AFL Western Bulldogs v Essendon 2021: Latest news and fallout from clash

Essendon will contest the suspension handed to one of its defenders as it looks to its strengthen its backline for its crunch clash with the Gold Coast.

Jack Paynter and Jay Clark

6 min read

August 10, 2021 - 12:44PM

News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom

AFL Round 21. Western Bulldogs vs Essendon at Marvel Stadium, Melbourne. 08/08.2021. Peter Wright of the Bombers kicks a goal during the 3rd qtr. . Pic: Michael Klein

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Essendon will challenge the one-week suspension handed to defender Mason Redman for his tackle on Marcus Bontempelli.

Redman was suspended by Match Review Officer Michael Christian after he pinned the arm of Bontempelli in what was deemed a dangerous tackle in their upset win over the Bulldogs on Sunday.

The Bombers will try their luck at tonight’s tribunal which will also see GWS forward Toby Greene challenge his suspension for an incident with Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield.

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Mason Redman has been suspended for a dangerous tackle on Marcus Bontempelli. Picture: Getty Images

Essendon needs to win its remaining two games against the Suns and Collingwood and rely on others around the same part of the ladder losing at least one of their last two.

And Fremantle has lost gun midfielder Andrew Brayshaw for Sunday’s Western Derby after he was caught out making unreasonable eye contact to Brisbane’s Jarrod Berry.

Vision showed Brayshaw targeted Berry’s eye as the two tangled on the turf on Sunday night, prompting match review officer Michael Christian to grade it as intentional high contact.

The league takes a dim view on unreasonable eye contact.

Essendon coach Ben Rutten on Monday night said there was a good chance the Bombers would challenge the Redman ban, with the club following throuugh.

Bontempelli’s head made contact with the ground as he was thrust to the turf in the tackle.

“I think there is (a chance they appeal),” Rutten said on Fox Footy.

“Mason I thought laid a pretty good tackle and back in my day that would have been classed as a perfect tackle.

“I’m fully supportive of what the AFL is doing in terms of protecting the head. I think that is paramount.

“But we have got to also understand there are some split-second decisions and sometimes things happen on a football field that are hard to prevent.”

How Dons can clinch remarkable finals berth

Essendon is in striking distance of booking a remarkable finals berth after seven-goal star Peter Wright led the Bombers to their first win over the Western Bulldogs in seven years.

Wright, who was traded to the club for a future fourth-round draft pick, played the best game of his career to notch the 13-point upset over the top-of-the-table Western Bulldogs which lifted the Bombers into ninth spot, two points outside the eight.

Having lost their past six games against the Bulldogs by an average margin of 54 points, the Bombers rode home on the coat tails of Wright, who hardly looked like missing in a career-best performance.

Ben Rutten’s men now need to topple lower-placed Gold Coast and arch rival Collingwood over the final two rounds and rely on the Giants, Dockers and Richmond losing one of their last two matches to book a September berth.

A finals spot would cap an extraordinary turnaround for the club which sacked football manager Dan Richardson and lost three players in the trade period almost 12 months ago.

Rutten said the win was the club’s biggest scalp and best performance of the year, even if they were “pretty lucky with some of their (Bulldogs’ missed) shots on goal”.

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Peter Wright of the Bombers celebrates goal number 7. Picture: Michael Klein

But Rutten said the Bombers had to back it up for two more weeks to realise their finals dream.

“It was a great effort from our guys because we haven’t been able to quite get over the line against one of those really top teams, and the Bulldogs have had one of the most consistent seasons,” Rutten said.

“So there was no doubt we are really pleased and proud of our effort, but they (Bulldogs) have been able to put a body of work together for 20 odd weeks now.

“I feel like we have been getting better and today was a more consistent and well-rounded performance from us, but the next phase of growth for us is about repeating that week after week.

“That is what we get an opportunity next week to do against the Gold Coast.”

Captain Dyson Heppell is set to return from a thumb injury against the Suns in a major boost for the Bombers, while midfielders Jye Caldwell (hamstring) and Andrew McGrath (PCL) could also press for selection in the finals if the Bombers make it.

