MELBOURNE, April 22 AAP - Essendon coach John Worsfold has dismissed calls for the Anzac Day blockbuster to be shared among other AFL clubs as insulting and disrespectful.
The Bombers (1-3) have been ravaged by anti-doping suspensions and Collingwood are struggling with just one win going into the showpiece fixture, leading for some commentators - notably Channel Seven doyen Dennis Cometti - to call for the game to be shared around.
Worsfold said the idea of giving other clubs the opportunity to play on Anzac Day at the expense of Essendon did a disservice to Kevin Sheedy, one of the architects of the blockbuster.
"How this day came about ... it's probably a little bit insulting towards Kevin Sheedy and his vision for what the game is about and how big the game is," Worsfold said on Friday.
"Collingwood and Essendon, what they've built up to make this one of the premier sporting days on the Australian calendar, it's probably a little bit disrespectful to those clubs who have got it to where it is because obviously it wasn't this big when it started."
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The Magpies' own 1-3 start to the season has been the subject of intense media scrutiny but Worsfold has urged his players to shut out the negative commentary.
"Our focus is on our preparation," he said.
"I absolutely believe that you want to play every team at their absolute best otherwise you never really know where you're at.
"Regardless of what the external talk is we know Collingwood are a talented team who are going to make it very tough for us on Monday."
The Bombers side will have at least one change to the one which was gallant in defeat against Geelong last week.
Jayden Laverde suffered a shoulder injury in that game and will miss up to eight weeks after undergoing surgery.
