ESSENDON 13.13 (91) def RICHMOND 9.8 (62)
AFTER dropping two games in a row, the Essendon Football Club reversed its recent form with a comfortable 29-point victory over Richmond in the annual Dreamtime game at the MCG last night.
And the difference maker by a country mile was the Bombers’ skipper Jobe Watson.
The Brownlow Medallist had an impressive game and stood out on the night in front of over 84,000 fans as he lead the way with three goals and 28 possessions for his team. For his efforts the Bombers not only got the win but he also collected the Yiooken Award given to the player voted best on ground.
“He’s abnormal to a certain extent with what he’s been able to do with his players,” said Essendon coach James Hird about Watson after the game.
“You don’t expect that from normal people.
“Right from the first bounce, the way he started the game and the way he led his team when they came back at us, he was the one who drove us forward.
“It was as good a leadership performance as I’ve seen in football considering what’s going on around him.
“When everything finishes, when everything’s washed up, I think the person he is will rise even further because of what he’s done to get his team to where it’s got to.”
The Bombers took a slim one point lead into the first quarter break and then progeressively added to it from that point onwards.
As well as the preformance of Watson, Essendon got big contributions from Brent Stanton (a game high 39 disposals and one goal) as well as David Zaharakis (18 disposals, two goals) and Michael Hibberd (29 disposals, one goal).
But it didn’t all go according to plan for Essendon with the club losing Michael Hurley to injury.
Hurley landed badly after a marking contest with Richmond’s Sam Lonergan and he was helped from the field almost immediately and was substituted at half-time. The club later revealed that Hurley had sustained a medial ligament injury to the same ankle that kept him out of the Anzac Day game last month.
For Richmond there was not a lot to take away from this game and indeed the final margin could have been far worse as the Tigers struggled to keep close all night.
“It was 29 points, it felt like a 10-goal ball game at half-time. We couldn’t get the game under control at any stage,” said Richmond coach Damien Hardwick.
“We spoke about it again at three-quarter time and finally we started to get some handball overlap but it was too little, too late. The game was well and truly over by that stage.
“We just couldn’t get it up and going. We’ll go and have a look at the tape and find out why.”
It will be a tough week for Richmond as they regroup after this loss and prepare to take on West Coast at Pattersons Stadium next Monday afternoon. Meanwhile Essendon will take on defending premiers Sydney at the SCG on Saturday.
Here are the highlights from the game:
RICHMOND 2.2 4.5 6.5 9.8 (62)
ESSENDON 2.3 7.7 11.9 13.13 (91)
GOALS
Richmond: Riewoldt 2, Cotchin, Edwards, King, Martin, McGuane, Nahas, Vlastuin
Essendon: Crameri 3, Watson 3, Zaharakis 2, Hibberd, Howlett, Melksham, Stanton, Winderlich
BEST
Richmond: Rance, Grigg, Chaplin, Vlastuin, Newman, Jackson
Essendon: Watson, Zaharakis, Stanton, Goddard, Hibberd, Hocking, Dempsey
INJURIES
Richmond: Ellis (hamstring) replaced in selected side by Nahas
Essendon: Hurley (ankle)
SUBSTITUTES
Richmond: Matt White replaced Tyrone Vickery in the third quarter
Essendon: Jake Melksham replaced Michael Hurley in the third quarter
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Donlon, Rosebury, Findlay
Official crowd: 84,234 at the MCG