Essendon finishes the JLT Series without a win as Geelong cruise to victory
Despite Dylan Shiel showing he could be one of the recruits of the year, Essendon will go into Round 1 without a pre-season win after Geelong cruised to a comfortable JLT Series win at GMHBA Stadium. There's a bit to be concerned about at the Bombers.
Essendon will enter a make or break season - with a finals victory a pass mark - without a pre-season win after being beaten by Geelong by 28 points at GMHBA Stadium.
The Bombers had no answers for the Cats dynamic midfield duo of Patrick Dangerfield and Joel Selwood, who ran riot on their home turf.
Dangerfield looks to be every bit the player who won the 2016 Brownlow Medal and will be well and truly in the mix for the award again if Thursday night is anything to go by.
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Meanwhile, someone clearly forgot to tell Selwood it was only a pre-season game, with the inspirational Cats leader carrying himself as if four points were on the line on his way to 38 disposals.
For the Bombers, midfield trio Zach Merrett, Dylan Shiel and Dyson Heppell won plenty of the ball but it was up forward where things fell apart.
WHERE ARE BOMBER FORWARDS AT?
It was a tough night at the office for forward duo Joe Daniher and Orazio Fantasia, who had little impact against a stingy Geelong defence.
Both players are clearly still working up to their best after long injury layoffs in 2018.
Daniher, who got through two JLT matches, failed to kick a goal while Fantasia, playing his first pre-season match, had to wait until late in the third quarter before having his first kick.
The Bombers now have 16 days before taking on the Giants in Round 1 and it is vital these two find their best.
SHOULD THE BOMBERS BE WORRIED?
Essendon split their JLT Series results year, getting torched by Richmond before beating Geelong and starting the home-and-away season 2-6.
This year they’ve lost to last season’s bottom side in Carlton before being beaten by a team which didn’t make it out of the first week of the finals.
It may only be the pre-season but for a side with lofty ambitions, it would be nice to hit Round 1 with some sort of winning feeling.
‘TOBY GREENE RULE’ MAKES ITS DEBUT
While the opening week of the JLT Series was dominated by 6-6-6 analysis and debate over kick-in strategies, it was a different rule change that took centre stage at GMHBA Stadium.
Midway through the opening quarter, the ‘Toby Greene Rule’ made its AFL debut.
Greene made headlines against Sydney last season for his fly-kick technique which involved him burying his foot into the chest of former Swan Nic Newman while trying to create space in a marking contest.
Devon Smith attempted the same move against Cats opponent Brandon Parfitt on the wing, pulling down the mark and looking to play on immediately.
However, he was stopped in his tracks, with all players now on notice the manoeuvre won’t fly in 2019.
STEPHEN WELLS, YOU'VE DONE IT AGAIN
The Geelong list boss looks to have once again pulled off a stunning off-season of wheeling and dealing, highlighted by the form of big name signings Luke Dahlhaus and Gary Rohan.
It might only be the pre-season but Dahlhaus looks to be exactly what the Cats have been screaming out for, with his ability to find the footy, apply defensive pressure and tackle hard.
He finished Thursday night with 25 disposals and had a hand in a number of passages of play which resulted in Geelong goals.
Meanwhile, Rohan was typical Rohan, showing he doesn’t need a lot of the ball to have an impact.
He had three goals from his first three kicks before eventually finishing with four majors.
However, it is Rohan’s pace on the Geelong forward line which is looming as a serious X-factor. When he gets a full head of steam up, he is almost impossible to stop.
With Gary Ablett moving to a permanent forward role in 2019, the Cats’ 6-6-6 inside 50m set-up of the Little Master, Rohan and Dahlhaus is going to be a major problem for rival clubs.
It isn’t just the big names who are firing though, top draft pick Jordan Clark has put his hand up for a senior debut throughout the JLT Series while rookie tackling machine Tom Atkins will also be in the mix to take on the Magpies.
BEST
GEELONG: Patrick Dangerfield, Joel Selwood, Luke Dahlhaus, Jack Henry, Tim Kelly, Tom Stewart
ESSENDON: Dylan Shiel, Zach Merrett, Dyson Heppell, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, Andrew McGrath
Originally published as Essendon finishes the JLT Series without a win as Geelong cruise to victory
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