News

Tough lessons from big loss

Sunday, 31 August 2008
Craig Rowston for essendonfc.com.au
Page 1 of 1

One positive to come from tonight’s thrashing by St Kilda is that the team will learn some hard lessons according to Essendon assistant coach, Gary O’Donnell.

“St Kilda were up and running and wanting the double chance, and we probably had six to eight blokes that probably aren’t up to league footy. Whether they are old or young or their physical capabilities aren’t up to it, compared to the team we played today,” O’Donnell said.

“It’s disappointing to fall away the way we did but hopefully it will teach the young blokes, that haven’t played much footy, that footy is a tough, hard game and if you are a little bit off, a little underdone, if you haven’t got a real competitive streak in you then game will bite you. Hopefully the ones that do survive into the future on our list, that take us to our next premiership learn from today.”

Essendon fielded a very young team with John Williams making his debut; Cale Hooker played his second game and Tom Bellchambers his third.

“Those three are still a long way from it, so it’s just experience,” O’Donnell said.

“Hopefully they are sponges and take it all in but physically they are a long way from it. Bellchambers played on King, a guy that has probably done 12 more pre-seasons than him and it shows in his size and stature. Williams the same, Magin the same and Cale Hooker the same.

“We don’t know if these guys are going to be long-term players for us, we are hoping they can be, but there is a lot of work for them to be league players and they found that out tonight. We are heading in the right direction but we need to keep improving over the preseason.”

An emotionally charged but undermanned Essendon outfit got off to the start they wanted when Mark McVeigh bumped his opponent out of a contest (forcing him to leave the field injured) and passed the ball to Paddy Ryder. He converted his set-shot from 30m out directly in front for the first goal of the game.

The Saints were moving the ball forward with ease and Adam Schneider made the most of his opportunity when the ball spilled in the goal square.

A dubious call against Henry Slattery 25m from goal resulted in Stephen Milne’s first and St Kilda’s second for the game.

A Ryder goal was awarded then disallowed (touched) which hurt all the more when Leigh Montagna was awarded a 50m penalty 20 seconds later and kicked his first.

Nick Riewoldt then took the Saints up 26-points to 7-points and the warning bells were ringing.

John Williams took a nice mark and sent the ball forward where it moved quickly from final gamers Adam Ramanauskas to Jason Johnson for the Bombers’ second goal.

Riewoldt brought up his second after Lovett-Murray chopped his arms and the Saints were starting to get shots from everywhere. Lenny Hayes has the most disposals of any player and the margin was 20-points at quarter time.

An uncontested Charlie Gardiner mark and goal to start the second quarter was not what the Bombers needed.

Both sides kicked point after point as the Saints edged slowly towards a five-goal lead.

Riewoldt marked 50m out and kicked his third to take the margin out to 34-points. The Saints had the four leading ball winners, were running it out of defence with ease and getting too many shots on goal.

Robert Eddy found himself on the end of one forward thrust and snapped his first for the day. A completely one-side quarter finished with St Kida up 42-points at half-time.

Milne blew any hopes the Bombers had of a comeback out of water with a good roving goal in the opening minute of the third quarter. He followed up with a great mark and goal and then King kicked the Saints’ third goal in four minutes and the margin was out to 10-goals.

Essendon hit back with a nice running goal to Watson but the Saints were now up and running with five of their players featuring in the leading six ball winners.

Jason Gram kicked a great running goal from 50m out to take the margin out to 61-points.

Rhys Magin snapped his first goal in AFL football but that good work was quickly undone when he gave away a free kick to Brendan Goddard down the other end 10m out from goal.

Milne then booted his fourth and things were getting very, very ugly before a push in the back gifted Lloyd his first major. St Kida up 99 points to 38 points at three quarter time.

The final quarter started like the two before them with St Kilda getting the first goal (through Gram) and looking in charge across the oval.

A turn-over by Leroy Jetta and lack-luster spoiling attempt by another Bomber saw the ball bounce along to Milne in the goal square for his fifth.

Gram kicked his third from 50m out and the margin was out to 79-points.

The Saints kicked behind after behind until Milne got a nice handball in the goal square for his sixth. The margin 89-points.

That man Milne extended it to 95-points one minute later when he booted his seventh, this time after marking and playing on from 50m out.

A poor game for the Bombers didn’t get any better as the margin went out beyond 100-points and the siren couldn’t’ come any quicker.

