Essendon’s pre-season has gone up in intensity if Friday’s training session is anything to go by.
Teammates Jake Stringer and Mason Redman were involved in a scuffle after a marking contest, forcing numerous teammates to intervene.
Pictures captured by AFL photographer Michael Wilson show Dyson Heppell, Peter Wright and Andy McGrath intervening to break up the two.
Stringer had been on a modified training program before Christmas.
The session continued uninterrupted after the incident. However, it could give an indication into how Essendon will approach 2023.
New coach Brad Scott has been charged with improving standards at Essendon, particularly in the pre-season, as well as a fitness base that wasn’t up to scratch last year.
Essendon won seven games in 2022 with Ben Rutten sacked as part of the fallout.
Initial reports out of the Bombers’ pre-season have been strong, but the club suffered a setback with the confirmation top draft pick Elijah Tsatas has been sent for surgery and will start the 2023 season on the sidelines.