Essendon have completed their transformation from 2016 wooden-spooners to AFL finalists after seeing off Fremantle by 15 points at Etihad Stadium.
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Final score
Essendon Bombers 16.11.107
Fremantle Dockers 14.8.92
The Essendon Bombers are looking to wrap up a fairytale finals berth in the last round of the season coming up against the Fremantle Dockers fresh off consecutive century defeats. Catch all the live scores, highlights and action on The Roar from 1:10pm (AEST).
The Bombers are hanging in the balance right now with just three games remaining of the final round in the regular season.
Sitting in eighth on the ladder with 11 wins and ten losses, Essendon are just ahead on percentage over West Coast and St Kilda in a down-to-the-wire three-way dance for the last finals spots.
The Bombers are one of the form sides of the competition at the moment and have charged up the ladder heading into September with five wins and just two losses from their last seven games.
They’re on the cusp of a turning their wooden spoon from last year into a finals berth, the club’s first since 2014.
On the other side of the coin is Fremantle, who are coming off back-to-back 104-point losses.
Incredible.
The Dockers have lost five of their last six, including the two aforementioned demolition jobs over the past two weeks.
They were losing 84 points to nine at halftime against the Swans in Round 21 and life didn’t get any better for them last week, as Richmond kicked 25 goals against the hapless Dockers to leave Freo with the worst percentage in the league.
Sitting on the fringes of the top eight throughout the middle of the season with an even win-loss record, the Dockers are now hanging down in 14th.
If you thought their defensive efforts have been poor the last few weeks, they also have the worst attack in the league, averaging just 72 points per game in 2017, less than any other side in the AFL.
Essendon, on the other hand, are sitting fourth highest in terms of points scored per game with 96, so this one could get ugly for the Dockers.
Despite all this, the Dockers can lean on historical form to get them through, having won their last four games against the Bombers.
Team News
The Bombers will welcome back retiring club veteran Jobe Watson after skipping out on the trip to the Gold Coast last week.
Travis Colyer is the only other inclusion for Essendon with the 26-year-old coming back into the side after being dropped.
Josh Green has been ruled out with a foot injury, joining a dropped Craig Bird as the two omissions for the Bombers.
On the other side of the coin, Freo coach Ross Lyon has made five changes after their back to back mammoth defeats.
Chief among these changes is Lachie Neale who comes back into the side from a groin and knee injury having missed just the one game.
He joins Shane Kersten who is also back into the side after groin issues, as well as Jon Griffin, Sam Collins and Tom Sheridan.
In the firing line and missing out this week is a suspended Sean Darcy, Cam McCarthy, Griffin Logue, Josh Deluca and Ryan Nyhuis who have all been axed.
Prediction
The Dockers might be looking at another ugly scoreline to end a disappointing season coming up against a fired up Bombers side who need a win to make the finals.
Essendon to win by 60.
Jimgus
Guest
Another diabolical performance in Umpiring at crucial times in the match. It seems they're not sufficiently well versed in the rules ? Check out the stats and review their various decisions and 'non decisions'. Yet again likely to have affected the result ? Ruining the competition and raises serious questions over the Administration of the AFL/Umpiring I think.
FreoFan
Roar Rookie
A much more pleasing effort today. We let ourselves down in the first five minutes of the game as well as those ten minutes late in the third quarter. It meant we were chasing all day which was always going to make it difficult. Definitely signs that we can certainly be competitive next year. My prediction was we would finish 10th to 13th and we finished 14th with a poor percentage and that is a reasonably accurate reflection of our season - good for reasonable periods of time but we fall away quickly - which is to be expected from a young side. Last week we had 11 players under 50 games. Hoping to finish around 10th next year with 10 or 11 wins and then have a real good crack at finals the year after. I feel there is a lot of positives for Freo this season despite a few dreadful performances (against Port, Crows, Lions, Swan & Tigers). With a bit more composure we could have won 3 more games against the Saints, Pies and Cats too. Looking forward to next year at the new stadium....which looks magnificent may I add! Go Freo!
