Hawthorn v Essendon: Jake Stringer leads Bombers to 13-point win

Jake Stringer played one of the individual games of the season — including a moment that drew comparisons with Dustin Martin — to edge out the gallant Hawks.

Jake Stringer was enormous against the Hawks.

He was given the nickname ‘The Package’.

Back in 2015 and 2016 Jake Stringer was a wrecking ball forward who took home an All-Australian jumper and at one stage earned comparisons to Gary Ablett Sr.

He broke through packs and lit up games as one of the game’s most exciting young stars.

But there can be little doubt he’s an even better, more well-rounded player helping lead the Essendon resurrection in 2021 after perhaps his best game in years in the victory over Hawthorn on Sunday.

Indeed, there were shades of Dustin Martin in this performance as he punched holes in Hawthorn’s centre clearance set-up and then wreaked havoc forward.

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The highlight came at the start of the fourth-term when Stringer kicked the crucial goal to build an eight-point buffer in the thriller in Launceston.

The former Western Bulldog planted a classic don’t argue in the middle of Will Day’s chest and then snapped a goal across his body in the same vein Martin slotted a crucial major late in the second term to turn the 2020 Grand Final Richmond’s way against the Cats.

Jake Stringer salutes the Launceston crowd after kicking one of his four goals.

Stringer’s game was one of the best individual performances of the season and a reminder the goalkicker still has the power to be one of the competition’s most destructive players.

That is in the air, where he can outmuscle his opponents and launch for the Sherrin, and on the ground hunt, where he can hoover up the ball and pop goals over his shoulder.

But there is more maturity, now. More versatility. More leadership, too.

Essendon has speed in its engine room, but what Bren Rutten would love in Stringer is the extra size, muscle and protection he can provide in the clinches alongside Zach Merrett and Darcy Parish in particular.

The 13-point win was another impressive step forward for Essendon as it welcomed back Sam Draper in the ruck, Nick Hind turned on the afterburners to kick a brilliant running goal in the second half, and they remained in the finals race.

Footy fans might be waiting for the young Bombers to grow tired and fall over after an excellent first half of the season, and the next two matches against Melbourne on Saturday night at the MCG and then Geelong at GMHBA Stadium will be telling.

Jake Stringer powers past Will Day.

The question for Essendon is “What is he worth?” as Stringer is out of contract, but Merrett inked a new six-year deal worth about $800,000-$850,000 a season and there is strong confidence Parish and Stringer will do the same.

Stringer arrived at Tullamarine on a four-year contract worth about $500,000 a season after he was kicked out of the kennel amid concerns about his professionalism. But he has learned from those mistakes.

Essendon want him to remain dog-hungry, so a shorter-term contract on about the same coin might be more to their liking.

Rival teams might come knocking, but from Stringer’s perspective, where else would he want to be than on the front-row of the Essendon rise

STRINGER POWERS BOMBERS TO THRILLING WIN

— James Bresnehan

A powerhouse performance by Jake String kept Essendon’s dream of a top eight finish alive and kicking after the Bombers extended Hawthorn’s winter of discontent with a 13-point win in Launceston.

“The Package” lived up to his moniker, dominating in the centre and kicking a game-high four goals to generate the edge Essendon desperately needed to shake the Hawks, who led the thriller late in the third quarter and again in the last.

Stringer said it was close to his best game in the AFL with 29 disposals, seven tackles, 10 inside-50s and 12 score involvements.

“We knew it was going to be a hard slog and we knew it was going to be a close one, so that was a terrific effort,” Stringer said.

“In the first half they were killing us on turnovers. It was a much better effort by the boys in the second half.”

Darcy Parish celebrates after kicking the sealer.

The price on Stringer’s head is skyrocketing but Bombers coach Ben Rutten is happy to take care of business on the field and leave contract talks to others.

“They (talks) are progressing along – our list management guys are taking care of that,” Rutten said.

“Everything we are seeing from Jake at the moment is really positive.

“We are really enjoying the way he’s playing and what he’s doing around the club.

“My main priority is to ensure that he’s happy and contributing to our performances each week.

“That other stuff will look after itself.”

Rutten said he was looking forward to facing top-four teams Melbourne and Geelong in the next two weeks.

