AFL pre-season: Ed Bourke’s match notes from Western Bulldogs vs Essendon

Could Nate Caddy and Isaac Kako form the game’s next great tall-small forward partnership? Bombers fans will be dreaming big. ED BOURKE has match notes from the Dons-Dogs hitout.

Ed Bourke

@edbourke6

4 min read

February 15, 2025 - 6:22PM

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Franklin and Rioli, Riewoldt and Milne, Fevola and Betts. Could Nate Caddy and Isaac Kako form the game’s next great tall-small forward partnership?

February football never holds the answers to these questions, but the young Essendon duo gave supporters plenty of thrills in their first match together against an opponent as the Bombers beat an experimental Western Bulldogs side by 18 points at Whitten Oval.

Caddy and Kako booted a goal each in an electrifying second-quarter display, but weren’t the only ones demanding a forward line spot in opening round as SSP hopeful Tom Edwards booted four second-half goals to close in on a fairytale AFL contract.

Isaac Kako celebrates his first goal as a Bomber. Picture: Getty Images

BOMBERS’ NEW LOOK

Kako could hardly have done more to press his claim for a senior debut against Gold Coast next month as he buzzed around Essendon’s forward half, crunching Bulldogs defender Lachie Bramble in a big tackle early in the first term to force a stoppage in the forward pocket.

He burst through a contest during the second term, taking the ball cleanly at full speed before dishing it off and becoming involved later in the chain, snapping a classy goal off one step from 30m.

Dons fans, here's a little taste of what Isaac Kako can do ðŸ‘Œ

ðŸŽ¥: Kayo Sports/Fox Sports pic.twitter.com/RpDMuz4ESo
— AFL (@AFL) February 15, 2025

Nate Caddy flushed it ðŸ˜³

ðŸŽ¥: Kayo Sports/Fox Sports pic.twitter.com/HvUMUPsJeP
— AFL (@AFL) February 15, 2025

If Bombers fans weren’t already salivating, they were when Caddy launched a booming set shot goal from beyond the 50m arc after the halftime siren, which sailed through at three-quarter post high.

Dons may have next great tall-small forward combo

SSP SHOOT-OUTS

Edwards, a 25-year-old forward who booted 39 goals in 19 games for Swan Districts last year, entered the match in the second half and made an immediate impact.

The 191cm hybrid prospect looked strong in the air and at ground level mostly opposed to the Bulldogs’ Ryan Gardner, and displayed his goal sense with snap finishes off both feet.

Edwards was vying with the delisted Kaine Baldwin for a list spot, and his impressive haul may have taken him past the key defender.

Essendon assistant coach Daniel Giansiracusa said Edwards showed traits which were “hard to find” in a blistering four-goal cameo.

Tom Edwards impressed. Picture: Getty Images

“(Edwards) couldn’t have done much more, especially the way he came into the game – second-half, it can be a challenge to get into it,” Giansiracusa said.

“He’s a smart footballer, that’s what we’ve seen through his training. He runs the right patterns.

Bombers SSP hopeful Tom Edwards has his fourth goal of the day ðŸ‘€

ðŸŽ¥: Kayo Sports/Fox Sports pic.twitter.com/7NrIJ7PooX
— AFL (@AFL) February 15, 2025

“We probably saw him as more of a marking, lead-up type target, but he did some good stuff on the ground today, which needed to happen with the (wet) conditions.

“And a guy that takes their chances inside 50 when they get limited opportunities is a positive – they’re pretty hard to find. So I’m sure list management will go through that during the week and make a decision from there.”

Sam Draper and Bulldogs SSP hopeful Brayden Crossley compete. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Nick Bryan rises high to mark. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

The Bulldogs gave Brayden Crossley most of the match in the ruck against Nick Bryan and Sam Draper, with Tim English spending most of his limited minutes up forward to give the former Gold Coast big man a prolonged audition for their vacant spot.

Bulldogs assistant Brendon Lade said it was difficult to make a call on Crossley after limited minutes.

“It’s hard to judge Brayden on coming in for his second game – he’s been doing a VFL pre-season as well, not an AFL one – it takes some time to get that fitness right up to where he wants it to be,” Lade said.

“He’s been pretty good actually, he’s shown some really good things, been tough when he’s needed to be … that’s not my decision, that’s the club’s decision.”

Werribee premiership captain Dom Brew had an opportunity in the second half, but it is hard to see the Bulldogs opting for another midfield option over Crossley when the only specialist ruck option behind English is second-year prospect Lachlan Smith.

UNDERSTRENGTH DOGS

Already missing Marcus Bontempelli and Tom Liberatore (both managed), the Bulldogs used six or seven more players than the Bombers as Luke Beveridge got a look at his quartet of draftees: Cooper Hynes, Sam Davidson, Luke Kennedy and Josh Dolan.

Davidson spent most of the game on the wing with brief forays forward, but it was the smaller Dolan who may have been the standout among the new Dogs as he played through half-forward and the middle.

Dolan caught Nic Martin holding the ball inside 50 during the third quarter but was unable to convert his set shot in the windy conditions, while Luke Kennedy looked composed as he was regularly used in chains out of defence.

Buku Khamis and James O’Donnell appeared to be the Bulldogs’ first-choice key defenders alongside Rory Lobb during the first half, but they were replaced by Jedd Busslinger and Gardner at halftime, with O’Donnell moving forward.

Harvey Gallagher was impressive at halfback along with Joel Freijah, while Ryley Sanders won plenty of the ball in the middle as he joined Ed Richards and Carlton recruit Matt Kennedy as the main centre-bounce midfielders.

Riley Garcia started forward but spent more time in the middle after the halftime break, while Cody Weightman played about a quarter as he continues to build following a pre-season knee complaint.