And it was the stars that did the job for the Bombers. Captain James Hird was magnificent winning a lot of the ball all over the ground. Matthew Lloyd did what he does best – led hard, marked well and kicked straight. At the other end of the ground Dustin Fletcher simply dominated – leading a miserly defence that allowed just nine goals for the game. And in the middle Joe Misiti knocked up getting the football. It was an excellent tune up for each.
There were many other positives for the Bombers. Dean Rioli spent a lot of time in the midfield- found a bit of the football and got better as the game wore on. Mark Mercuri also had a solid hit out as did Paul Barnard – neither had played a match this pre-season prior to today. The form of Dean Solomon would also have brought a smile to the faces of Essendon fans. He was back to his rugged best – hurting opposition bodies and winning the hard ball.
Essendon’s younger players also did a good job. Jason Laycock played up forward in the final three quarters and was very competitive. Darren Walsh played much of the second half and looked at home while Jordan Bannister and Joel Reynolds were also useful contributors.
All in all it was a very positive day for Essendon Football Club. The Bendigo Bombers scored an excellent win to start the day and the seniors capped it off with a brilliant display. The momnetum is building at the right time.
