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It is just Round 2. With 21 rounds to go, the AFL home-and-away season has plenty left in store for all teams.
So, knowing that the season has barely begun, what can we read into Essendon beating the Hawks? Downing the defending premiers and league yardstick Hawthorn by two points isn’t a big deal, is it?
No, it is. And here is why.
After two years of uncertainty, innuendo, rumours, front page headlines and arguments among fans, Essendon is now without a cloud hanging over their heads.
With the saga overshadowing even their pre-season, the Essendon players are now able to get back to doing what they do best – playing football. With no threats of doping sanctions and their true mentor in the box, Bombers fans were treated to an inspirational start to the home-and-away season in Sydney.
Finding myself on a bus at 3am Saturday morning with roughly 200 other Essendon fans, we were dropped off at ANZ stadium where a representative of Essendon handed us a ticket to the game. These weren’t nose-bleeds as you often get when winning a prize. These were ground level tickets, positioned behind the goals.
The game ended disappointingly, but not without some very positive signs. It reminded us that fade-outs were still an issue, as they have been for a large portion of the last decade.
Essendon let a 41-point lead slide into a 12-point loss. However, there was a lot of pride to be taken out of this game. For a start, Essendon managed to get to this lead in wet conditions against a very quality opponent. The players showed courage and skill that felt lacking in the 2014 campaign. James Hird, in his press conference, was very upbeat advising us to “watch this space”.
We are James, don’t worry.
Given the hiding Hawthorn had handed Geelong the week earlier, expectations were not high. Hawthorn was clinical, clean, fast, skilled and fierce. They have become the dream team of the AFL and were widely tipped to perform a three-peat to accompany their 2013-2014 flags.
The games started as a close, but low-scoring affair. Essendon came out of the blocks as if possessed, applying pressure not seen from an Essendon outfit for years. Hawthorn was able to withstand this pressure and provided an enthralling contest which was highly skilled, fast and a joy to watch.
In the second quarter, Essendon was able to apply some scoreboard pressure to accompany the physical pressure, allowing them to control the game.
Essendon not only led at halftime on the score-board, but in every key statistic bar clearances. However discussing with the friends I was seated next to, it was clear that there were still concerns that Essendon could fade.
We were constantly mindful of our opponent and cautious in our celebration.
The third quarter showed our worries were well founded as Hawthorn closed the lead to just 8 points. While it was clear that Essendon had not completely fallen away, Hawthorn gained the ascendency that quarter. Scoring four goals to two and dominating the general play, Hawthorn used its experience and coolness under pressure to great effect.
The fourth quarter was a see-sawing event with Hawthorn kicking four unanswered goals to lead by 16 points with just minutes to go. Essendon had by no means rolled over, however the Hawthorn fans were getting louder and some Essendon fans had begun to leave the stadium.
The game ended on a tightrope. The Bombers scored three quick goals to Jake Carlisle, Travis Colyer and the most unlikely of goal kickers, Cale Hooker, respectively. A Hawthorn clearance saw them go forwards again, repelled by a brave smother and molar loosening tackle. The ball then found the boundary line with 15 seconds left.
Surely it was over? No, Hawthorn was not done with yet. A clever kick while being tackled and a quick kick forward saw the ball back in Hawthorns 50 with seconds to go.
The siren sounded mere seconds from what would have been a game winning goal to Luke Breust.
The stadium thundered on the final siren with the emotion and relief being expressed as loud cheering, hugs and high fives to complete strangers. The emotion on the field was equally prevalent, with scenes of Jobe Watson running around with as big a grin as we have ever seen.
You would have been forgiven for thinking it was a grand final win, but it was just Round 2. For Essendon, this was like a grand final. Ten days prior they were not sure if they would be playing, let alone beating the highly fancied reigning premiers.
They had taken on the world in an unprecedented, hopefully never to be repeated sequence of issues and prevailed. Essendon were playing like a team that truly understood the privilege of being in the AFL.
Having come so close to losing this privilege, Essendon players showed that they understood the significance of being on the hallowed turf of the MCG. If there is a silver lining to the last two years, it would surely be the bond that they players have formed with each other.
What will come of the rest of Essendon’s 2015 campaign is yet to unfold, however it is clear that the players are enjoying their football again and all fans will benefit from that.
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