AFL 2020 news: Essendon and Gold Gold cannot be split in thriller; David Zaharakis injury
It was the play before the play. While all eyes were on Izak Rankine’s shot for goal, the question should have been being asked of Essendon’s defence after the Bombers gave the Suns a clear path to victory.
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Essendon and Gold Coast have snapped their respective losing streaks, but both sides will be wondering how they didn’t claim the win.
In a Wednesday night thriller at Metricon Stadium the Bombers and Suns played out the second draw of the season — and both could have snatched it at the death.
A win would have lifted Essendon into the top eight with a game in hand, and the Gold Coast to within a win of the finals positions and both team played like their seasons were almost on the line.
Late goals to David Zaharakis — before he popped his quad — and Kyle Langford looked like the Bombers would claim a first win in three matches but the Suns, through a wonder goal from Ben King, levelled it up with a minute to go.
Izak Rankine had a shot to snap the Suns’ three-game losing streak but did not make the distance as both sides had to settle for a draw neither will be thrilled with.
Despite his miss, Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew says he wants Rankine to keep backing himself at crucial moments when games are on the line.
At the time of Rankine’s set shot, any score would have won the game for the Suns but the South Australian hooked the ball to the left and the seconds ran out for both sides.
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It follows from a missed goal inside the final five minutes of his debut against Melbourne to level the match — with the Demons kicking on from there to win the game — and four behinds in the fourth against the Western Bulldogs in Round 8.
That included a crucial shot late on when he dragged it to the left, but Dew said all this just demonstrated what a good player Rankine was.
“He will be fine, the reason he’s got them is because how good of a player he is and he wants the ball,” he said.
“When you watch close games you see some players and they are a bit unsure of getting the ball, one thing is for sure Izak wants the ball and we will continue to encourage him to get the ball.
“He will win us more game than not, the fact that he keeps showing up in those moments is the a sign of a really class player and competitor.”
Before he took the potential game-winning kick against the Bombers Rankine let the clock wind down, a decision Dew said he was not critical off despite his young Sun not getting the required purchase on the set shot.
“The message certainly was next score wins, get it as close as possible,” he said.
“We knew the time, so have a shot and get it to the line. He certainly tried that but a lot of times when guys try that they hook it.
“You could (have tried to get a better look at goal), they were covering it pretty well.
“He was also 55m out and we think he can get at least to the end of the line or kick it. He does it all the time at training but again at the end of the game fatigue can be there.
“If he played on straight away and kicked a point they would have had 30 seconds which was a concern the way they were moving the ball.
“It was the right call, it was basically a draw or we win so it was the right call to have a shot.”
WORSFOLD: WE LET THEM GET INTO A DANGEROUS POSITION
Essendon is set to be without veteran David Zaharakis for a couple of weeks, after he strained his quad kicking a goal in the Bombers ultimately thrilling draw against Gold Coast.
Zaharakis booted his third goal of the game with just minutes remaining, to level the scores in what ended up being a thrilling game between the Bombers and the Suns.
Dylan Shiel‘s behind put Essendon in front with 2min 18sec left. The Suns then transitioned coast-to-coast for a set-shot on goal in 16 seconds which resembled a training drill. Lukosius to Miller to Anderson to Ainsworth to King. Reckon that will be replayed by both coaches ...
— Sam Landsberger 🗯 (@SamLandsberger) August 12, 2020
Here is that clip @FOXFOOTY https://t.co/vjeIeLOGio pic.twitter.com/9uxCifBNDB
— Jon Ralph (@RalphyHeraldSun) August 12, 2020
But the 30-year-old immediately departed the field after the goal and went down the race and banged the wall in frustration.
Speaking to Fox Footy Zaharakis said he had “popped” his quad.
Essendon senior coach John Worsfold said he was expecting the important Bomber to miss weeks at a crucial stage of the season for the team.
“It looks like he has a quad strain, he has had a quad before so I would guess that’s correct but we will get the exact diagnosis,” he said.