View the full scores and match report details

Watch Matthew Knights post-match press conference

Your comments

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Not the way one would choose to finish the season, particularly with farewelling some favourite players retiring. Our very young, inexperienced team will learn from this game, although at the moment I am sure they are feeling like the rest of us - DOWN!! Get the operations over, have a good pre-season and let's get on with it next year. We must surely have a better season, injury wise, next year. Season's Greetings in advance to everyone at Essendon.

- Joan Hill (posted 31/08/2008 10:05:23 PM)

i hav no clue why patty ryder didnt play on nick riewoldt. i mean i no we had only lloyd as a big target up forward but i would of put mal michael at full forward the whole game and patty ryder on riewoldt. and was mcveigh injured or something?? well frankly im just confused where every1 lined up really.....

- Shane Goodinson (posted 31/08/2008 10:24:30 PM)

this effort is just not the bombers i have followed for 50 years.

- peter campbell (posted 31/08/2008 11:02:02 PM)

Insipid... is the only way to describe that performance. St.Kilda is a good ordinary side at best, and we made them look first rate. Sure we had nothing to play for and had a heap of players out, but nothing can excuse what we had to witness today. It could be a long few years coming up...

- Matt Dawson (posted 31/08/2008 11:46:49 PM)

....."our boys who play this grand old game,are always injured and writhing in agony and pain!"Thank god it's over!

- Mark Elze (posted 1/09/2008 12:38:57 AM)

glad the seasons over to be honest. well done to jj, rama, pev and mal all the best in the future. trade for picks and bring on the draft. with a healthy list and a strong preseason 09 should be a good year....new fitness coach got wc to finals 6 out of 8 years

- john fogs (posted 1/09/2008 12:56:04 AM)

i really thought today would was going to be a big send off for the guys wearing 9, 11, 14, and 22, not to mention something to look forward to in 2009....................................... ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? what happened ????

- Nicholas Barton (posted 1/09/2008 2:55:43 AM)

A poor end to a reasonable season. But plenty of positives overall. We should see gradual improvement next year. Don't expect too much though... while the young list is talented, many of the guys we needed to get games into this year didn't play enough games ie Gumbleton, Neagle, Myers, Houli, Dempsey etc. Still a few years away. Let's hope this years draft is as good as 2006 was to us.

- James Duthie (posted 1/09/2008 7:37:18 AM)

while this was a disappointing game to watch, this season has brought me much hope and joy. lloyd showed he's still got it and a few of our younger bos really stepped up. we need to get warnock to the club. the big ruckman will really benefit us. combined with hille, and our young, enthusiastic midfield we will do well. this will also give bellchambers time to develop. hille is 27, by the time he hits 30, tommy should be fully developed and i think he eally looks the part. and warnock is only young with a bright future ahead of him. knighta, don't disappoint with this years trade week and draft. GO BOMBERS!

- James Brown (posted 1/09/2008 8:38:15 AM)

Disgusting, insipid, terrible, unacceptable, pathetic, and every word available in the dictionary. Not the way to send off Essendon champs of the past. It seems Essendon is inheriting the Richmond standards with its new coach. Knights never wore the red and black and obviously does not worry about records and the Essendon passion. No point blaming kids and injuries. When you wear the Essendon Jumper you play with passion. Follow the Kangaroos spirit. We supporters will have this match in mind till our next game in six months. Long time to suffer. Rama, Mal, JJ, Pev will have one fantastic memory in their final game. Sad!!! Not acceptable.

- Raine Walles (posted 1/09/2008 8:48:41 AM)

I thought we were in for a long nite when a bomber player hanballed to Slattery who had his back to the play....result ? another Saints goal!

- Peter Barrett (posted 1/09/2008 9:36:08 AM)

Well done team.... You have put your heart into this season. We all had high hopes but injuries hurt all sides. So so many good things came from this year, so many good new kids & even Lloyd finished the 2nd half of the year like the old Lloyd we love.... Every one stop seeing the bad things & see the good. The future is looking very positive is all I can say...... GO THE BOMBERS....

- Jason Boutcher (posted 1/09/2008 9:43:08 AM)

Unfortunately the team of KIDS has no body strength to make it with any team at present too many injuries for the year no-one to fill spots the team has promise but that is all at the moment.

