Can the Bombers do damage in finals?

ESSENDON is peaking at the right time of the year and a win over Collingwood in round twenty-three will see them playing finals.

Andrew McGrath, Dylan Shiel and Dyson Heppell have returned from injury and the team overall was dominant in their 68-point win over Gold Coast last Sunday.

Given they’ve proven they can knock off a team like the Western Bulldogs, could the Bombers win a final? Club great Tim Watson believes they have the potential.

“I think they can win a final, but I’m not sure how much further they can go after that,” Watson told SEN Breakfast.

“Getting Andrew McGrath back yesterday, that midfield mix is very good. You get Jake Stringer, Darcy Parish, Zach Merrett, Dylan Shiel, who they used for run more than anything yesterday, and then Sam Draper is such a good ruckman.

“They can compete with anyone in that part of the ground.”

Garry Lyon agrees, believing the prospective top eight will make for a very interesting finals mix.

“Any of those bottom four of the top eight, Brisbane and Sydney aren’t making up the numbers, the Giants have gathered themselves and I wouldn’t want to play the Bombers so that makes for a fantastic finals series,” Lyon said.

“The improvement has come across the board, I don’t know if you can pencil it down to one particular part.

“Their midfield has been strong, but I love their back six.”

– BY NIC NEGREPONTIS/ SEN