The Tackle: Essendon's problems were three-fold as it slipped down the AFL ladder

THE TACKLE: IT was the perfect storm for Essendon.

Collingwood v Essendon

IT was the perfect storm for Essendon.

It came three-fold in the first quarter at the MCG and the consequences could affect the remainder of its season.

Foremost it was Collingwood and a relentless first 30 minutes that yielded 5.3 to 0.2 in pouring rain.

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The Pies won the disposal count 121-73, contested ball 47-29, tackles 22-14 and inside-50s 19-11.

It was Collingwood of yesteryear, or at least at its absolute best: Oppressive with pressure, workrate, numbers at the contest and wonderful spread.

Secondly, Essendon's attitude was shot.

Players were either second to the ball or pushed off the ball. They coughed it up, fumbled, their workrate was poor, and soon enough the Bombers' coaching staff had so many spotfires it would've looked like an inferno.

Then the Dons lost half-back flanker Courtenay Dempsey, who was gone with a hamstring injury.

Collingwood v Essendon

Hindsight is easy, but the game was over by the quarter-time siren.

Thirdly, moments before the game, the Dons confirmed they had the ASADA report from the AFL.

Hird says Bombers will bounce back

That had no bearing on the effort. You have to ask, however, what bearing it had in the build up.

Coach James Hird has been savaged for several weeks, culminating with former high-performance manager Dean Robinson unloading in a paid interview on Wednesday night.

Collingwood v Essendon

The players threw their support behind the coach, but on Friday night the same players would have been anxious about what was in the ASADA report, which was in the hands of the AFL.

After seven months, their anxiety choked them as much as the Magpies.

Clearly, the Bombers were shellshocked.

Maybe it was mental exhaustion that led to physical exhaustion. Certainly, it was a ferocious Collingwood.

Arguably, it was both.

Essendon's season is on the cliff edge.

They will play finals but don't appear capable of being a threat to anyone.

They have been munched in the dry and in the wet by Hawthorn and the Magpies in consecutive weeks.

While Richmond, Fremantle, Collingwood and Port Adelaide approach September with confidence, the Bombers are laboring.

Pick just about any Essendon player and there's a query about an aspect of their game. For example, Jake Carlisle (in the air), David Myers (efficiency), Jake Melksham (consistency), Brent Stanton (clearances), Travis Colyer (impact), Nick Kommer (impact) and even Dustin Fletcher (body on body).

In 2012 they gave up the ghost at Round 15. This year it appears it was Round 18.

Of course, yesterday wasn't about cry me a river for the losers. The Magpies were magnificent.

In the conditions, they had numbers at the contest, had numbers free at the back to rebound, were first to the ball, and tackled as if the mantra was lay three tackles or be dropped.

Fourteen players laid three or more tackles, led by Heath Shaw and Jarryd Blair with eight each.

They had winners everywhere and a winning attitude everywhere.

At the back, Steele Sidebottom continues to be a masterful tactical move, and he and Heath Shaw, Marley Williams and Ben Sinclair gave the Magpies rebound and attack.

Harry O'Brien as a defensive wingman left Brendon Goddard waving his arms more than usual, Swan and Pendlebury had 30 and 26 respectively, Ball and Blair were torpedos with their intensity, Beams just glides on his way to collecting 25-plus possessions and ruckman Brodie Grundy is beyond his years.

Collingwood v Essendon

The rest of them all played their role: Maxwell, Keeffe and Brown at the back, Dwyer down the wing, Cloke kicked five, Reid three and Jamie Elliott three, and Quinten Lynch was back to early-season form.

It was a complete performance. The issue is making yesterday's effort the norm. It's Sydney this week, and they don't have mental demons knocking on their door.

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* * *

It was a weekend for the interstaters who are to be admired.

Greater Western Sydney finally got reward for effort, Fremantle bullied the Blues into fourth spot and Port Adelaide played miracle football to gain a critical edge in the fight for eighth spot.

Two of the teams will be difficult to beat in September, the other will be difficult to beat in September, 2016.
The Dockers were most impressive.

Their manic approach to winning the footy and denying the opposition clean use of the footy is, with Sydney, the best and most consistent in the competition.

The Blues were rag-dolled by Ross Lyon's men, without their bookends in Pavlich and McPharlin.

But let's not talk about who was missing and instead talk about those who played, and how they played.
It was, as they say, a professional kill.

They pressured the Blues into submission and the last quarter was walk-over, with the Dockers kicking five goals to one.

Hayden Ballantyne

For those in Melbourne who didn't know certain players, they certainly do now.

Players such as Lachie Neale (24 touches, two goals), Nick Suban (18 touches, five clearances, two goals) and Matt de Boer (20 touches, five tackles), players who play the way Lyon likes football to be played.

