Worsfold had to 'plead' for Daniher to return
Essendon coach John Worsfold has revealed he had to "plead" to have Joe Daniher as a late replacement on Good Friday and says he is keen to avoid having to ever again call on a player who was not chosen in the original 26 for a game.
The Bombers are awaiting a heavy fine from the AFL, having drafted Daniher into the 22 against North Melbourne when the lanky forward had not even been listed as one of four emergencies.
Daniher came into the side for Zac Clarke, who had complained of a calf injury on Friday morning. Scans on Sunday confirmed he had had a secondary bleed in a corked calf.
Worsfold said on Monday he had made his case to football department boss Dan Richardson to allow Daniher to be pulled from the VFL and return to the senior side for the first time since round seven last year.
He said the Bombers had not taken the decision lightly and had been well aware the club would take a financial hit.
"We made a decision not lightly that it was our error and that it was going to cost the club some money, so we are disappointed with that, but we are making sure there are things in place that it won't happen again," he said.
"I may have had to plead a little bit with Dan Richardson, made sure he absolutely understood the process of where we were at, why it happened and why I was really keen to play Joe."
As fellow talls Shaun McKernan and James Stewart were already out injured, the Bombers felt Daniher was their only option to play as a key forward.
Daniher booted two goals, as the Bombers stormed to a 58-point win that has heaped more pressure on the struggling Kangaroos.
Worsfold said one initial option had been for Daniher to aim for a senior return on Good Friday.
"It was a fine line. We spoke fairly heavily about what is the best program. One option was that he did play on Friday but we hadn't progressed too far beyond what that meant because we ended up deciding that Saturday [in the VFL] was potentially the better option for him," he said.
The Bombers trained on Monday, with Worsfold declaring the intent was for Daniher to line up against Collingwood in the Anzac Day clash on Thursday.
"He is up and about, really happy," he said.
Worsfold said David Zaharakis (leg infection) and Devon Smith (rested) were expected to return, adding even greater potency to a side that has averaged 18 goals while winning their past three matches.
The Bombers were beaten by 49 points in the corresponding fixture last year but this is a different team, one that counter-attacks strongly from half-back and is prepared to take risks.
However, the progress made will be tested by the Magpies, who remain a legitimate premiership threat.
"I have had three years in charge of this team. The first two years were quite unique so we are slowly putting everything together for where the club wants to get to," Worsfold said.
"That doesn't happen overnight. That takes a lot of commitment to a program and a belief in a system that you are putting in place. The players are buying really strongly into it.
"The coaches are really committed to where they want to take this team.
"We still have a way to go to say that consistently, and over a long period of time, that we are playing our best footy - that's what we are working towards. Playing Collingwood and the form they are in, is just another great opportunity to test ourselves out."