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It wasn’t the prettiest game of footy ever seen, but a two-point win by a topped-up Essendon Bombers side over the Melbourne Demons certainly will go down as one of the strangest.
The Demons started well but much like in their second-half capitulation to the Western Bulldogs last week, they lacked the killer instinct required to put foot to throat and make the win a certainty.
The game see-sawed after the second half, with the Bombers taking the lead early in the third quarter, only to give it up by the final change.
Melbourne led again for much of the fourth quarter. Bombers speedster Lauchlan Dalgleish – who kicked what could’ve been a goal of the year contender earlier in the game – won the game for Essendon at the last gasp, coolly intercepting a defensive kick from Jack Viney and slotting the match-winner for the Bombers.
In addition to Dalgleish the Bombers also saw multiple goals from Orazio Fantasia (2) and Joe Daniher (3). Big names Brendon Goddard and David Zaharakis performed well through the midfield, and top-up former Cat Mitch Brown was valuable down back, keeping Jesse Hogan goalless.
The Dees saw good performances through the middle of the ground from Nathan Jones, Dom Tyson and Heritier Lumumba, while rookie Aaron vandenBerg all but cemented his place in the Round 1 side with a 14-disposal, 2-goal effort. The real star of the show however was Jeff Garlett, who kicked a bag of four goals to keep the Dees’ hopes alive.
The Bombers will take some confidence out of the win given just how badly depleted their side is, and it’s some good reward for hard work for top-up players Brown, Clint Jones, Josh Freezer and Marcus Marigliani.
The Demons on the other hand know they still have a long, long way to go.
Melbourne 11.9.75 def. by Essendon 11.11.77
It’s return of the top-up players when the Essendon Bombers face the Melbourne Demons at Etihad stadium. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 5:50pm (AEDT).
While the Bombers have cut the likes of Sam Polkinghorne, Mitch Clisby, Sam Michael and James Magner from their squad, they still have a fair number of the delisted and the unknown in their side for today’s match.
VFL players Marcus Margiliani and Josh Freezer are still in the side, as are three players formerly from other clubs – St Kilda’s Clint Jones, Geelong’s Mitch Brown, and Adelaide’s Jared Petrenko.
Safe to say that the top-up Bombers’ two matches to date, a 50-point loss to St Kilda and a 45-point loss to GWS, have offered a bleak picture of what is to come if any Bombers face bans following the decision of the AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal, to be handed down on March 31.
The Bombers have named Paul Chapman, Mark Baguley and Will Hams to come into the side, while draftee Jayden Laverde will likely have his first competitive hitout in the red and black. The creative wingman/forward was taken by the Bombers at pick 20 in the draft and will be one to keep an eye on, as will fellow draftee Kyle Langford after he impressed against the Giants last week.
Little has changed for the Demons from last week, again naming a strong squad with no major ins or outs. The Dees were very impressive against the Bulldogs in the first half, before fading drastically in the second.
Still a win is a win, and they have been few and far too long between lately for Melbourne fans.
They’ll be keen to build some confidence with another pre-season win today, regardless of the competition.
Prediction
Essendon’s top-up laden sides haven’t managed a competitive performance in either of their pre-season games to date, don’t expect that to change today.
Melbourne by 30 points.
Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 5:50pm AEDT.