The Bombers have been the feel good story over the last four days since their stirring comeback against Adelaide last Friday night.
They are now ten wins from 17 games so far this season and have knocked over current top eight sides Brisbane, GWS and Adelaide.
Their form over the last nine weeks has been an impressive 7-2 with their only losses coming to the last two premiership winning teams. Not bad if you ask me.
So where to now for Essendon? Is 2019 still a season where they can make a serious run at a premiership, or have they left themselves too much to do in the back half of the year?
A quick look at their next four weeks would suggest they aren’t going to make up the numbers. They have Gold Coast, Port Adelaide, Western Bulldogs and Fremantle.
None of those games should be ones that fill John Worsfold’s men with trepidation. Three of those sides have also got slim chances of making the eight and the Suns are on a 13 match losing streak.
(Photo by Adam Trafford/AFL Media/Getty Images)
The Bombers shouldn’t take anyone lightly though, as in the past two seasons they have lost to the bottom placed side on the table. So this week is a massive mental test for the men from Windy Hill.
If they manage to win against the Suns, then things can start turning for them in terms of top four chances. The reason why is because Collingwood are playing Richmond this weekend.
It’s fourth against fifth, but more importantly the loser of this game would potentially slip below Essendon if the Bombers have a big win – more than likely Richmond would have to lose for this scenario to happen and Essendon to win by eight goals plus.
It is possible for the Pies to lose by enough and the Bombers to leapfrog them.
Another game which could help Essendon’s top four hopes would be Port Adelaide against GWS. If the Power can somehow manage to win that one, it would leave Essendon fifth at the end of the round.
So if the Bombers can win well against the Gold Coast, followed by Collingwood or Richmond getting touched up and Port Adelaide upsetting the Giants, then they will be in fifth position after this weekend.
You may be wondering, “Okay yes, those results are possible. But how can the Bombers make up another position?”
That will be a tricky task, mainly because the Giants and Pies have quite easy runs home after this weekend. Collingwood has Gold Coast, Melbourne and Adelaide away before meeting Essendon in the Round 23. GWS have Sydney, Hawthorn, Western Bulldogs and Gold Coast.
The team I’m not sure will win all of their remaining games is Richmond. They have the potential to drop games against West Coast and Brisbane in the final two rounds of the season.
West Coast have made the MCG a fortress recently and the Lions have made a habit this year of smashing hoodoos.
If that happens – and the Bombers go 15-7 or even 14-8 with a decent percentage – they could make the top four.
If they can snatch fourth spot they would most likely play Geelong first week in the finals. From there, anything is possible.
Birdman
Roar Rookie
The Roar is starting to remind me of the Hun pre-season with all this whipping up of expectations. No sold on them still.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Club first weddings second for me . Its ridiculous this one so we definitely see it differently . Critical stage of season . Also not sure if you've done the trip I've done it over four days a few times. Add in a boozy wedding if you know the irish and he will not be 100 percent going in to the port game. Just don't agree with it having done the trip so many times in my 20s
Aransan
Roar Rookie
Some things are unplanned and that can also affect the timing of weddings, not that I am saying it is the case here. He has enough time to get there and come back and I am sure he will be professional about it.
Tom
Guest
I'd be happy to see Essendon competitive in any sort of final. Winning one would be a bonus. No other side goes missing in September as much as the dons.
TOM
Guest
I still believe you need dominant big men to have a serious tilt. And with Daniher and Hurley in the sheds for the year, Bellchambers a long way back from a calf. I just think the order is a little tall for them. GWS should have beaten essendon, but kicked poorly. Richmond, Geelong and West Coast all look a class above. Still I hope they draw say Brisbane, Adelaide in an elim final, it will be really entertaining.
Timbo's rules
Guest
Watched brisbane beat the giants live a few weeks ago. Both of those sides would smack Essendon in a final. Giants only have to make a small adjustment to their tackling pressure and they have Brisbanes measure. Then you have Geelong and WC. Bombers are going nowhere fast. They should hope they meet Collingwood in the first final if they want any hope of going further.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
I am a thoroughbred fan Aransan full points. Lets hope gold coast don't cause us any grief or you won't be so happy if your a real essendon fan and we miss the top 8 because connor wanted to do the jig and drink some guiness at his brothers wedding . ha. I hope it has no impact but percentage matters too. A wedding can be planned or altered. Id understand if its bereavement of course which can not be planned
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Sorry Jakarta I don't buy that reasoning. they have three months off in october. They get a sabbatical each year. The club comes first unless its bereavement which can not be planned. A wedding can be planned. If we lost to gold coast or port adelaide and miss the top 8 you may change your tune. He's a big omission in an already depleted team.
Boo
Guest
You could have got 100 to 1 that West Coast would have won last years flag without Natanui,Shepherd and Gaff.So even though they have a few out the Bombers are a chance.McDonald -Tippunwutti is the key as he is unstoppable when he is on his game.
Jakarta Fan
Roar Rookie
McKenna's trip to Ireland at this time was arranged and approved pre-season so don't accuse the club of being weak on this. If we want the best from our Irish recruit(s) then we must respect their family links. Cut them off from family and we could lose them. The homesick factor is a big issue for interstate players and more so for those coming from overseas.