Then there's Ballantyne and Walters (seven goals between them), Sandilands finding form and fitness, Michael Johnson at centre half-back, and Barlow and Fyfe in the middle, and Mzungu on a wing.

It's possible the Dockers could finish second on the ladder with GWS, Melbourne, Port Adelaide and St Kilda in the run home.

That would give them a home final. That would give whoever they play a decent headache.

Port Power

The miracle was Port Adelaide.

If Ken Hinkley doesn't win coach of the year then he will be desperately unlucky.

There's not a supporter in the competition who is not proud of how Port plays it footy, and for that Hinkley must be recognised.

Yesterday's Showdown was testament to Port's mantra of never stop fighting.

They were 20 points down at the 22nd minute of the final quarter, and they kicked the last four goals of the game.
Travis Boak's standing in the game is going north with a bullet.

He had 14 touches and six clearances in the final 30 minutes, prompting Joel Selwood to go to twitter to praise his counterpart.

The luck came with Angus Monfries' right break, and the talent came via Chad Wingard.

He surely is an All Australian selection.

He kicked five goals, two in the last, and the match-winner with 30 seconds to play.

He was likened last night to the unique ability of former Port skipper, Gavin Wanganeedn. At the same age, it's not an insult to the Wanganeen.

The Crows made several mistakes - Jacobs dropped a mark in the dying minutes and Johnston missed everything from 45m with 1.55 to play - and Port didn't waste the opportunities.

At the siren, and as we've seen several times this season at AAMI Stadium, the Port folk were in raptures.

Indeed, Port Adelaide is the feel-good story in a season overburdened by a feel-bad story.

There's not a team which deserves to play finals, but if there was, it would be Port.

* * *

Chad Wingard

LIKES

1. Chad Wingard
It has to be a lock, Chad Wingard, half-forward line, All Australian team. He kicked five yesterday, including the go-ahead with 30 seconds to play, and collected 24 touches. The goal should not be remembered as the moment. The moments were Wingard chasing the high ball from Angus Monfries and getting to the ball drop. He was probably fifth in line when Monfries kicked the ball, and was first when it came down. He wanted it more than anyone else. It's called desperate hunger. It separates good players from great ones. Maybe Tim Watson summed it up best: ''He's a freak.''

2. Chris Newman
The image of Newman thrusting his arms in the air at the final siren showed what this day meant: The Tigers would play finals. There were better players such as Alex Rance (on Buddy), Houli in defence, Cotchin's 34 touches, nine tackles, nine clearances and Ellis and Maric, but it's Newman who carries a lot of the emotion for the Tigers. He will play finals for the first time in his career and the Tigers for the first time since 2001. You have to be excited.

3. Tom Liberatore
The greatest test for a midfielder is to stand up to the heat of Sydney's midfield group. Ryan Griffin does it against every team so his 41 touches were not a real surprise. The form of Libba, however, cannot be ignored. Yesterday, in his 51st game, he had 33 touches, nine tackles and 13 clearances. It was his sixth double-digit clearance game of the season, and his fifth game of laying more nine or more tackles this season. Deadset, this 21-year-old is an emerging star of the game.

4. GWS singing the song
It was far from an epic, but it didn't have to be. Greater Western Sydney won their first match of the season, led by their fiercely competitive captain in Callan Ward and a group of on-ballers including and Scully, Whitfield and Smith. There was so much to like, but every player will tell you, the best moment is singing the song with your mates in the rooms. If you haven't seen the GWS boys go about it, get on YouTube. You can't help but smile.

5. Aaron Mullet
Just quietly, this young man with the quick feet and smooth-ish left footy has cemented himself in the Kangaroos' back half. Has played 18 games this season for a career tally of 27 games, and his 32 possessions against the Cats was a career-high. Also had nine running bounces against the Cats, emphasising his confidence when has the ball. With Shaun Atley, the Kangas are forming two running defenders with class, although time will tell if Atley stays a defender.

6. Daniel Rich
The Lions get lost sometimes because so many of their games are on Fox Footy. And those who have Fox Footy know what I'm talking about. Rich kicked three goals beyond 50m, one from about 75m, to propel the Lions to victory over St Kilda. Had just 19 touches but seven of them  put the ball inside 50m. Have not said this as much as last season, but the three Rs - Rich, Rockliff and Redden - is a midfield with talent. Have to ask Voss, though, why he played Rockliff as a forward for a period of the season.

