Essendon are continuing to spice things up as the Bombers attempt to salvage their faltering AFL season.
After bringing out the mouthguards at training last week in search of a harder edge, Essendon turned on the sprinklers for Friday's session at The Hangar ahead of Sunday's clash with Port Adelaide.
The Bombers are expecting wet and slippery conditions for the round-11 match at the Adelaide Oval against the resurgent Power, who have won four of their last five games.
Ben Rutten's team slumped to 2-8 following last week's Dreamtime defeat to Richmond but showed greater effort than they did during an insipid performance against Sydney the week before.
"For us (the Tigers game is) a baseline of what we need to be doing," Rutten said on Friday.
"It's a hard physical combative game.
"The Sydney game we were way off, but last week we were back competing somewhere near the level we need to do regularly.
"Training is our rehearsal for our performance, if we can replicate game day that's what we want to be doing so our guys are going out there fully prepared for the environment, the combative nature of the game."
In a boost for the Bombers, exciting forward Harrison Jones has been selected for his first game of 2022 after struggling with ankle issues.
After kicking 20 goals in 16 games last season, Jones will provide a much-needed target inside the Bombers' forward line.
Explosive forward-midfielder Jake Stringer remains on the sidelines with a hamstring injury but could return for Essendon's round-13 showdown with traditional rivals Carlton.
"We need to get him back on the track, build him up making sure we want to get him back for the rest of the season," Rutten said.
"The game is too hard to have interrupted preps, all those hiccups ... we've just got to build resilience into the body and consistency of playing."
