Essendon’s VFL side went down by six points to Frankston in a thrilling Saturday night clash at Kinetic Stadium.
Both teams entered the round looking to bounce back after Round 12 losses, with the Bombers unveiling two debutants in Noah Scott and Ed Adams. The side also welcomed back Archer Day-Wicks, Nick Quigg and Dom Akuei.
The Dolphins came out strong, holding the Bombers scoreless in the first quarter. Essendon responded in the second term, booting five goals to one, but still trailed by eight points at the main break.
The second half was a tight and contested affair, with just seven goals kicked across the final two quarters. Forward Liam McMahon continued his strong form, finishing with five goals in a standout performance.
Despite Essendon kicking the only two goals of the last quarter, it wasn’t enough to claw back the deficit, with Frankston holding on for a six-point win.
Elijah Tsatas and Dylan Shiel led the way in the midfield, collecting 40 and 36 disposals respectively. Tsatas also added 13 clearances in a dominant performance around the ball.
Defender Will Hoare was instrumental in the final term, taking nine marks and standing tall under pressure.
Ruck Lachlan Monteath impressed in just his second game, registering a game-high 10 tackles along with 16 disposals and 26 hit-outs.
The Bombers will now turn their attention to Round 15, when they host Gold Coast at Windy Hill on Saturday, July 5 at 1:05pm.