Connor Bennett
Editor
A respectable finish to the season for the Dockers, falling by just 15 points after copping 104-point losses in back to back weeks before this. A tough season overall for them.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Connor Bennett
Editor
FULLTIME The final siren sounds, Jobe Watson throws himself back and launches the arms into the air... his career continues into September!! The Bombers, having taken the wooden spoon last season, are now finals bound for the first time since 2014, what a comeback in 2017. A bit closer in the end than they would have liked, but they were in control all afternoon, kicking 16 goals to 14 to secure a top eight finish. Essendon 16.10 (106) Fremantle 14.7 (91)
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
Sigh. Reckon we're well out of time. Pity.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' Essendon with ball in hand and they are burning the clock here... they're moving well towards the goal square but they're in no rush. Essendon 16.10 (106) Fremantle 14.7 (91)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' Chance to hit a crucial goal for the Dockers... but it's a terrible miss!! That is very costly at this stage of the game with just a few minutes remaining. The ball is rushed through for a behind but you feel that could have been their last chance. Essendon 16.10 (106) Fremantle 14.7 (91)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' Essendon firing into the forward 50... but they give away a free for a push in the back. Freo really running out of time, they need everyone up front. Essendon 16.10 (106) Fremantle 14.6 (90)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' James Stewart with a chance at 5 goals... Not to be. And he misses the lot as well, a pretty average shot on goal that one. Essendon 16.10 (106) Fremantle 14.6 (90)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' Rush behind for the Bombers, it won't make much difference on the scoreboard but this is key time wasting for them and the Dockers chances of a comeback. Essendon 16.10 (106) Fremantle 14.6 (90)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' GOAL BOMBERS!! A sudden and swift response from the Dons and they continue to just keep that advantage steady. This game is a on a knife edge though!! James Stewart with goal number four for the day and he got a nice little bounce through the goal square as well to complete the six-pointer. Essendon 16.10 (106) Fremantle 14.6 (90)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' GOAL DOCKERS!! Freo just refuse to go away!! Brennan Cox with a very nice contested mark in the centre of the forward 50 among a sea of arms. Just 15 metres out and right in front and the bridges the gap to just 10 points. This is tight! Essendon 15.10 (100) Fremantle 14.6 (90)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' A chance to hit straight back for Freo but it is a very, very tough angle on the right boundary line but the Essendon crowd explode when they see it fly across the face of goal for a behind. Essendon 15.10 (100) Fremantle 13.7 (85)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' GOAL BOMBERS!! There it is, they break the five-goal run of the Dockers and boy did they need that one. A couple of misses in quick succession but Freo were doing their best to hand the footy over to them. Heath Hocking is the beneficiary, snapping through traffic for his second of the day and he's just opened up that little buffer once again. Essendon 15.10 (100) Fremantle 13.6 (84)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' Quick turnover for the Bombers as the Dockers try to clear and now Merrett ahs the chance to hit the six-pointer... BUT HE MISSES TOO!! They just can't get that defining goal right now. Incredible scenes. Essendon 14.10 (94) Fremantle 13.6 (84)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' Josh Begley in open field, into the forward 50 with a chance to break the drought... BUT HE HITS THE POST!! Wow. They really needed a goal there but the woodwork denies them. Essendon 14.9 (93) Fremantle 13.6 (84)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' GOAL DOCKERS!! Five in a row! And all of a sudden, the gap is just eight points. Incredible footy here, where was this from the Dockers the last two months? The first three quarters of this game for that matter? Ballantyne gets his second of the day on the counter and he had an open goal in front of him from just 20 metres out. No one should miss a chance like that. The Bombers are very nervous now. Essendon 14.8 (92) Fremantle 13.6 (84)
Haydos
Guest
Win first mate.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' Essendon plugging away down the left wing, just punching across into the midfield and wide again, playing the patience game as they work their way up field. Essendon 14.8 (92) Fremantle 12.6 (78)