- Michael Rowe (posted 1/09/2008 10:07:16 AM)

I dont think there is any need to be so mean towards our boys - the spirit that they have shown this year, the tenacity to run with the ball and the cleverness of some of our play should not be downplayed because the last few games. There were good signs, and I hope that Bellchambers, Williams, Hooker and Magin can improve on their performances - esp Bellchambers - give him some ruck coaching and he could be a key position player in defence as well as back up ruck. Viva 2009

- Daniel Grbac (posted 1/09/2008 10:59:45 AM)

i have gone through the lows too much im waiting for the highs finals priemerships i know we won 16 of them i wont more common bombers 2009

- Luke Jones (posted 1/09/2008 11:09:32 AM)

slattery fletcher nash dempsy ryder mcphee stanton lovett houli gumbleton lucas reimers neagle lloyd davey hille mcviegh watson laycock welsh lonegran myers emerg winderlich jetta monfries l/murray plus hocking hislop daniher, yesterdays rookies and 6 new players at least 2 list, bombers best 26 if fit is top 8 and knocking top 4

- Paul Curtain (posted 1/09/2008 11:34:28 AM)

Well done Matthew Knights In your 1st season with the Bombers, which was always going to be a tough one. You have developed a nice group of promising & exciting young players, now I hope the club trades well & goes into next season full of steam & less injuries & show everyone that Essendon are heading back to the top where they belong. I am already excited about next season, cant wait

- Helen Constance (posted 1/09/2008 11:47:56 AM)

I thought we were in for a long nite when a bomber player hanballed to Slattery who had his back to the play....result ? another Saints goal!

- Peter Barrett (posted 1/09/2008 12:07:03 PM)

I have little tolerance for some of the nasty, mean-spirited statements which masquerade as comment at times. Yes we were ordinary - perhaps one of the worst performances I have personally witnessed from the Bombers. But I also understand that in reality we fielded a reserves team, with a smattering of senior guys - four of whom were retiring. It would have been nice to have farewelled these guys with a win, but it was probably never truly likely against a full strength team gearing up for finals footy...

- DENNIS GREEN (posted 1/09/2008 12:40:27 PM)

disappointed disappointed should've atleast tried........ the loss is not an issue - the effort and commitment is. i hope it gets better nxt yr

- Komal Sidhu (posted 1/09/2008 1:01:34 PM)

The final game of the season proved a disaster, but hey, it's only another 6 months before we all get into it again and relive the greatness of the best team in the league, THE BOMBERS.

- Lorraine Day (posted 1/09/2008 1:14:04 PM)

Just like to say well done to Mathew Knights, more wins than last year. Whith a fit list in 2009 can't wait. Go Dons. Garry Hamilton

- Garry Hamilton (posted 1/09/2008 3:09:21 PM)

Our last game showed how much improvement is required to become a force in this competition. There are serious deficiencies in some key positions, & although all newcomers have shown they possess the talent to succeed,there needs to be much work on physiques,attitude & commitment before they will be up to the standard of past good Essendon sides, which all Essendon supporters expect. Hoping this will be achieved in the near future. Kevin Grant

- Kevin Grant (posted 1/09/2008 3:12:23 PM)

It was a very disappointing night for all essendon supporters and players :( Our team was just too undeveloped, and they walked all over us. Bring on Bombers '09 :D

- Georgina Holloway (posted 1/09/2008 3:39:34 PM)

It was disappointing to end it like that for Rama, JJ, Pev & Mal. We hardly had a team to field but there were a lot of shocking mistakes and poor handballs. Oh well, bring on next year. I do have high hopes for a much better showing.

- Jason Wood (posted 1/09/2008 4:52:01 PM)

Insipid. The only good thing was that heartless effort deprived C'Wood of a home final! Hope the coaching staff can instill some "ticker" over the off-season.

- Francis Connolly (posted 1/09/2008 8:07:46 PM)

I think we should all be grateful we have a coach and playing group who play to win and don't worry about tanking. Well done knighter great start with our great club. I am looking forward to next year when our running game will be more perfected and our exciting brand of football is adopted by our kids comming through. Thanks for the memories Rama,JJ,Pev and Mal I am sure you understand where the club is at and will remember your champion performances I do rather than your last in a team that fielded a reserves list due to injuries. Enjoy the break BOYS and show the footbal world in 09 just how good we are. GO DONS!!!!!!

- Jeremy Little (posted 2/09/2008 2:38:44 PM)

ryme & reason bring on next year

- suzanne steele (posted 2/09/2008 9:51:37 PM)

Not much point looking back, the future is ahead and I have a feeling we will do great things in 2009. Enjoy your break boys and silence the critics in 2009!

- Leanne Butterworth (posted 3/09/2008 2:16:54 PM)

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