Essendon defender Adam Saad has heaped praise on “star” teammate Jordan Ridley.
The 21-year-old, who has played every game this season, has impressed with his ability to intercept mark and read the play.
Saad plays alongside Ridley in defence and said his clean disposal is what sets himself apart.
“He’s a star,” he said on SEN Breakfast.
“You see it at training, he’s so clean with his disposal and positions himself to intercept the ball. He’s going to be a great player and I love playing alongside him.
Saad will play his 100th AFL game against Brisbane on Friday night, with 48 of those coming while playing with Gold Coast between 2015 and 2017.
The running defender said it was vital Essendon brought a pressure-first mindset to the clash against the second-placed Lions.
“We’ve got to bring pressure in the contest,” he said.
“We’ve got to bring intensity and play our brand for four quarters…if we’re plying the way we want to play for a longer period then we feel like we can win games.
“We’ll fully embrace the opportunity and the challenge tomorrow and hopefully the result takes cares of itself.”