AFL Essendon v Fremantle: All the news, scores and reaction from Round 5 clash
Fremantle threw down the gauntlet to Essendon in the second half on Sunday and Ben Rutten said the Bombers just weren’t up for the fight – especially in the middle.
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Essendon coach Ben Rutten has lamented his team’s inability to step up and fight back as Fremantle tore them to shreds in the second half on Sunday at Marvel Stadium.
After a tight first half, the Dockers threw down the gauntlet to the Bombers as they raised their pressure levels significantly and ramped up their work around the contest.
In response, Rutten’s men failed the test miserably, capitulating to concede 10 goals in a row and suffer the club’s worst ever loss to Fremantle in Melbourne.
“We needed to step and match them around the ball and be up for the fight and up for the arm wrestle that was required and we weren’t,” Rutten said post-match.
“That was the disappointing part of that third quarter and the start of last, really.
“That’s the time that we need to be able to dig in and consolidate.
“Week in, week out in AFL footy, there’ll be times when there’s different shifts in momentum, teams step up, we need to be able to raise the level.”
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The Bombers were missing key players Jake Stringer, Zach Merrett, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, Kyle Langford, Harrison Jones, James Stewart and Will Snelling against Fremantle, and the bad news for them is that none of them look likely to come in for their must-win Anzac Day clash against Collingwood next week.
Meanwhile, ruckman Andrew Phillips injured his hamstring against the Dockers, but young forward Kaine Baldwin could be in line for a recall after kicking five goals in the VFL.
Rutten was disappointed that nobody in the midfield really stood up in the contested aspect of the game in the absence of Stringer, Merrett, Langford and Snelling.
“We’re probably a couple of guys short that we would like in around the ball,” Rutten said.
“(Darcy) Parish, (Dylan) Shiel - those more experienced guys in around the ball – they’re the guys we need at the moment to really lead the way for us in there.”
The flow-on effect of the lack of resistance in the middle of ground was the Bombers’ under-fire backline, already ranked last in the competition, came under constant attack.
“A lot of it started around the ball and around stoppages, in that third quarter they got momentum from there - centre bounce stoppages,” Rutten said.
“There becomes a point where you get a bit overwhelmed by the volume of what’s coming down.”
A loss to the Magpies next week would all but end Essendon’s finals hopes, but Rutten insisted the level of urgency regarding their season hadn’t changed now that they sit 1-4 in the bottom four.
Matthew Taberner was the star for Fremantle, kicking a career-high seven goals, and coach Justin Longmuir was “really, really proud” of him.
“I don’t think we’ve got anyone that works harder on their game,” Longmuir said of Taberner.
“He’s always doing extras, sometimes to his own detriment, and he’s always working on his goalkicking and for him to kick so accurate today was really needed and a great reward for effort he’s put in.”
Handing Essendon their biggest loss to the Dockers in Melbourne, and making their best start to a year in seven seasons, was “good recognition” for the work they’ve put in, according to Longmuir.
The Fremantle coach also said it “feels good” sitting second on the ladder with one game to play in Round 5, but stressed his team would have to be “on our toes” next week when they face fellow 4-1 side Carlton at Optus Stadium.
‘Embarrassing’ Dons savaged after Dockers training drill
A career-high seven goals from Matt Taberner, and a blistering third quarter, have powered Fremantle to their biggest ever win over Essendon in Melbourne – a 48-point drubbing at Marvel Stadium on Sunday evening.
The match was a tense arm wrestle in the first half, featuring five lead changes with the margin failing to exceed 11 points.
But the Dockers cracked the game wide open in the third quarter, as they ran the sluggish Bombers off their feet, kicking six goals to none, including four to Taberner, to emphatically put the result beyond doubt.
The Dockers kicked 10 goals in a row at one stage as the margin blew out to 58 points, before they ran out 16.11 (107) to 8.11 (59) winners after holding Essendon goalless for 82 minutes.
