Essendon have named its 11th debutant for the year as their mid-season rebuild continues due to their long injury list.
Bombers ruckman Vigo Visentini will make his debut this week in Perth as they take on Fremantle on Thursday night.
Visentini, 19, was taken at pick 8 in the 2023 Rookie Draft and has played eight VFL matches this year, averaging 31 hitouts per game.
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Essendon coach Brad Scott explained that Visentini will get his chance at AFL level due to his performances in the VFL.
“We’ve been planning to play Vigo at some point, and this is the opportunity for him to come in, so we're really excited about that,” Scott said.
“It's a challenge, no doubt, in Perth for obvious reasons, but he's performed really well at VFL level and this is not something that we're springing on him, so we'll have him as ready as he possibly can be.”
Scott explained that 36-year-old ruckman Todd Goldsten will be given a two-week rest with the Bombers having the bye next week.
The Bombers have had to undergo a mini-rebuild during the season due to the mounting injuries they have faced, especially among their taller players.
Ruckman Sam Draper was ruled out for the season due to an Achilles injury, while other key talls such as backman Zach Reid, Jordan Reid and Ben McKay are still some time away.
Scott has conceded that there have been fades out in the second half of previous seasons, but will look at how to improve for that this year.
“You can't turn around and say that we haven't had poor second halves of the year in the last two years, but the thing you've got to dig down on is the reason for why that is,” he said.
“Our focus isn't on a block of games. It's on putting together the short-term, which is quarter on quarter and then game to game. If you do that well enough, then the second half of the year will take care of itself.”