Having shot to prominence rapidly over the course of a season in which many punters and pundits believed they would be anchored to the ladder's foot, Essendon will return to the finals action after a single season hiatus on Sunday.
Although the occasion has already sparked unbridled joy for many that don the sash in the outer each weekend, the Dons' elimination final opponent could well have drawn mixed emotions for the club's leading goal kicker this season.
After spending the fledgling years of his career ensconced within the four-walls of the Whitten Oval, one would not bemoan Jake Stringer for feeling an internal tear in a week where he readies himself to do battle against a side stacked with many of his premiership teammates from 2016.
But according to the 27-year-old, he was not hung up on his side's dance partner for this weekend.
โTo be honest, Iโm just really excited for this group,โ Stringer told the media via Zoom on Tuesday afternoon.
โI obviously played six years at the Bulldogs, and I had a wonderful time, but all my energy and efforts are going into this playing group.
"That [his time at the Bulldogs] was a long time ago and I'm just worried about this week and purely about this week and I'm looking forward to the challenge that they'll bring Sunday."
Having worn a red, white and blue guernsey on 89 occasions, the Maryborough born Bomber is acutely aware of the strengths and weaknesses of many that currently call the Kennel home.
And after claiming the points over Beveridge's boys earlier this month, Stringer also remained steadfast that despite the fact their best football had deserted them since this Round 21 defeat, the Bulldogs would be desperate to bite back.
โWe expect a fierce contest,โ he said.
โYouโve got blokes like โBontโ [Marcus Bontempelli] and โLibbaโ [Tom Liberatore] and [Adam] Treloar โฆ theyโll be chomping at the bit ready to go.โ
Irrespective of the fact that plenty had the Essendon's list planting their feet up rather than in studded boots by this stage of the season, the All-Australian nominee claimed that the surprise felt by many about their impending finals campaign was not a view shared by those at Tullamarine.
โWe were very confident when we got together at the start of preseason that we were going to be on a journey and that weโve been on one," Stringer said.
โThereโs been lots of โups and downsโ and all we needed was a ticket to the party and weโve got that, so weโll see how far we can go.โ
Stringer also stressed that the form that saw the club finish the Covid shortened 2020 season in 13th spot on the ladder had been amended due to the injection of first-year head coach, Ben Rutten.
โItโs too hard to compare years when youโve had five or six players leave one year and then you get five or six brought in,โ the 156-gamer continued.
โWhat I can say is this year the belief and drive in the group has gone to another level and thatโs obviously led from Ben Rutten.โ
The hybrid forward-come-midfielder also paid praise to the man affectionately known as 'Truck' for helping to return his own personal belief after an injury hampered season that also saw him wear truculent barbs about his weight upon return.
Having entered the 2021 season with the league's third least experienced list in terms of games played - 57.4 on average - and the fifth youngest with a mean age of 23.9, there is a view held by some that this latest iteration of the 'Baby Bombers' may have ascended too early.
However, Stringer was quick to suggest that the nature of the club's annual schedule would hold those without September experience in good stead ahead of the clash in Launceston.
โWe play in enough big games throughout the year to get ourselves ready for finals,โ he retorted.
โAnzac Day, Dreamtime, theyโre all like finals games, so I think the boys are well equipped and ready to go.โ
With parallels now being drawn between his current crop of teammates and those that climbed to football's summit five-years ago, the premiership Pup was not willing to draw too tight of a comparison.
But with a prize yet to be handed out this season, Stringer was of the view that the Bombers could fly up and pilfer the club's 17th flag.
โThereโs been no story written so far for the rest of the finals, so hopefully we can write one, which would be nice.โ
Stringer and Essendon will face off against the Western Bulldogs in their 'do or die' battle at UTAS Stadium at 3:20pm AEST on Sunday afternoon.
