that the Wallabies can achieve without their big men in full fitness. Injuries have also weaved their way into the story of the Wallabies' campaign in less obvious ways. Take Lukhan Salakaia-Loto for example. The Reds enforcer is the 'obvious' choice to bring some more steel into the Wallabies pack, and he will surely be included in the Rugby Championship squad. But he played only seven games in Super Rugby Pacific, averaging 50 minutes a game, and none since early May against the Waratahs. He is another player in Australian rugby who can change the course of a game with a brutal carry, but the run of games he enjoyed against the Lions came too late. When the Wallabies and Rugby Australia review this series, it will surely be imbued with a sense of frustration and regret that they simply couldn't get their big men on the field for long enough against a Lions side that has yet to show it would be in top two in the coming Rugby Championship. Loading The flip side of this pain for Australia is that the closeness of the first two Tests have - apart from the first half in Brisbane - killed the most damaging narrative of the tour. The argument that the Wallabies had become detached from the Home Unions, and were destined to float around No. 8 – No. 10 in the rankings as a sort of West Indies of world rugby, has unsteady legs.