Jack A
Guest
Judd and Parkin have said that Woosha is the most honest person they’d ever met!
Aransan
Roar Rookie
We will have to disagree on this one. Are you a thoroughbred fan? By Lonhro out of Miss Right Note by Daylani?
Pierro
Roar Rookie
I do not support this at all the professional requirements on top salary in what is a limited season mean he should not miss a game with a huge off season that affords more time off than nearly any other industry. The brother and his wife should have moved the date to October to help connor out or Conner should sit tight. The ramifications of coming back hungover and or jet lagged against Port could be huge. Maybe they won’t be but considering what he’s paid and the necessity for the club to win these next two games I think its a poor standard of professionalism and weak from the Essendon management. It takes two days out flying there two days out flying back and recovery time . Gold coast are bottom of the table but its no excuse we have many players missing. Every game is critical they only play for 6 months of the year, in two months Conor can go fish in ireland for 3 months and attend all the weddings he wants with a pat on the back
Aransan
Roar Rookie
From the Essendon web site: “Conor has returned to his homeland to attend his brother’s wedding,” Richardson said. “He has our full support to do this and it has been a pre-planned arrangement for him to travel back to Ireland in this round. “Family comes first, and we wish the McKenna family well this week. We look forward to having Conor return to the club next week and being available for selection in round 20.” I support this and for all we know the wedding date may have been chosen in an attempt to facilitate this.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Im quite bullish over Richmond winning nearly all its remaining matches at the MCG. The bias is unbelievable. They are getting every player back and confidence as they go , I wonder if Rance will be back in the finals if needed. As for Essendon please ll take a win against Gold Coast first. Somehow they have let McKenna go home to ireland this weekend for a wedding. Heppell foot is playing up so may miss and Fantasia still isn’t right apparently . We then have McKenna coming back with hangover and jet lag for Port Adelaide. Unreal with such key games on. His brother should have delayed the wedding until October or Essendon should be tougher as he's a paid professional. Ill take a 12 point win at GC but would love a huge one for percentage as we need to bolster the percentage big time in case we are level points with 7th or 8th place at the end. Port Adelaide may be desperate when they come to Marvel. For me the next two games are must wins. Bulldogs at marvel is always close or difficult, Fremantle in perth is a huge journey and we have only one won away game by a goal this season subject to the goal post climbing in sydney which was a joke of a way to lose the four points and we have not put collingwood to the sword despite going very close and being hideously unlucky with the fourth quarter umpiring earlier in year. We have the four really key experienced players out, a captain carrying a foot injury and hear Fantasia will miss GC. He hasn't been right for the last theee games he played and he's now missed two. Id take a home final finishing 6th or 7th any way you offered it to me right now as its a dangerous run in
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Your not wrong about Richmond they could win the whole thing with seven run in games at the MCG (how does that happen? ) Maybe Rance a small chance to come back in the finals too . Richmond may lose one game in the run, two at worse due to the home advantage. As for Essendon Ill take a win against Gold Coast first. Somehow they have let McKenna go home to ireland this weekend for a wedding. Heppell foot is playing up so may miss and Fantasia still isn’t right apparently. Zac Clarke may come back in and he’s capable of throwing in a shocker from what I’ve seen. So lets just win against GC first . We then have McKenna coming back with hangover and jet lag for Port Adelaide. Honestly the clubs position is weak on McKenna being allowed to go back to Ireland
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Cant go all the way without Smith and Hurley in particular . Smith was huge last year and Hurley has all the experience down back. Essential for finals. Daniher had a good anzac game there were signs with him but he's gone too. With heppells foot needing an op and fantasia a bit suspect missing this week again likely and have four games below his best standards in a row we are limping home a bit despite the brilliant wins. If we can win a home final I would be delighted especially without four key experienced players and one injured captain and a suspect key forward in fantasia. Game by game for me but we are looking good to make the finals its no slam dunk still
Jakarta Fan
Roar Rookie
Yes, great bunch of youth coming through. Although in the 2nds at the moment and having had an interrupted pre-season, Begley seems to have improved significantly since last year. Could he be the Bombers "Cripps" or "De Goey" next year. He seems strong enough but just needs to build his tank. What do you think?
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Stringer has been brilliant all round. His weakness for some time has been set shot kicking but he even did that well against Adelaide. The harder the goal is to kick the more likely he is to kick it. Give him a set shot 45 degree angle 45 out and he's more likely to miss it. Its the only thing Stringer needs to improve. He's been amazing this season all round the ground and with his team play and attitude. He should be proud of his amazing growth since he has arrived at Essendon
Pierro
Roar Rookie
I think thats about right see the article I wrote three days ago but we are pretty short on depth right now and all of sudden if we make the finals we won't have much finals experience in there due to the amount of kids playing . Hurley and Smith have finals experience as does Bellchambers. Id be very happy if we can somehow pull off a home final. Im pretty sure we are a 5 to 8 side right now, especially without the full squad per my article I posted a few days ago on here