Chris Fagan knows the heat of a Melbourne AFL blowtorch and says that will only increase the threat Essendon pose at Marvel Stadium on Saturday.
Brisbane were scrappy but escaped with victory against Port Adelaide and will start warm favourites against a Bombers side comprehensively beaten in a 66-point loss to Geelong to open their season.
Fagan said, just like beaten 2021 preliminary finalists Port Adelaide, the Bombers would walk out to face the Lions with plenty to prove.
"It was a factor last week too," the former Hawthorn boss said.
"They (the Power) had four months to get ready to play us and you could see they were hell bent on turning it around and only just failed.
"Two weeks in a row we play a team that's got something to prove.
"(The Bombers are) on the rebound, copped a lot of heat in Melbourne this week and I understand what that blowtorch is like, so we know what's coming.
"We'll be ready and on the job and won't assume for one moment that the Essendon that played last week will be the Essendon that comes out tomorrow."
Fagan expected Bombers recruit Joe Daniher, in his second season with Brisbane, to get a mixed reception against his old club.
"The Danihers are much-loved Essendon people, the whole family," Fagan said.
"My guess would be there would be a bit of a mixture, there'll be a few angry ones and a few that still love him.
"Joe will be ready for whatever is coming to him and hopefully he can play as well this week as he did last week (when he kicked four goals)."
Speedy wingman Harry Sharp will replace the suspended Mitch Robinson, while Fagan said captain Dayne Zorko is "well positioned to play" despite failing to finish on Saturday.
"Structurally his ankle is fine; his soreness is just around a bit of scar tissue (created by recent achilles surgery) and that's probably going to hang around for a while," the coach said.
Bombers midfielder Kyle Langford (hamstring) could be be stuck on 99 career games for up to 10 weeks, while Rising Star Nic Martin (COVID-19) will also miss the clash.
But Jake Stringer's return from a groin injury will add a threat to the Bombers' forward line.