“It’s going to be awesome for our guys to be able to play against the top teams in the competition,” he said.

“The Geelong-Bulldogs game the other night was an awesome game of footy and we want to be one of those teams competing in those games.

“Playing Melbourne hopefully back in Melbourne is a great opportunity for our guys and an experience we are going to make sure we soak up.

“We hope to play our best footy.”

For Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson, Sunday’s match was the one that got away.

“We stopped Essendon from being able to play the way they usually play, which is free-scoring,” he said.

“We had more inside-50s and more scoring shots than they did and we probably lacked the polish to finish our good work.”

Archie Perkins collides with Jack Scrimshaw.

Fresh off the bye, the hard-earned win put Essendon’s season back on track after its three-game winning streak was ended by Richmond and a 39-point loss in the Dreamtime game in Perth.

It was also payback for the Bombers’ one-point loss to the Hawks in Round 1.

Essendon is now a win and 2.3 per cent outside the eight but faces ladder-leader Melbourne at the MCG on Saturday night.

The Bombers took a while to take flight in Launceston and after Hawthorn dominated a brilliant second term with three unanswered goals by Tom Mitchell, Luke Breust and Chad Wingard, the Bombers stuck their noses in front with a Stringer snap six seconds before halftime.

There was never more than eight points between the teams in the third term and when Liam Shiels gave Hawthorn the lead to open the fourth quarter, a 51st win from 66 games in Launceston looked possible.

Stringer came to the rescue again with a brilliant snapped goal from a stoppage to wrestle back the lead a minute later.

Dyson Heppell brings down Hawk Dylan Moore.

Harrison Jones then kicked his second and Matt Guelfi gave Essendon breathing space with a third unanswered goal.

Hawk Dylan Moore made it a one-goal margin with two minutes to play and after a desperate two minutes Bomber Darcy Parish snapped truly to put the matter to rest.

KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES

Player duty of care will come under scrutiny again this week after Hawk Daniel Howe’s attack on the football and Bomber Harrison Jones midway through the first term.

Jones bent down to take possession and Howe went low to contest the ball.

The result was head-high contact on the Bomber forward and the AFL’s focus on care for the player’s neck and head will be scrutinised.

Jones was little worse for wear. A few minutes after that incident, he gloved a nice pack mark, only for it to be taken off him and given to Cale Hooker after a marking infringement. But 30 second later Jones did it again, grabbing a strong pack mark to kick the first goal of the game.

Jones played out the game, returning 2.1 — better than his AFL debut in Round 1 when he kicked three behinds in Essendon’s one-point loss to the Hawks.

Harry Jones clunks a big pack mark.

THE WHOLE PACKAGE

Tasmanian fans got a glimpse at world-class soccer action at UTas as a precursor to international teams playing lead-up games and using Launceston as a training base ahead of the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia.

It all happened when Hawk midfielder Chad Wingard fumbled a pass from Jack Scrimshaw at half-back.

As he tried to recover it, Jake Stringer charged through and soccered the ball across the 50m line and deep into attack.

Stringer kept up the chase, and instead of taking possession with Scrimshaw bearing down, “The Package” soccered it another 25m through for an incredible goal.

Wingard had the opportunity to make amends a few minutes into the second when he was awarded a free kick 20m in front of goal, but played on Dustin Martin-style and missed.

Sam Draper was a big inclusion for the Bombers.

NEW HAWK SWOOPS DOWN BACK

The growth of Hawks defender Changkuoth Jiath took another leap forward in Launceston when he was Hawthorn’s best backmen and posted possession numbers to rival his midfield teammates.

Jiath set up the first scoring opportunity for the Hawks with his second intercept mark in the opening few minutes, shooting a raking handpass to Mitchell, who gave it Jarman Impey, who hit Wingard 30m out on an angle.

Late in the first term Jiath used his blistering leg-speed to win the ball on half-back and another sweeping handball ended with the transition into the forward line, where Jacob Koschitzke kicked the Hawks’ first.

“CJ” was quieter in the second half but finished with 20 disposals, five marks and seven contested possessions.

Originally published as Hawthorn v Essendon: Jake Stringer leads Bombers to 13-point win