AFL round 11: Jake Stringer, Jordan Ridley inspire Essendon to Dreamtime at the G win over Richmond
Milestone man Jake Stringer and Tigers superstar Dustin Martin went toe-to-toe in a Dreamtime showdown for the ages. SAM LANDSBERGER recaps a memorable night at the MCG.
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It was the battle of the two explosive game-breakers.
At one end was Richmond megastar Dustin Martin and at the other was 200-gamer Jake Stringer.
Martin, in his 298th game and after a week where his form and focus had come under sharp criticism, sent a reminder there is plenty of life left in this champion.
There was a ridiculous first-quarter goal as he ran inside 50m and snapped from the pocket. There was a mighty contested mark where he was surrounded by three Essendon defenders.
And there was a sense something special was seconds away every time he went near the Sherrin.
It was vintage Martin and it will make those who question his motivation think again.
Stringer started in the centre square and then set his milestone game alight. He slotted three first-quarter goals in scintillating fashion.
Stringer is one of only four players to have kicked a goal in every game this season, alongside Charlie Curnow, Jesse Hogan and Josh Treacy.
The MCG crowd of 79,359 was treated to a highly entertaining contest. But Martin and Stringer made the ‘G roar loudest.
They fit the mould for the most watchable players in the game. That blend of power and explosion, along with that ability to pull off the downright freakish.
It is what draws people through the gates. On Saturday night it was Stringer and Martin and on Thursday night it was Sydney’s Chad Warner.
Last Sunday it was No.1 draft pick Harley Reid. They all share those special qualities and as the football world wonders what Reid might be worth it was a timely performance for Stringer and Martin.
They are both the wrong side of 30 and both out of contract. Stringer wants to stay at Essendon and Richmond surely wants to re-sign Martin.
Good luck getting either of them cheaply.
But while they are game-breakers it was the return of game-saver Jordan Ridley that was really remarkable.
Ridley had 31 disposals at 87 per cent, 10 contested possessions, 14 intercept possessions, a carrer-high eight intercept marks, one goal and 760m gained.
All of that in his first AFL game of the season. Yes, Ridley played a VFL half last week – he had 19 disposals – in what was his first sighting of 2024.
The defender’s goal came courtesy of a 50m penalty and was just the second of his career.
Suddenly the Bombers’ backline looks complete with Ridley finally lining up alongside Ben McKay.
This is Essendon’s version of Tom Stewart. A human roadblock at halfback. The inability of Richmond’s forwards to get the ball to ground was largely down to this man’s ariel strength.
Ridley entered 2020 with just nine games under his belt but won the best-and-fairest that season and he has finished in the top five every year since.
Last year Ridley finished fifth despite missing six games and getting injured in two others.
The Bombers have now travelled seven games without a loss. The last time that happened was 2000 … the year they were unstoppable.
Essendon coach Brad Scott says he wouldn’t have forgiven himself if he pushed Jordan Ridley to return too soon.
“He’s been ready for a couple of weeks, but the way he played tonight, you can see why we just needed to make sure he was absolutely right,” Scott said.
“We probably reverse engineered it a little bit – even when he was right, if we brought him back and he got hurt, I’d never forgive myself.
“There are very few players who can have a long lay-off and look like they just haven’t missed a beat, and he’s one of those.”
Essendon supporters should be excited for what lies ahead this season. Tiger supporters had endured a nightmare fortnight.
But this was a Dreamtime display that should’ve left their supporters dreaming of an exciting future.
The Tigers entered Saturday night ranked last in AFL for clearance differential, losing them by an average of 7.1.
They won the count 29-22 against the Dons as
Beneath the might of Martin were performances by Kane McCaulliffe, Thomson Dow, Hugo Ralphsmith that showed plenty of promise.
DONS IN DREAMLAND: STRINGER, RIDLEY DEFY GALLANT TIGERS
— Ed Bourke
A defiant Dustin Martin produced a vintage performance but it wasn’t enough to stop Essendon continuing on its merry way with a 12-point Dreamtime victory.
The Richmond champion baulked and weaved his way to three goals from 23 disposals but missed two crucial chances in the final quarter which could have delivered a boilover result at the MCG on Saturday night.
Tally update: Stringer has 4ï¸âƒ£#AFLTigersDonspic.twitter.com/Y9kRsinmQ6
— AFL (@AFL) May 25, 2024
Instead, Essendon held its nerve to stay clear in second spot as Jordan Ridley’s remarkable return from injury strengthened the Bombers’ claim as legitimate premiership contenders.
Playing his first game in more than 10 months after repeat quad tears, the 25-year-old defender racked up 31 disposals and 12 marks to deny the attacking thrusts of a vastly improved Richmond midfield.
The Tigers thrashed the Bombers in contested possessions and clearances but will likely miss Shai Bolton for next week’s trip to Geelong after he was subbed out in the final term following a heavy collision.
Bolton went back with the flight but was crunched by teammate Mykelti Lefau, with the big forward’s knee slamming into his neck and the back of his head.
EARLY BIRD PACKAGE
Jake Stringer’s first three kicks were all goals as he asserted himself on the contest in the opening term of his 200th game.
The Bombers star opened the scoring with a regulation snap from 20m out but brought the crowd to its feet minutes later with a superb set shot from the boundary line – from an almost identical spot to where he slotted his memorable first-quarter goal on Anzac Day.
The 30-year-old featured prominently in the Bombers’ centre bounce mix early but played entirely forward of the ball after halftime.
FORWARD NO LONGER
Concerned by the size of Peter Wright against an inexperienced defence, Richmond coach Adem Yze started Noah Balta down back – and it looks like that’s where he’ll have to stay.
The position switch had clearly been planned, as Tylar Young was left out of the side, but the tall defender suffered a suspected ACL in the VFL curtain-raiser, leaving no other alternative options to Balta while Dylan Grimes (back) and Jacob Bauer (quad) remain out.
Balta kept Wright goalless, but the Bombers forward pushed up the ground and found plenty of the ball as Stringer and Langford did the damage closer to home.
OFF-BALL INTRUSION
The Tigers were in a threatening position midway through the second term when Essendon was able to skip away thanks to a fortunate free kick to Nick Hind.
The Bombers speedster was clipped high just after he disposed of the ball, but with so little force that the two umpires who were side-on to the contest elected not to pay the free kick.
The call came from a whistle-blower almost in the back half of the ground, with Hind booting the second of a four-goal run for the Bombers and Sydney premiership player Dan Hannebery irate on SEN at the two umpires being overruled.
“Mate you’re 50m away, stay out of the game,” Hannebery said.
Originally published as AFL round 11: Jake Stringer, Jordan Ridley inspire Essendon to Dreamtime at the G win over Richmond
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