Essendon’s elimination final against West Coast in Perth on Thursday night represents a sizeable challenge.

But that’s a situation the Bombers have become used to in season 2019, often having to conjure victories against the odds, overcoming form lapses, bad runs with injury, and frequently coming from behind to do so.

Little has come easily this year for Essendon, John Worsfold’s team having to dig deep and in doing so recording some very impressive victories. Here’s the five wins from 2019 we enjoyed the most.

1. Adelaide v Essendon (round 18, Adelaide Oval)

Only a few minutes before half-time of Essendon’s road trip to Adelaide to play the Crows, things looked grim indeed.

Adelaide key forward Josh Jenkins had just slotted his fourth goal of half to give the Crows a 30-point lead, Essendon having managed only three goals for the game.

But two goals in time-on to Jake Stringer and Cale Hooker gave the Bombers at least a little hope. And that brighter outlook was translated into a dominant second half, in which Essendon booted 10 goals to three to run out a 21-point winner.

Hooker, who’d been beaten badly by Jenkins, had been switched to attack, with Patrick Ambrose instead taking the key forward.

Dylan Shiel and Zach Merrett, both quiet early, exploded into life in midfield, Merrett having 22 disposals in the second half alone.

Conor McKenna became a constant source of drive off half-back. And with Adelaide’s defence now stretched a little wider, Mitch Brown cashed in, the hard-working key forward getting up and down the ground and finishing with 23 disposals, eight marks and four goals.

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Adelaide still led narrowly 10 minutes into the final term, but it was Essendon finishing much stronger, and more goals to Stringer, Brown, skipper Dyson Heppell and Merrett secured the Bombers’ first away victory against Adelaide since 2013.

2. Essendon v North Melbourne (round 17, Marvel Stadium)

A rollicking roller-coaster ride of a game between two finals aspirants in which the lead changed hands six times and which finished in the most thrilling circumstances possible.

It was North Melbourne which started much better with four of the first five goals, and Roos youngster Cameron Zurhaar with three goals by quarter-time.

But the Bombers gradually worked their way into proceedings through midfield dominance, Zach Merrett a star, finishing with 34 disposals, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti a livewire up forward, and youngster Dylan Clarke performing a great shutdown job on North’s possession machine Ben Cunnington.

Essendon held a handy 18-point lead at the final change, but North Melbourne surged again in the final term, with 10 of the first 11 inside 50s, holding the Bombers’ scoreless until deep into time-on.

By then, Ben Brown had kicked his fifth and sixth goals of the day, and the Roos had recaptured the lead.

Jayden Laverde’s behind left the Bombers one point in arrears and with only 30 seconds remaining, Orazio Fantasia pumped the ball to the teeth of goal, a handball from Laverde found McDonald-Tipungwuti, and the sharpshooter somehow slotted the match-winner from the tightest of angles.

With just 17 seconds left, the Dons won the crucial final clearance, the ball at half-forward when the siren rang, producing one of the loudest roars ever heard at Docklands.

3. Essendon v Brisbane (round 4, MCG)

This was a comprehensive victory which has looked even better the longer the season has gone and Brisbane’s credentials as the big improver of season 2019 have been franked.

The Bombers went into the game having notched up their first victory of the season but still needing to convince the sceptics the corner had been turned. And it would turn into a picnic for small forward Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, who dazzled the near-50,000 on hand on a sunny Saturday afternoon with a brilliant seven-goal display.

'Walla' was outstanding with 7.1 from his 20 disposals, scoring a pair of goals in three quarters and the last two of the game, the final six-pointer right on the siren bringing the crowd to its feet.

Mitch Brown was another outstanding contributor with three goals and 25 disposals working up and down the ground, while Zach Merrett (35 disposals), David Zaharakis (30) and skipper Dyson Heppell dominated the midfield.

While slow starts would be a problem during the season, they weren’t on this day, Essendon booting six of the first seven goals of the game, its 7.2 the Bombers’ single best quarter of the season.

The pace seldom waned after that, the 47-point win a perfect example of Essendon at its fast-running, attacking and entertaining best.

4. North Melbourne v Essendon (round 5, Marvel Stadium)

The Bombers announced their arrival as North Melbourne’s latest Good Friday opponent with a bang, turning in arguably their most complete performance of the home-and-away season to thrash the Roos by 58 points under the roof at Marvel Stadium.

Essendon led this one from the start, though was also helped by North’s early inaccuracy, the Roos 1.6 at quarter-time.

But it was a brilliant burst of four goals in less than five goals shortly before half-time which turned a decent lead into a match-winning break of 36 points, which continued to grow larger the longer the game went.

The Dons’ midfield reigned supreme, with Dylan Shiel playing his best game for his new club to that point with 36 disposals, and skipper Dyson Heppell (32) and Zach Merrett (34) also prolific.

Up forward, the scoreboard ticked over seamlessly, Orazio Fantasia booting four goals and hard-working key forward Mitch Brown three as Essendon rattled on 17.14 (116), which would remain the Dons’ second-highest score of the season.

And in his first AFL game for nearly a year, late inclusion Joe Daniher also joined in the fun during the final term, banging one home from beyond 50 metres.

Andy McGrath and Matt Guelfi were also impressive in Essendon’s third win on the trot, one which put them back in the black on the win-loss ledger.

5. Essendon v Greater Western Sydney (Round 15, Marvel Stadium)

The Bombers’ finals hopes were squarely on the line already come round 15, a disappointing road trip to Perth and defeat at the hands of West Coast the previous week having left them 6-7 and in 10th spot on the ladder, a game outside the eight.

This Thursday night clash would be another tough assignment, too, against a GWS side which had won six of its past eight games and was third on the ladder.

It was a dour struggle early, the Giants’ successfully stifling Essendon’s run off half-back and goals hard to come by, GWS leading by a point at the long break.

A calf injury to Essendon ruckman Tom Bellchambers saw the Giants get right on top in midfield through the likes of Stephen Coniglio and Josh Kelly.

The Dons’ defence stood up well under fierce assault, but still looked up against it as the Giants made all the play early in the final term to lead by 19 points.

Suddenly, though, with the game slipping away, things started to click. Goals to Jayden Laverde and Cale Hooker, having been shifted forward, reduced the gap to seven points.

Shaun McKernan, playing in the ruck, lifted.

Darcy Parish levelled the scores, only for the Giants’ Jeremy Finlayson to reply almost immediately.

But now Essendon had the scent of victory in its nostrils.

With just over two minutes left, McKernan banged one home on the run to level the scores again.

And when Conor McKenna’s long kick to the teeth of goal was marked by Hooker only 15 metres out with the clock ticking down to 20 seconds remaining, a remarkable win had been secured.

You can read more of Rohan Connolly’s work at his FOOTYOLOGY website.