As it stands only three sides have conceded less points than the Bombers this season – Brisbane, Port Adelaide and Collingwood. Brisbane – the Premiership favorites is just one point better than the Bombers. Port Adelaide has conceded 30 less points for the year and Collingwood 57. So despite injuries and personnel problems the Essendon backline deserves a pat on the back. The major objective of the backline is to stop opposition sides scoring and they are doing it quite effectively.
And they have had to be effective with the Bombers not as efficient in the mid-field as they would like to be and the forward line short of its best. After 18 rounds, the Essendon forward line ranks 13th in the competition – only St Kilda, Carlton and Richmond have kicked less points for the year.
Essendon assistant coach Mark Harvey concedes that too much is being asked of the Bombers’ backline at the moment. “We need to win more of the football in the mid-field and convert in front of goal. Those two things will take some pressure off the backs and give them the confidence to play with a bit more freedom,” Harvey said. “Sometimes you aren’t prepared to take risks when you feel under pressure. You become pre-occupied with stopping your man kicking a goal rather than looking for ways in which to create goals for us.”
“But there is no doubt they (the defenders) have done a terrific job for us this season – particularly given the changes in personnel. I think if someone had asked if we would be prepared to be the fourth ranked defensive side in the competition at the start of the season we probably would have taken it. Obviously you all aim to be number one but it takes a new group of players time to gel and under the circumstances I think they have done pretty well.”
