Injuries have taken a savage toll this season and the Bombers looked sore and tired, falling away dramatically after half time. And the injury situation only worsened during the game, Essendon losing Courtenay Dempsey (leg) and Dustin Fletcher (groin) before half time.
Essendon opted to try and stretch the Crows defensively early pushing Paddy Ryder forward along with Jason Laycock, Adam McPhee and Matthew Lloyd at the first bounce. Ryder made his presence felt early, being rewarded for an excellent tackle and kicking accurately from 50m out.
The Crows were getting numbers behind the football and running in waves. Essendon on the other hand was unable to find any cohesive ball movement through the midfield in the first quarter. In many ways the first quarter resembled that of last week against West Coast – Adelaide however didn’t make Essendon pay to the same extent and led by just 14 points at the first break.
The second quarter was as scrappy as the first until midway through when Essendon kicked three unanswered goals to draw level. But the brief period of dominance soon came to an end, the Crows surging late – including a goal to first-gamer Patrick Dangerfield – to lead by 19-points at half time.
It was show time in the third quarter as the Crows shifted into top gear. They smashed Essendon at centre clearances and at stoppages, kicking the first six goals of the quarter to establish a 56-point lead and effectively finish the match as a contest. At the final break the Crows had 37 clearances to Essendon’s 17 – numbers that told a telling story.
Scott Thompson and Nathan Van Berlo had 27 handball receives between them at three quarter time and it was symptomatic of the Crows’ preparedness to run. More importantly they were using the ball more effectively.
Essendon’s first goal of the quarter came courtesy of David Hille deep into added time. Adam McPhee followed up with another but it was simply putting wallpaper over the cracks. The contest was well and truly over.
The last quarter should have been cancelled due to a lack of interest such was the lack of intensity. Both sides had their moments but it mattered little in the context of the game or the season.
So what were the positives for the Bombers out of this game? Paddy Ryder showed he could be a dangerous proposition up forward at some stage during his career. Rhys Magin got another taste of AFL football and knows a pre-season in the gym is a must for his development. Henry Slattery is in the best form of his short career.