7. Brodie Grundy
The first player Scott Pendlebury mentioned in his post-match interview was the young ruckman with the hairdo. You couldn't blame him. Grundy has replaced Darren Jolly and for the first time in five years, Jolly's position is not a lay down misere. Suspect Jolly will get the nod if he's fit, but you can't deny the impact from Grundy. He likes to crash bodies, he tackles, and for a young fella is a decent tap ruckman. The Pies have found their next ruckman, although that won't stop them going after Sydney's Jesse White.

8. Ballantyne and Walters
Could be a Scottish accounting firm, but will settle for perhaps the best two-pronged small duo in the competition. People might disagree but like Ballantyne aplenty because he kicks goals, he pressures the opposition and he gets in their face. Walters should be beside Wingard in the AA forward line. The pair kicked 7.4 and put paid to the belief that Betts-Yarran were the best one-two punch as small forwards. Walters might just be the best user of his body in that position.

9. Dean Cox
Some were saying he was playing like he was aged 46, and this week he played in No.46 and showed that his career was far from over. Clearly BOG with 44 hit outs, defensive marks, and 19 touches. That was the pleasing aspect from the Eagles win, that at Josh Kennedy grabbing hold of the Coleman Medal with five goals. You'd reckon finally that would shut up the critics of his run-up.

10. Zach Tuohy
Was the shining light with Kade Simpson in the Carlton loss, and Tuohy's impact from half-back was absolute. He kicked three goals, two coming from near the 50m mark, which kept the Blues within distance during the third quarter.

Honourable mentions:
Colin Syliva's work rate, Grigg off the subs bench for the Crows, Boomer's 37, Matt Maguire's goal, Nat Fyfe, Lachie Neale, Mark Hutchings, K Jack again, K Tippett, Trengove in the ruck, Jarryd Blair, Luke Ball, Harley Bennell, Drew Petrie in the ruck, Jack Ziebell and the entire Collingwood team in the wet.

Ahmed Saad

DISLIKES

1. Ahmed Saad playing
Didn't like it. Was asked on the weekend why I didn't like it, and didn't have the exact answer. Will go with The Castle defence. It's the vibe. Just not comfortable that a sports person who has tested positive with their A sample is allowed to play. Don't know if any other sport would allow it.

2. That said ...
Am starting to feel contempt for some AFL fans. The booing of Jobe Watson and Stephen Milne and Harry O'Brien and Jarryd Roughead make me shake my head but the treatment of Saad was despicable. When Saad kicked for goal from near the fence, the abuse he copped was unwarranted. No-one should have to put up with that at their work place, having morons screaming abuse from two feet. It might be time the AFL gives up the rule of players following the line towards goal all the way to the fence. Maybe the players should stay in the confines of the boundary line and take their shot. It would open the angle somewhat, but that's better than having a potential ugly incident from a try-hard in the crowd.

3. Jonathan Brown
Straight away the question is asked: Is this the end for the Jonathan Brown? Just hate the thought. It is a foot injury which requires six weeks rehab so it's not exactly a career ender. Brown might still be questioning whether to play on, but he should be encouraged to.

4. Marc Murphy
Has a bit of Brett Deledio about him with the tag, in that he can't shake it. Ryan Crowley took him this time and the response from Murphy unacceptable. Let's be frank, Murphy needs to find some good ol' fashioned mongrel to deal with players such as Crowley. At one stage, Crowley smacked him in the chest and Murphy took it. He has to fight back. He has to give what he gets and then get on with winning the ball. Murphy had 13 touches to Crowley's nine in what was a clear win to the Docker stopper. Murphy has to help himself, but his teammates didn't give yelp either in protecting their skipper. Poor all around.

5. Carlton
Two out with four to play makes it a tough ask, but not an impossible one. They play the Bulldogs, Essendon, Richmond and Port Adelaide, so will need some pretty good footy from here on in. The question is: Has the season been a failure? Too many teams point to next year as a defence for building their side, but can't allow the Blues to argue that. They sacked Ratten and brought in Malthouse, and it appears the Blues will miss the eight. Betcha you can't find one Blues player, official or fan who would've expected that.

6. THAT TEAM
As a non-supporter, it's easy to give up on the THAT TEAM. They are irrelevant as the closing stages the of the season are played out.  But for fans, it must be heart-breaking. Those I know have given the season away. While the rest of us rejoice the win by GWS, THAT TEAM is at rock bottom. Up until the weekend, the fans could salvage from the wreck the fact they were better than GWS. They can't even say that now.

7. One for The Worst Decision I've Seen files
Campbell Brown was penalised for applying a shepherd/bump in the final stages of the los to West Coast. It was fair, marginally back of the shoulder, and they umpire pinged him. It wasn't right.

8. Brendon Goddard
Has had a wonderful season, but no point picking a fight with Harry O at the break, when you struggled to get near him on the ground.

