Essendon in the hunt to play finals but Sydney look a spent force after Bombers’ 43-point win
ESSENDON is just four points from the top four after an exhilarating 43-point win over Sydney and there is a compelling reason to believe the Bombers can play in September.
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IT was speed against need.
Essendon burned as Sydney yearned, and with one month left on the home-and-away clock the race for the top eight is on.
Can the Bombers break in? You bet. Can the Swans sink out? No doubt.
Only three Septembers haven’t contained the Swans since 1995 and Essendon’s 43-point victory at Etihad Stadium on Friday night elevated it to within four points of fourth place on the ladder.
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The Champion Data boffins say the Dons will wake up on Saturday a 13 per cent chance to play finals and the Swans now a 62 per cent chance.
But on Friday night’s form you suspect that gap is narrower. Eclipsed by the Suns last week, the Swans were outsprinted by the dashing Dons.
Intriguingly, AFL head honchos Gillon McLachlan and Steve Hocking observed from the interchange bench.
It might comfort the disillusioned public to know they were within touching distance of football fans.
Were they shaken by the deafening roars as Mitch Brown put the Bombers in front with a 55m bomb after the halftime siren?
This was a sizzling affair, devoid of any yawns which would warrant substantial rule changes.
It was a contest which always looked a Friday night beauty, a rarity in 2018 owing to flimsy fixturing more than the supposed worn-out fabric of the game.
Star turn for Brown on his 50th, a hard-won milestone that took in a GP’s list of ailments, a delisting, a top-up engagement with the Dons and a VFL stint with Sandringham.
There was never a frown with the dangerous Brown, as his two goals kicked either side of halftime helped Essendon push 16 points clear.
It was a gap which was tugged at, but never overturned.
Perennial Bomber beater Buddy Franklin curled through a 50m goal from the boundary to stifle momentum and then a sore and slow Heath Grundy booted his first goal in 110 games.
Ben Ronke and Buddy make a lethal pairing, and when they banged through two goals in 16 seconds the game went up another gear.
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But weaved in throughout the Sydney specks were Bomber beauties.
Like a quiz master, Essendon held the answers. Orazio Fantasia restored an 11-point buffer for the finish and then Mark Baguley and Devon Smith shut the gate in the last quarter.
Essendon’s 72 inside 50s beat Sydney’s score of 66 as it became evident the Swans are a fading force, both in Friday night’s final quarter and this year’s the finals race.
Dyson Heppell started brilliantly. The Essendon skipper was the first to 13 disposals and each of them hit the target.
Heppell at times glided into space ala Scott Pendlebury, while the efficient Brendon Goddard almost copped as many whacks as he hit targets.
Pre-game Swans coach John Longmire said Franklin had trained for just 20 minutes all season and he played like it, sans for a burst of third-quarter magic.
Aliir Aliir was reportedly asking for $400,000 before re-signing for three years this week.
Perhaps he should’ve held out, because his clean intercept marking and springy athleticism looked like it warranted an even richer contract.
Aliir played the consummate defender’s game, marking everything bar car tyres as Chris Judd wondered whether he would evolve into a wingman.
Speaking of contracts, Dante Exum sat in the stands supporting the Bombers and a few players could do with his negotiating skills after inking a $45m deal at Utah Jazz.
But it was double trouble for Zak Jones, who went in the book for striking Zach Merrett before the game began and a second time for a big hit on Kyle Langford.
SAM LANDSBERGER’S BEST PLAYERS
ESSENDON: Heppell, Hurley, Merrett, Parish, Myers, Smith, Brown, McDonald-Tipungwuti, Bellchambers, Saad.
SYDNEY: Aliir, Lloyd, Heeney, Parker, Kennedy, Sinclair, Rampe.
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