Worsfold welcomes Dangerfield headache

As far as headaches go, curbing Patrick Dangerfield is a whopper for opposition coaches but John Worsfold says Essendon are up for the challenge.

The Bombers are the next team to attempt to quell the superstar onballer’s influence when they host Geelong at the MCG on Saturday.

Worsfold has the option of sending former Fremantle master tagger Ryan Crowley to Dangerfield but the coach isn’t sure a hard tag is the best option.

“I’ve seen him get 40 or 50 (possessions) when he’s been getting tagged,” Worsfold joked.

“So that’s a challenge. We’ll have to work through exactly what we think is going to be best for us. You’re always robbing Peter to pay Paul in different areas.

“Whether it’s Paddy or Joel Selwood or if you want to let Harry Taylor run loose in the back half.

“They’re good headaches to have, it’s a good challenge for us.”

It will be a big occasion for former Cats James Kelly, Mathew Stokes and Mitch Brown, who will line up against their old side for the first time for premiership points.

“I think it’ll be a bit different for them,” Worsfold said.

“But as long as they keep kicking it to the red and black players I’ll say that they haven’t been distracted.”

Worsfold is considering several changes to his side after the Bombers suffered a 61-point loss to Port Adelaide on Friday night.

The coach said former North Melbourne defender Nathan Grima is a chance to play his first AFL game since the 2014 preliminary final.

Grima was forced into retirement by a chronic back injury in July last year, having managed just 86 games in seven seasons with the Kangaroos.

“Grima’s available this week, we didn’t really consider him for selection last week around getting him as fit as we possibly can,” he said.

“It’s obviously a brilliant story to see him feeling good physically because his back injury was a pretty serious one. The fact that he’s back playing footy at all, let alone AFL level, is great news.”

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