Joe Daniher turns on the style as Essendon bring St Kilda back to Earth with big win

JOE Daniher can hug who he likes. The new Coleman Medal leader was at his mercurial best as Essendon moved to within touching distance of the top eight.

Joe Daniher starred in Essendon’s win over St Kilda.

JOE Daniher can hug whoever he wants.

Right now, he is not only the new Coleman Medal leader and the spearhead of a finals-hungry Essendon, the gun big man has to be the most exciting and watchable player in the game.

Champion midfielder Chris Judd delivered the ultimate praise on Friday night, calling him “unstoppable”.

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“If you were starting a side from scratch and had the first pick, you would take Joe Daniher,” Judd said on Triple M.

It was hard to argue after watching him take flight, literally, with another four goals in the 61-point whipping of St Kilda.

Essendon recently re-signed the athletic freak on about $800,000 or $900,000 a year, but that’s looking cheap after watching the ‘Joe Show’.

Joe Daniher takes a speccie over Jake Carlisle. Picture: Michael Klein

Joe Daniher takes a speccie over Jake Carlisle. Picture: Michael Klein

And when Daniher wasn’t doing his best Lance Franklin impersonation on screaming runs down the wing, or reeling in two dazzling grabs on top of former teammate Jake Carlisle, or pressuring the Saints into mistakes, he was lighting up Etihad Stadium with his infectious personality.

That big smile, and the cheeky-looking banter with opponents was on again. And it was great.

When you are in rich form like this, you are allowed to show a bit of yourself.

The criticism of him earlier in the season for hugging another former teammate Michael Hibberd after the game was over the top. Give him a ‘free hugs’ sign if he wants one.

Daniher, 24, is clearly the poster boy of the Bombers’ resurgence this season. The fan base that has been through hell and back over the past four years are loving the high-octane footy and the chance to watch their superstar full-forward carve up.

David Zaharakis celebrates after Michael Hurley kicked a goal. Picture: Michael Klein

It was an old-fashioned one-on-one match-up against his old mate Carlisle but to be fair to the gun defender, he was having a decent night himself, reeling in a bunch of intercept marks with his big sticky mitts. Probably the Saints’ best player in the first half.

In a game frequently dominated by midfielders and their high possession numbers, this was an enjoyable night for the big men.

Even ruckman Tom Bellchambers cashed in with two third-term goals. James Stewart missed three early shots on goal that would have put the Saints away in the first term.

Then there is Michael Hurley, an All-Australian key defender this year, surely.

Remember when he went on The Footy Show and fought back tears as he talked about the tough decision to stay at the club and his disappointment in the supplement saga? Well now, he is in the form of his life after another total domination in defence.

Nick Riewoldt moved up the ground in the second half and had a rare quiet night. Will he go on next year? Perhaps not.

Hurley has finished second and third in the best-and-fairest but this is increasingly looking like his year.

Essendon’s recruiting philosophy has put a premium on the key position players over the past decade or more and with bookends like Hurley and Daniher, it bodes well for a potential finals berth this season. They have a trump card in the battle of the airways under the roof.

Nick Riewoldt gets a handball off while being tackled by Cale Hooker.

They’ve surprised us this year, the Bombers. They deserve the plaudits and a finals berth would be a huge tick on 2017.

The win elevated Essendon into ninth spot and they should hammer home another victory against North Melbourne next week.

And a refreshed Jobe Watson should come back in.

They have enough elite leg speed in other areas. Zach Merrett was outstanding, again in the midfield with 37 disposals.

Livewire Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti snapped back into form early. When he beat three St Kilda players to win a free kick on the boundary line in the first term and then slotted the check side, the red and black faithful went into overdrive.

St Kilda players celebrate Josh Battle’s first AFL goal.

The Saints deserved a post-game spray.

They smashed Richmond in the first half last week, in one of the most sparkling performances we’ve seen in recent years.

But they butchered the ball in the first half and might be footy’s worst set-shot side.

They had 4.11 at three-quarter time and clearly have a goal kicking problem.

Will they confront it?

Kane Cornes said the Tigers were complacent and got ahead of themselves last week. This week it will be the Saints’ turn to cop similar criticism.

VOTES

3. Michael Hurley

2. Joe Daniher

1. Zach Merrett

BEST

ESSENDON: M.Hurley, J.Daniher, Z.Merrett, D.Zaharakis, J.Kelly, B.Goddard, A.McGrath, T.Bellchambers

ST KILDA: J.Steven, J.Carlisle, S.Savage, D.Roberton, J.Newnes, J.Sinclair