Jordan Ridley and James Stewart spoil an Aaron Naughton marking attempt. Picture: Michael Klein

The 203cm Wright lifted himself off the AFL scrapheap over summer after failing to play a single senior game for the Suns last year, and took advantage of the Dogs’ defensive vulnerabilities at Marvel Stadium in a seven-goal onslaught.

Rutten lauded the key forward’s accuracy in front of the sticks nailing 7.0, and the way the whole forward line combined together, including swingman Aaron Francis and ruckman Sam Draper.

“It was pretty good. I think he (Wright) has had some really strong games throughout the season and he is starting to build some real momentum and consistency in his game,” Rutten said.

“Today certainly he was able to execute and get on the end of a few and his goalkicking was fantastic, and his ability to present up to the ball was great.

“Also I think some of our decision-making and ball use going inside 50m certainly helped him as well.

“That is something we have struggled a bit with at times this season.

“We have been working on that pretty hard at training throughout various stages, so although we didn’t have a high volume of inside-50s, certainly our efficiency was there.”

Marcus Bontempelli looks to get his team going. Picture: Michael Klein

It was the Bulldogs who started hot in the first term, dominating both the contested ball and inside-50 counts to get out to a two-goal lead at quarter time.

Their star midfield of Marcus Bontempelli, Jack Macrae and Tom Liberatore all got plenty of the footy to give the Dogs good field position in the opening quarter.

With their season potentially on the line, the Dons upped the pressure in the second term as they fought back into the contest with three straight goals.

Wright nailed three second-quarter majors as Essendon grabbed the ascendancy to have the ladder leaders under significant pressure.

The Bulldogs squandered a number of opportunities in front of goal before the main break with experienced forwards Josh Bruce and Aaron Naughton both spraying shots wide before Anthony Scott missed a chance to put the Bulldogs back in front right on the half time siren.

It was a seesawing contest in the third quarter as both sides traded goals, but it was the Bombers who grabbed the momentum heading into the final quarter with two late goals.

Nick Hind charges through the middle. Picture: Michael Klein

WRIGHT ON TARGET

Young ruck Peter Wright set the game alight in the second quarter as the Bombers booted six goals in the term to take the lead at the main break.

The 24-year-old was too much to handle for the Bulldogs backs in the air, taking a couple of strong contested grabs and nailing three second quarter goals as Essendon stormed back into the contest.

Wright finished with a career high seven goals for the day, with Aaron Francis (two goals) and Sam Draper also adding a goal each in the second term as the Dogs struggled to control the Bombers talls in the absence of injured key defender Alex Keath.

Draper also dominated Tim English in the ruck battle with 23 hit outs in the first half, including a stunning 20-metre hit out that hit Dylan Shiel on the chest at full speed who launched the Bombers inside 50.

TRELOAR’S INSTANT IMPACT

Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge must have been itching to get Adam Treloar back into the side after the star midfielder missed most of the second half of the year with an ankle injury.

Treloar had an instant impact, finding the ball within the first minute of the game, and although his first kick sailed out on the full, he found plenty of the footy with six touches in the opening term to help the Dogs grab an early lead.

He then popped up with a steading goal midway through the second quarter as Essendon gained the ascendancy and threatened to pull away.

Treloar finished with 22 touches and a goal and was one of the few positives for Dogs as they went down in an upset loss.

Adam Treloar avoids a tackle by Darcy Parish. Picture: Getty Images

DOGS KICKING THEMSELVES

Josh Bruce moved up to third in the race for the Coleman Medal but he could have taken more of a chunk out of Carlton’s Harry McKay’s lead.

Bruce nailed two early goals but could have had five or six for the day if it wasn’t for spraying a number of shots across the face from close range.

Aaron Naughton also had a day to forget in front of the sticks as he also missed three gettable set shots as the Western Bulldogs goal kicking woes returned.

The Bulldogs could easily have been in front at three-quarter time but kicked four behinds to finish the term as the Bombers took an 11-point lead into the final change.