AFL round seven: Western Bulldogs steamroll Essendon, latest news and stats
Dylan Shiel went from being dropped to recalled as Essendon’s medi-sub against the Bulldogs. Did the high profile Bomber do enough for a starting team call-up?
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Essendon’s total lack of selection pressure is likely to see medi-sub Dylan Shiel handed a reprieve against arch rival Hawthorn on Saturday night.
The Dons are determined not to panic despite the disastrous 1-6 start to the season that has put paid to hopes of ending the club’s 18-season final winning drought.
The key priority for Essendon and coach Ben Rutten is finding a way to return a host of players who had breakout 2021 seasons back to something resembling their best form.
Shiel was told he had been dumped on Friday given his lack of defensive run and pressure, given honest feedback about what he needed to improve.
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On Saturday when it became apparent that Darcy Parish would play despite an ankle injury Shiel was told he would be the medi-sub instead of playing in the VFL on Sunday.
His versatility and the likelihood of him having to cover Parish if he couldn’t get through a game saw him chosen in that position.
But commentators saw it as Rutten going back on what could have been a strong statement about accountability and defensive pressure at the club.
Essendon’s VFL side lost to the Western Bulldogs with dumped defender Nick Hind winning 23 possessions and Brayden Ham 21 possessions, with few standout players.
Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti had Covid so missed the game and still seems some way from an AFL return and Devon Smith missed with injury, so the selection pressure is non-existent.
The Dons are determined to give Rutten time to improve the club’s parlous fortunes instead of consider mid-year reviews or how the coaching structure might better help the players.
There is a strong view there is enough talent on the list for the club to be playing vastly improved football — as last year’s finals charge showed — with the coaching department’s task to extract that form quickly.
Shiel’s pressure was improved in the half he played after Zac Reid was subbed off with an ankle injury, winning 30 pressure points and three tackles.
Rutten admits the players have been inconsistent but was happy with Shiel’s influence.
“I have been talking with Dyl, and we have as a coaching group, about making sure he has a more well rounded game,” he said.
“We’ll continue to talk through that with Dyl, he’s really clear on that and we’ll continue to support him.
“He looked like he had about five touches in the first minute or two which was good and he was fresh then and I thought he had an immediate impact around the ball.”
‘We love Dyl’: Rutten says Dons to keep Shiel issues ‘in house’
Essendon Ben Rutten says his players are “hurting” and conceded there’s an overwhelming sense of frustration from the entire club after sinking to 1-6 following its 32-point loss to the Western Bulldogs.
Rutten pointed in particular to their costly turnovers which the Bulldogs capitalised on, scoring eight of their first 13 goals from Essendon’s errors.
He said Dylan Shiel, who came into the 23 as the substitute after being axed from their initial team, had been in conversations with the coaching group about becoming a better-rounded player.
The Bombers coach said bringing consistency into their game will be crucial in trying to resurrect their horror start to the season, but admitted that finals are “a long way away.”
“Certainly there’s a level of frustration, that’s kind of the overwhelming feeling, not only from me but the players and the group and the club more broadly,” Rutten said post-match.
“It’s a tough game, and today the Bulldogs made us pay.
“We’ve got a committed and driven group. They’re hurting at the moment, they’re frustrated with the inconsistencies but we need to support them and us as a footy club need to work together on it.
“(The thought of finals this year) is a long way away, at the moment as I said there’s a level of frustration with the playing group, the coaches, I’m sure more broadly us as a club we’re working really hard.
“We’re clearly not where we want to be and where we need to be at the moment
“Our biggest priority is getting back to playing a more consistent brand of footy. I’m sure that’s consistent more broadly with our supporters, our fans that come and watch us play. We want to create a more consistent, dependable footy week in week out regardless of opposition.”
Rutten said it wasn’t just Zach Merrett who overused the footy in the loss, after the midfielder had just 130m gained from his monster 26-disposal first half.
“There’s probably lots of stages in our game where there’s some fundamental errors. None of our boys are trying to make mistakes … but it feels like at the moment there’s some basic fundamental errors that we’re making that are really costly,” he said.
