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Essendon’s recent dominance over the Saints has continued tonight after a competitive four-quarter performance allowed the Bombers to stamp a 33-point victory over a lack-lustre St Kilda unit at Etihad Stadium.

 

Hard-working contributors all over the ground gave the Bombers a healthy early lead to go into the first break with a 36-point advantage, before piling on the goals as the match progressed.

 

Brent Prismall, who played his 50th game tonight, said the Bombers ability to maintain the pressure and intensity resulted in a pleasing end result.

 

“It was just great to be able to produce a performance like that tonight with all of the players working hard for each other,” he said.

 

“I guess our ability to put the points on the board early and continue that intensity ultimately got us over the line but it was great to see such a strong team performance tonight.”

 

Veteran defender Dustin Fletcher was brilliant as he led a hard-working defence, with Michael Hurley, Cale Hooker and Courtenay Dempsey lending support.

 
“Our defence was great, obviously the Saints have got some pretty big boys down there, so we knew it was going to be a big job for Hurls (Hurley) and Hooksey who did a fantastic job,” Prismall said.
 
“As a midfield group we had to put heaps of pressure on them, trying to stop them getting inside 50 and then make sure that we got back to help the defenders out. I can’t speak highly enough of those two, they did really well.”
 
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Kyle Hardingham and Brent Stanton showed courage through the midfield and added some grunt around the ground.
“Hardingham was another player who played really well,” Prismall said.

“It was just his second game so we can’t expect him to kick four or five every week but all he has to do is play his role and apply forward pressure and he did that.

“Stanton has been fantastic since he’s gone back to half-back and he’s embraced the role and he’s getting the fruits of that now.”

The win sets up an exciting month of football for the Bombers with a number of Friday night games against old rivals on the agenda.
 
“We’ve got a few big games coming up - Collingwood on the big stage on Friday night. Obviously we look to do well in those big games, recover well, prepare well and just go from there,” Prismall said.
 
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“It was just his second game so we can’t expect him to kick four or five every week but all he has to do is play his role and apply forward pressure and he did that.