Worsfold leaps to defence of Fantasia

Essendon coach John Worsfold has leapt to the defence of Orazio Fantasia after the small forward was upstaged by teammate Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti in the last-gasp win against North Melbourne last Saturday.

Worsfold said Fantasia played a key defensive role in limiting the rebound of Roos defender Marley Williams,giving McDonald-Tipungwuti more space to weave his goalkicking magic that included the winner in the last few seconds.

"He took Marley Williams all night,which potentially meant we could get McDonald-Tipungwuti into the position that we wanted him,"Worsfold told reporters on Tuesday.

"The players play a role in the team structure,so it's a credit to him. We know Orazio is going to have an impact for us.

"They'll get their turns. There's games this year where Orazio has kicked goals and'Walla'[McDonald-Tipungwuti] hasn't because of the match-ups we want to try and see.

"So it's a pretty narrow perspective to say it's just about Orazio and his numbers."

Captain Dyson Heppell will be back to lead the eighth-placed Bombers against Adelaide on Friday night if he completes training requirements this week.

Experienced defender Patrick Ambrose,who has missed three weeks with a thigh injury,is the expected replacement for key backman Michael Hurley against the seventh-placed Crows.