“It’s not isolated to Zach it is more broadly. We handball too much, we weren’t quite able to find that fluency and connection with our attack. The Bulldogs are a good pressure and contest team and if you handball too much, they’ll punish you.
Rutten was impressed with Shiel’s impact as the substitute after coming on in the second half.
He said that the areas that Shiel needed to improve to become a more complete package were best to be left “in house”, and that the club will continue to support him.
Shiel was dropped after tallying 26 disposals against Collingwood, but he recorded just two tackles.
“Firstly we love Dyl as a person, we love the unique skillset and the strength he brings to the club, and we see that on a regular basis,” he said.
“I have been talking with Dyl, and we have as a coaching group, about making sure he has a more well rounded game.
“We’ll continue to talk through that with Dyl, he’s really clear on that and we’ll continue to support him.
“He looked like he had about five touches in the first minute or two which was good and he was fresh then. and I thought he had an immediate impact around the ball.
“It’s always a tough one at the moment especially when our VFL play before the AFL game. That’s been the biggest issue for us the last few weeks.
“There are other issues about juggling gametime and we are giving guys the opportunity to play as much gametime as they can.”
Rutten said he was “hopeful” that Nik Cox would be able to face Hawthorn next week after being subbed out with an ankle injury.
Bevo lauds Dog’s courage
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has lauded Mitch Wallis’ return to the senior side after the tragic death of his mother-in-law, who was hit by a car and killed as a pedestrian.
After being withdrawn before the Bulldogs’ loss to Adelaide last week, Wallis booted two first-quarter goals, the first of which brought on an emotional tribute to his wife’s late mother.
Wallis celebrated by kissing his black armband, worn by all Bulldogs players, and pointing both index fingers to the heavens as the crowd roared in support of the much-loved Bulldog after his horrifying fortnight.
However, the small forward’s positive return was marred by an ankle injury which saw him substituted out of the game in the final term.
Beveridge said Wallis was “emphatic” in his response when he asked the 29-year-old forward this week if he was ready to return to the Bulldogs side.
He also detailed that Wallis had found solace in being back at the club with his teammates.
“Obviously a really emotional time for him and Emily and their families. With a fresh start with their newborn young William Wallis,” Beveridge said.
“It was great to see him have an impact today. Early in the game his involvements really helped us get moving.
“He found some solace in coming into the club and training and mingling on the down days, more than the main days. It shows how much he loves and is passionate about his footy and the football club.
“And we have given him all the space he has needed and I asked him whether he would be right to play this week and he was emphatic that he was totally ready.
“It was his first game as a part of the 22, and he has had an impact in those games as the sub.
The club is hopeful that the injury was joint related rather than a bone issue, with Beveridge saying he expects him to go in for scans on the blow this week.
“We are hoping it is a joint thing rather than a bone thing,” Beveridge said.
“What he is reporting hopefully seems like it is joint rather than bone, I’d imagine we’d look at it through scan, so hopefully that clears him.”
Beveridge was pleased with the Bulldogs’ even spread of contributors and the efforts of their lesser-lights, highlighting the work of second-gamer Robbie McComb (21 disposals, two goals) and Lachie McNeil (three goals).
The Bulldogs had 10 individual goalkickers as spearhead Aaron Naughton was held goalless.
McComb, 26, joined the club in last year’s rookie draft after a breakout campaign at VFL level as an inside midfielder.
With spots in the Bulldogs’ midfield group hard to come by, the 181cm ball-getter was deployed as a wingman and shone.
“He’s played a little bit of wing here and there but he’s an inside mid, small forward,” Beveridge said.
“We are asking him to play a role he’s not accustomed to in his second game of AFL footy and it’s a high endurance game, and I felt he did a really good job with it. Credit to him.”
Dunkley gives Dons taste of what their missing
Essendon’s finals hopes have been dashed as the Western Bulldogs reignited their slow start to the season with a 32-point win at Marvel Stadium.
