“St Kilda were up and running and wanting the double chance, and weprobably had six to eight blokes that probably aren’t up to leaguefooty. Whether they are old or young or their physical capabilitiesaren’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.
