Midfielder Jobe Watson, Ben Howlett and Dyson Heppell have led Essendon's midfield brigade, as the club claimed one of its most significant wins in recent years.The Bombers overcame recent off-field adversity, anearly deficit, and the Crows at their AAMI Stadium fortress, to hold the upperhand through the contest, winning 18.9 (117) to 11.16 (82).
And despite a quiet night from star recruit BrendonGoddard, it was through the midfield where the Bombers broke the Crows, withWatson (34 disposals, seven clearances), Howlett (25 touches, four goals) andHeppell (23 possessions) all crucial.
Coach James Hird this week praised his players'resilience throughout the ASADA investigation into Essendon's supplement use,and the Bombers' character was on show against the Crows.
Hird said it was a win founded on more than built-upmotivation from the past six weeks.
"I think emotion only takes you so far,"Hird said.
"I didn't find that the players before the gametonight were overly emotional or overly excited. Probably our first 10 minutesshowed we maybe kept them emotionally a bit flatter than perhaps we could've.
"But from a point of view from the way we playedthe game, it obviously means a lot to us.
"[So does] every game of football we're playingat the moment because the eyes of the footballing public are on us so we wantto put out a good performance."
After trailing by 20 points midway through the firstterm, Essendon took the lead after a six-goal second quarter.
The Crows challenged in the third term, but AlwynDavey's three-goal effort helped the Dons to a 23-point lead at the finalchange.
Again the home team surged in patches throughout thelast term but struggled to string together goals when it mattered. The Bomberscountered their every move, and made a few of their own, with Watson and DavidMyers booting goals in the final minute to seal the win.
It wasn't only in the midfield where the Bombers wereon top. Crows spearhead Taylor Walker kicked three goals but Jake Carlisle tookthe points in that battle, while half-back flanker Michael Hibberd's valuecontinues to be undersold.
Michael Hurley, Stewart Crameri and Tom Bellchambersoffered some forward targets in the first half and competed strongly, but muchof the spark came from two new Bombers.
Debutant Nick Kommer was instrumental with his smartsand tenacity, while second-gamer Jackson Merrett was composed and clever acrosshalf-forward and helped set up several goals.
All summer the Crows have been asked how they couldfill the hole left by former forward Kurt Tippett, and the question remainsunanswered.
Walker was the main target but there were few otheroptions, while midfielders Patrick Dangerfield and Scott Thompson had littleinfluence.
Crows coach Brenton Sanderson said almost everythinghad gone wrong after quarter-time, particularly in the centre square.
"The numbers there are ugly. They just killed usin centre bounce clearances. We had our A-grade boys in there and unfortunatelythey got beaten tonight … so we'll have a look at that this week,"Sanderson said.
It was a forgettable game for the Crows, and anequally as memorable one for the Bombers.
ADELAIDE 3.4 4.9 8.14 11.16 (82)
ESSENDON 1.3 7.5 13.7 18.9 (117)
GOALS
Adelaide: Walker 3,Douglas 2, Jenkins, Johncock, Mackay, Petrenko, Porplyzia, van Berlo
Essendon: Howlett 4, Davey 3, Bellchambers,Crameri, Dempsey, Goddard, Hibberd, Hocking, Kommer, Melksham, Myers, Stanton,Watson
BEST
Adelaide: Wright, Sloane, Douglas, Reilly,Vince
Essendon: Watson, Howlett, Heppell, Dempsey, Myers,Hibberd, Kommer, Merrett, Carlisle
INJURIES
Adelaide: Brown (leftfoot)
Essendon: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
Adelaide: Brodie Martinreplaced Luke Brown (left foot) in the third quarter
Essendon: David Zaharakisreplaced Stewart Crameri in the third quarter
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Rosebury, Meredith, Jeffery