In a critical Sunday contest for both clubs, the Bulldogs condemned Essendon to a 1-6 record and facing Hawthorn, Sydney then Richmond in the next three weeks.
Essendon was smashed in inside 50s, conceding 66 to 39, and its overuse of the footy, disjointed synergy going forward and lack of defensive intent was stark.
The Bombers regularly mucked around with the ball in defence and paid the price as the Bulldogs’ pressure ramped up – eight of the Bulldogs’ first 13 goals came from forward 50 turnovers.
The scoreboard flattered the Bombers thanks to three late goals in junk time.
In an even contribution for the Bulldogs, milestone man Josh Dunkley was at his ferocious best in his 100th game with two goals and the most contested possessions on the ground.
The Bulldogs had plenty of drive out of defence with Caleb Daniel, Bailey Dale and Ed Richards, who played one of the best games of his career, combining nicely.
Pre-season pick-up Nic Martin was one of the few positives for the Bombers as he continues to press his Rising Star claims, with his class in traffic and ball-use far greater than his teammates’.
Luke Beveridge’s men are back in touch with the top-eight ahead of an important clash against Port Adelaide on Friday night.
SHIEL SUB
Dylan Shiel wasn’t dropped after all.
Shiel dominated the headlines at team announcement after he was omitted in his fourth season of a lucrative six-year deal.
But instead of being dropped to the reserves to find some form, Shiel started the match in the green vest.
He had three touches in the first 20 seconds of the third term after being injected into the game at halftime for Nik Cox, finishing with 11 touches.
WALLIS’ EMOTIONAL TRIBUTE
The footy world was all wishing Mitch Wallis the best in his return game after the tragic passing of his mother-in-law, and he gave her a fitting tribute in an inspired start.
Wallis was on the end of a sizzling ball from Marcus Bontempelli and went back to slot the Bulldogs’ first goal of the match from close range.
The 29-year-old kissed his black armband and pointed to the heavens with both hands as a sign of respect.
Shortly after he had his second major, kicking truly from 40m out.
Wallis and his wife, Emily, welcomed their second child into the world last week.
MORE METRES, MERRETT
Zach Merrett had a truckload of the Sherrin but, as is often the case with the prolific ball-winner, he was unable to have a significant impact on the contest.
Merrett gained a mere 129 metres from his whopping 26 disposals in the first half – an average of 4.96m for each touch – with 20 handballs and 22 uncontested possessions.
In stark contrast, Bulldogs playmaker Bailey Dale racked up 321m gained from his 11 first term disposals.
FIRST GOALS
The first goals of Robbie McComb and Kaine Baldwin had been a long-time coming.
Four seasons in the VFL led to 26-year-old McComb’s chance in last year’s rookie draft, while Baldwin had been touted as a top pick as a 16-year-old before two consecutive knee reconstructions, which forced him to join the Bombers’ list the hard way in last year’s supplemental selection period.
A clever rove and snap saw McComb salute for a well-earned first, as Baldwin recorded his maiden AFL goal after a desperate forward-50 tackle.
SCOREBOARD
WESTERN BULLDOGS 3.1 6.3 13.4 16.7 (103)
def
ESSENDON BOMBERS 2.2 3.7 6.10 10.11 (71)
GOALS
Bulldogs: McNeil 3, Weightman 2, Wallis 2, McComb 2, Vandermeer, McComb, Cordy, Dunkley, R.Smith, Bontempelli, B Smith
Bombers: Wright 4, Cutler 2, Guelfi, Baldwin, Draper, Stringer
DAN BATTEN’S BEST
Bulldogs: Dunkley, B.Smith, Daniel, Bontempelli, Dale, Richards.
Bombers: Martin, Ridley, Wright, Merrett, Parish.
DAN BATTEN’S VOTES
3 — Josh Dunkley (WBD)
2 — Caleb Daniel (WBD)
1 — Bailey Smith (WBD)
INJURIES
Bombers: Cox (ankle)
Bulldogs: Wallis (TBC)
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