Essendon VFL returned to winning ways with a dominant 65-point victory against Sydney’s reserves at Windy Hill on Saturday.
The first of three wins for the Club on the day (spanning AFL, VFL and VFLW), the Bombers looked in good shape from the get-go and exploded after quarter-time, going on an unanswered seven-goal run to put the Swans away.
The Dons were largely powered by their dominance in the midfield, with Captain Xavier O’Neill (31 disposals, eight score involvements, two goals) and Elijah Tsatas (41 disposals, 10 clearances, 10 score involvements) leading the charge.
Tsatas also hit the scoreboard himself with a brilliant stoppage goal in the third term, swarmed by thrilled teammates celebrating his first major of the season at all levels.
FULL TEAM AND PLAYER STATS + VFL SCORES
The Bombers found an even spread of scoreboard sources on a day where most things seemed to go right, with Tyler Sellers slotting three and O’Neill joined by Kayle Gerreyn, Matt Guelfi, Alwyn Davey Jnr and Jackson Hately as multiple goalkickers.
Gerreyn’s presence and confidence up forward seemingly grows on a week-to-week basis, with the 19-year-old also laying five tackles inside 50.
The Bombers forced the Swans into inaccuracy, predominantly through a season-best performance from Jayden Laverde in his return from suspension, providing a pillar behind the ball.
Of Laverde’s 32 possessions, 11 were intercepts – the defender’s ability to sweep up across half back and take contested marks especially prominent through the side’s surge in the second and third quarters.
Although their stats weren’t as eye-popping, the influences of Oskar Smartt and Jye Menzie provided plenty of spark – with ball in hand, the pairing often looked to attack through the corridor and set up scores.
The VFL Bombers have a bye next week, before setting their sights on a Saturday night Dreamtime clash with Richmond in Frankston.
ESSENDON 3.2 7.3 11.8 16.11 (107)
SYDNEY 1.4 2.8 2.11 5.12 (42)
GOALS
Sellers 3, Hately 2, Gerreyn 2, O'Neill 2, Guelfi 2, Davey Jnr 2, Clarke, Tsatas, Smartt
BEST
Tsatas, Laverde, O'Neill, Smartt, Foley, Hately