“But unlikely to be available for a couple of weeks.”
Two big goals to Zaharakis in the fourth, and Kyle Langford’s second goal of the game with just minutes to go looked to have given Essendon the win — after the Bombers trailed by 22-points at one stage in the game.
But some magic by Ben King got the Suns back in it, before the Bombers again edged in front when captain for the match Dylan Shiel kicked a point.
King again levelled it and Worsfold said the Bombers should have perhaps defended better after Shiel’s minor score.
“It would have been nice when we scored that point if we locked them in the front half, they got out too easy at that point in the game through uncontested marks and that put them back in a dangerous position,” he said.
The Bombers were without experienced defenders Michael Hurley and Cale Hooker and Worsfold said their young backline stood up without them, and some less than ideal defending by Essendon up the ground.
“We are starting to see a lot of growth in the way we want to play, our backline tonight under some pressure because we didn’t defend as a team the way we like and without some mainstays in Hurley and Hooker … really pleased with how those younger players are coming on,” he said.
“It is exciting for what we are seeing in that group.”
Worsfold said the Bombers were able to drag themselves back into the match by not focusing on the Suns’ lead on the scoreboard, instead on implementing their style of play.
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“The lessons learnt from last week (coughing up a lead against GWS) were whatever is on the scoreboard should have no impact on your mindset or the way we are working on playing,” he said.
So that was a strong theme and I heard the players constantly reminding themselves that in the second half.”
The Bombers are now two-points off the top eight with a game in hand.
STEWART’S LONG WAIT
After waiting 790-days for AFL action James Stewart should not have to carry the Bombers attack, but the injuries that have ripped through Essendon’s forward line has meant the former Giant has had to carry a big load.
Goalless against Brisbane and GWS, Stewart made up for that with a key role for the Bombers against the Suns.
The 198cm big man had the goalpost shaking with his first shot of the match, he then went about rattling the Suns defenders for the rest of game.
It has been a makeshift Bombers forward line in recent weeks, but Stewart gave those in black and red a much a focal point they have been lacking as he finished with three goals.
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RANKINE TIME
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After not being sighted in the first quarter, Rankine added some x-factor in the second to a game that while end to end was lacking in quality.
He first lost opponent Matt Guelfi to stroke home a goal outside of 50m and then started to make his mark on the game.
His work at a forward stoppage to get the ball and have a shot was sensational, but missed when he should have scored — probably the one blight on his stellar start to his AFL career.
FRANTIC FINALE
Zaharakis’ third of the match at the 18th minute mark — followed by him immediately going down to the rooms — and Langford’s goal two minutes later looked to have won the Bombers the game as they kicked four in a row.
But the young Suns had other ideas.
King showed his immense talent with a terrific solo effort to level the scores, and after Dylan Shiel kicked a point the young gun again tied things up with a minor score of his own.
It was end-to-end, it was a thrilling encounter and one both sides will be wondering how they didn’t claim the four points.
GOLD COAST 3.1, 7.4, 9.5, 11.7 (73)
ESSENDON 1.3, 4.3, 7.5, 11.7 (73)
GOALS
Suns: Weller, King, Day 2, Rankine, Bowes, Fiorini, Ainsworth, Greenwood
Bombers: Zaharakis, Stewart 3, Langford 2, Cutler, Bellchambers, Snelling
SIMEON THOMAS-WILSON’S BEST
Suns: Weller, Ballard, Bowes, Greenwood, Ellis, King
Bombers: Ridley, McGrath, Shiel, Merrett, Zaharakis, Snelling
SIMEON THOMAS-WILSON’S VOTES
3 – Jordan Ridley (Essendon)
2 – Lachie Weller (Gold Coast)
1 – Andrew McGrath (Essendon
INJURIES
Bombers: David Zaharakis (quad)
ATTENDANCE
Crowd: 4303
Originally published as AFL 2020 news: Essendon and Gold Gold cannot be split in thriller; David Zaharakis injury