AFL 2021: Essendon v Fremantle match report; Bombers off hook as poor kicking denies Dockers

Zach Merrett’s usual influence was restricted, but coach Ben Rutten said “dangerous” off-the-ball hits on his gun midfielder weren’t a good look in Essendon’s narrow victory.

Ronny Lerner

5 min read

May 16, 2021 - 7:03PM

News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – MAY 16: Dyson Heppell of the Bombers celebrates with fans after the Bombers defeated the Dockers during the round 9 AFL match between the Essendon Bombers and the Fremantle Dockers at Marvel Stadium on May 16, 2021 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Essendon

Don't miss out on the headlines from Essendon. Followed categories will be added to My News.

Essendon coach Ben Rutten was glad to see “dangerous” off-the-ball hits, that his star midfielder Zach Merrett had to endure against Fremantle, rewarded with free kicks.

Merrett came in for some very close checking from the Dockers, especially reigning Rising Star Caleb Serong who tagged him all day.

Serong did an effective job, too, restricting Merrett to just 21 disposals — well down on his season average of 31 heading into Sunday’s clash at Marvel Stadium.

“I think the stuff around the ball Zach can take but there were a few incidents off-ball which we were able to get free kicks for downfield and hit the scoreboard,” Rutten said post-match.

“It’s good to see those frees get paid for the off-ball stuff … I don’t think it’s a great look for our game.

Watch the 2021 Toyota AFL Premiership Season. Every match of every round Live on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >

Ben Rutten chats with his top midfielder Zach Merrett, who came in for some serious attention against Fremantle. Picture: AFL Photos via Getty Images

“I think we need to let our good players play the game and compete really hard when the ball’s around, but it’s dangerous as well when players aren’t expecting to get hit.”

Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir saw his team’s battle with Merrett a little differently, and, with a thinly-veiled swipe at the Bombers, suggested the rough play off the ball was a two-way street.

“I don’t want to make a headline. I think their players looked after Merrett behind the ball pretty well,” he said.

Longmuir was proud of the job Serong did on Merrett.

“Merrett still had plenty of the ball but I didn’t see a lot of his real creative ball use that he can have at his best,” Longmuir said.

Merrett had a relatively quiet day by his standards. Picture: Getty Images

“He’s clearly one of the better mids in the comp. If we just let him roll around with no pressure on him, he can slice teams so we wanted to shut him out of the game.”

After losing three matches this year by a combined total of just six points, Rutten said it was nice to finally get on the right side of a cliff-hanger and praised his side’s ability to “hang in there” when Fremantle had control of the game.

“Up until three-quarter-time Freo probably had the majority of play, but I thought that last quarter (we were) getting back to playing our brand of footy,” Rutten said.

“I thought our maturity to be able to do what we needed to do to win the game was good.”

Darcy Parish produced another best-on-ground performance in what his fast-becoming his career-best season, and Rutten was confident the out-of-contract midfielder would re-sign long-term with the club.

Merrett leaves the field after Essendon’s win against Fremantle. Picture: AFL Photos via Getty Images

Meanwhile, the club was unsure about the severity of Devon Smith’s hamstring injury but it is set to “cost him a couple of weeks”.

Longmuir described the loss as “devastating”, especially considering his team had numerous opportunities to win the match.

“I thought we were the better team for a long period of time, but when it counted at the start and at the end, we weren’t. They started at another level, and they finish at another level and we couldn’t deal with that,” Longmuir said.

“Our ball use forward of centre was sloppy … I felt like we dominated for large periods of the game.”

In some good news for the Dockers, key defender Luke Ryan could be available next week and Alex Pearce might return through the WAFL.

DONS OFF HOOK, BUT DID FREO THROW IT AWAY?

It wasn’t the greatest advertisement for Australian rules football, but Essendon emerged from their nailbiting error-riddled contest with Fremantle triumphant by seven points at Marvel Stadium.

Michael Walters had the chance to put the Dockers in front at the 18-minute mark of the final term when he sold some candy to a pair of defenders, but his snap shot from 35m out went the wrong side of the goalpost, to level the scores.

Essendon’s Brayden Ham broke the deadlock four minutes later with a beautiful snap shot from 45m out after slicing his way through traffic in what was ultimately the matchwinning play.

Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti (left) and Darcy Parish celebrate a goal late against the Dockers. Picture: AFL Photos via Getty Images

The victory came at a cost for the Bombers, though, who lost Devon Smith who was subbed out in the final quarter due to a hamstring injury.

Fremantle would be left to rue their poor kicking for goal, and there was no costlier instance of their inaccuracy than late in the third quarter when Matt Taberner, who was one of their best with four goals, had the chance to put Fremantle up by what would’ve almost been a game-breaking 15-point lead late in the third quarter, given the tight nature of the contest which featured six lead changes.

However, instead of nailing the open goal, he sprayed his snap shot and the Bombers fought back to kick four of the last five goals to seal the win in what was a spiteful match at times, particularly with Essendon star Zach Merrett the subject of some very close checking, especially from tagger Caleb Serong.

The Bombers aren’t in the finals frame, but if the Dockers think they’re a legitimate finals contender, this match would have delivered them a sobering reality check about that notion as they missed a golden chance to overtake GWS on the ladder. Having lostg three in a row, they’re now a game, and a fair bit of percentage, outside the top eight.

BOWLING, TIPPA

Early in the final quarter, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti delivered a leg break that Shane Warne would have been proud of as he unleashed a bomb from 48m out that looked like it was off line, but miraculously bounced at right angles to sneak in for a crucial goal and put the Dons up by eight points.

Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti had some good fortune in front of goal.

Freo veteran David Mundy cannot believe his team has come up short.

WASTEFUL DOCKERS

The Bombers got the jump on Freo with the first three goals, but Freo composed themselves and regained the ascendancy.

In fact, the ball lived in Fremantle’s forward half for most of the second quarter, but despite enjoying 11 of the first 14 inside 50s, and more than doubling the Bombers in that stat for the term (16-7), they could only manage 2.4, while Taberner sent two shots out on the full, to incredibly trail Essendon by three points at halftime. The Dockers ended up winning the inside-50 count 49-46 and edged the Dons for clearances 37-31, but they were brought undone by their inaccuracy.

LAVERDE REBOUNDS FROM EARLY BLOWS

Jayden Laverde was in the wars early in the game. He left the ground with the assistance of trainers in the first quarter and went straight to the rooms with an ankle injury. It didn’t look good for a period, but he was able to return to the field for the start of the second quarter. However, moments later he copped an errant fist to the chin from Lachie Schultz in a marking contest, which floored him for multiple seconds and looked as though it required him to undergo a concussion test.