The match quickly resembled a training drill as Fremantle’s devastating transition from defence into their forward half, which frequently contained large swathes of empty space, undid the Bombers spectacularly after the major break.
The Dockers finished well on top in disposals (397-361), contested possessions (133-118), tackles (50-36), clearances (43-29), inside 50s (53-41) and marks (105-86) in what was a comprehensive performance.
Taberner didn’t do it all by himself, though, as Andrew Brayshaw produced another brilliant performance in the midfield with 34 touches and a goal, while Caleb Serong (30 disposals), Will Brodie (26), Nathan O’Driscoll and Alex Pearce, who blanketed the in-form Peter Wright, were all strong contributors too.
The Dockers (4-1) have now made their best start to a season in seven years, having not only snapped their five-game losing streak against the Bombers but also won just their second game against the Dons at Marvel Stadium.
Essendon now have a huge task ahead of themselves to return to the finals this year, having started the season 1-4, and their blockbuster Anzac Day clash against Collingwood next Monday becomes a must-win for them.
The Bombers were missing Jake Stringer, Zach Merrett, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, Kyle Langford, Harrison Jones and Will Snelling, and it proved too many key players out to cover for as their lack of class and polish were exploited by the well-drilled Dockers.
Essendon headed into the game with the worst ranked defence in the league, having conceded 108 points per game on average, and they let through another ton on Sunday.
Rubbing salt into the wound for the Bombers was a hamstring injury to ruckman Andrew Phillips who was subbed out in the first quarter.
If Martin could turn back time...
The ‘sliding doors’ moment of the game came midway through the third quarter when, with the margin still just 10 points in Fremantle’s favour, Essendon recruit Nic Martin had the chance to cut the deficit to four points. But instead of attempting a shot at goal from the boundary, he opted to centre it, only for Pearce to intercept. From the ensuing chain of disposals, Taberner ended up converting a set shot to put Freo up by 16 points. The Dockers proceeded to kick the next seven goals.
Taberner’s Bomber love affair continues
Taberner got a hold of Essendon just like he did in the corresponding fixture last year. But instead of kicking a relatively inaccurate 4.3 and costing his side victory in a tight match with some easy missed shots on goal, like he did on that occasion, this time he brilliantly lead his side to a convincing victory. He has now kicked more goals against Essendon (25) than any other team.
Switkowski saved blushes
Sam Switkowski almost gave away a completely preventable goal to Essendon after the half-time siren. After being penalised for holding the ball on the wing and giving Nix Cox a free kick, the siren sounded, but Cox still wanted the ball despite being 90m out from goal. Instead of giving Cox the ball, though, Switkowski inexplicably dropped the ball on the ground and, of course, gave away a 50m penalty, bringing Cox to within 40m of goal. Luckily for Switkowski, Cox missed to the right.
Disappointing. pic.twitter.com/mt0XCNfacB
— Essendon FC (@essendonfc) April 17, 2022
Scoreboard
BOMBERS 1.4, 5.8, 5.10, 8.11 (59)
DOCKERS 2.2, 6.5, 12.8, 16.11 (107)
LERNER’S BEST Bombers: Heppell, Parish, Zerk-Thatcher, Martin, Kelly. Dockers: Taberner, Brayshaw, Serong, Darcy, Brodie, Pearce, O’Driscoll.
GOALS Bombers: Martin 2, Waterman 2, Cox, Guelfi, Draper, Caldwell. Dockers: Taberner 7, Banfield 2, Frederick 2, Darcy 2, Switkowski 2, Brayshaw.
INJURIES Bombers: Phillips (hamstring). Dockers: Nil.
UMPIRES Power, Brown, Toner
VENUE Marvel Stadium
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
LERNER’S VOTES
3 M.Taberner (Fre)
2 A.Brayshaw (Fre)
1 C.Serong (Fre)
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Originally published as AFL Essendon v Fremantle: All the news, scores and reaction from Round 5 clash
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