Essendon coach Matthew Knights insists he is not worried about the form of his skipper Matthew Lloyd as the Bombers recall Courtney Johns in a bid to give their struggling spearhead some much-needed support for Friday's Anzac Day clash against Collingwood.
With centre half-forward Scott Lucas out for at least another five weeks with the knee injury he sustained in round one, Knights has decided it's time Lloyd was supported by another strong-marking forward by announcing on Wednesday that Johns would come in for his first game of the season on Friday.
Johns, for so long hailed as the Bombers' next big star prior to his debut in 2005, has been a disappointment to date managing just 17 goals in 19 games and he has spent the past few weeks playing with Bendigo in the VFL.
But Knights is confident Johns will provide the Bombers with another badly needed marking target against the Pies on Friday.
"We are going to bring Courtney Johns back into the team, at this stage we haven't decided who the player is that will miss out but he will definitely come into our 22," Knights said on Wednesday.
"I guess with Scott Lucas and Scott Gumbleton out with long-term injuries, we are looking for more firepower and some more size (in attack)."
"I really wanted to bring Courtney back into the team once he had three or four games under his belt at Bendigo and he has had that now."
Knights is hoping the presence of the powerful Johns will take some of the pressure off three-time Coleman Medalist Lloyd.
The Bombers' leading goalkicker in 10 of the past 11 seasons has been kept goalless twice in four matches so far this season - having previously not been held goalless in a game since early 2005.
Lloyd also missed the round four game against the Bulldogs with a calf strain but has showed glimpses of his best with six goals in the round one demolition of North Melbourne.
"I am not concerned about Mattthew Lloyd, remember he didn’t play much of the pre-season," Knights said.
"He has some decent games this year and he has some games where he has got a lot of pride and would like to be better, but it’s all about him playing his role as captain and playing for the team."
"It's not about Matthew Lloyd kicking five, six or seven goals a week - it's about him contributing and us developing as a team and getting better."
"So I am not at all concerned about Matthew and I think he will come out on Friday and do a good job for the team."