9. Eddie Betts
Problems abound when it's revealed you are asking for $600,000 per season in your next contract. Not least, that it's best to get kick. Betts didn't. Had just seven touches against the Dockers and clearly struggled against the manic pressure form Ross Lyon's men. The whole season has been a forgettable one for Betts. It's time to revise the figure. Maybe drop $200,000 to $250,000 to be fair.

10. Pre-match press conferences
They might work if you have a coach you might offer up game machinations. Al Clarkson on Fox Footy wasn't keen. Best to try Kenny Hinkley or Brendan McCartney.

BEST TWEETS

@AliPayton: Likes - Chad Wingard. Power's never say die attitude. Dislikes - Essendon saga continues; groan!

@sportsmadas: like dismantling and kicking essendon while they're down #nosympathy #standonhird

@Davis_Harr:  like: Brisbane list continues to grow, Daniel Rich back to first season form. DL: Melbourne. Going b/wards by the day

@TheMightyEmu: Like: North showing their potential and getting the job done Dislike: Mick berating his players in public view. Doesnt help

@granholm6:  like,one word - port.  There never give up attitude this yesr has been really impressive

@Rommas86:  Like - that number 46 for West Coast #VintageCox #TheTackle

@Popey_99: Likes: Chad Wingard, the pièce de résistance of AFL football and future Brownlow medalist. Special player.

@18Jmac: Like: Chris Newman's reaction after tigers won! Dislike: Melbourne reaching an all new low for season 2013

@shibz_1989:  likes freo!! Richmond Dislikes pies fans booing Jobe

@Juddadog: dislike,how many times Sydney threw or dropped the ball when getting tackled and weren't penalised!Like The fight in thedog

@Rigs75:  gias goal of the year #giasoccer

@WhippingBoySEN: Like: Richmond hunting and pulling apart the top side in the competition. Dislike: Carlton's small forwards stinking it up

@SnrGLama:  Like: Boak's final quater true unsung hero. Dislike: Melbourne

@stustar09 : LIKE : Port Port Adelaide! Who would have thought they would have made the finals. DISLIKE : Collingwood booing Jobe Watson

@_evelyn_w:  Dislike - the ASADA report all of a sudden being an "interim" report with "ongoing investigation" tag.. #isitevergonnaend

@SJR73: likes: pies pressure, wires above the g keeping the gulls out dislike: only tipping 8

@BomberBliss: Like - Callan Ward a great leader v Melb and throughout the season Dislike - impatient 'experts' who've bagged GWS all year

@cch82:  like Ziebell, Wingard, entire GWS team. Dislike star-struck umpires.

@MelPalling:  L: @westernbulldogs winning #thetackle count v Swans today; North holding on; Port's win D: nothing. Was a stellar round!!

@Themanonthehil1: Likes, Eagles Josh Kennedy first goal again! Kangas win a close one, GWS win a Team Effort, Dislikes Hawks in the rain

@davidtilley1882: Likes: Jack Ziebell. Hard work payed off! Dislikes: Dermott's bias opinions making hard viewing harder for Bombers fans!

@njones17 :  like  Michael Walters redemption story to be complete with All Australian. Dislike holding the ball is anyones guess

@mickballard:  Also, Like: Daniel Cross 30 possessions on his return to AFL (as if he should've spent two months in the 2s!)

@RoyDT:  Dislike: Blues "best" players not performing under Malthouse eg. Murphy, Gibbs, Garlett, Betts, Yarren, Walker. I'm over it

@trupo11:  Two likes: Patty Danger's tweet on Friday night regarding Boomer Harvey and Boomers game #vintage

@aidanpauna:  Like: Dane Rampe. Best game all year. One play, fended off 3 players in succession and still got the ball out. Dislike: umps

@mattyk91:  like: monfries bounce. Defies physics. Dislike: monfries bounce. Denies Adelaide

@BigFootySUNS: Like - Nathan Bock! Great return from a shattering injury.

@Reidy1992:  Like: Tom Liberatore, he will be elite soon if he isn't already

@EllertonMathew: Nth coach should still be under scrutiny,what they produced Fri night should've been year round,year of failure for mine

@glm032:  Two words. ALEX RANCE

@tubbydoug:  like the bet i get to collect from the wife on the port/crows game..

@Jack_Klompas: Like - libber - highest clearance average since rats in 99 - dislike - something different / dees = pissweak

@AnthonyGilberg: like: McGuane, Edwards, Jackson..whipping boys of past years being instrumental in the dispatching of Hawthorn. #thetackle

@J_Corey1: dislikes. Marc Murphy is not leadership material. He does not lead from the front , physically. And far too inconsistent.