Essendon defeats Carlton By 60 points, NAB Challenge at Ikon Park
ESSENDON has kicked off its NAB Challenge campaign with a convincing win over Carlton at Ikon Park on Sunday.
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IT WAS the kind of Princes Park shirtfront Darren Milburn would have been proud to deliver.
John Worsfold’s Baby Bombers arrived at Carlton’s suburban stronghold unfancied, unloved and seemingly unlikely to win a single game this year.
One half of football later this ragtag collection of talented kids, veterans, list-cloggers and top-ups had drawn their line in the sand.
It might not have been as physical as Milburn’s bruising collision with Steve Silvagni, but the unanswered nine-goal run was just as emphatic.
BOMBERS v BLUES: FULL SUPERCOACH SCORES
ANALYSIS: BOMBERS WIN PRE-SEASON PR BATTLE
Essendon’s season has many twists and turns to come, but at least they started it playing with spirit and fight and dare.
Against a Carlton side missing not only its four midfield stars but also last week’s heart, it was enough for a 46 point half-time lead.
That margin would eventually be extended to an even 10 goals, Essendon gate-crashing Carlton’s return to Ikon Park in fine style.
By game’s end the performances of trio of Carlton kids in Jacob Weitering, Harry McKay and Charlie Curnow had at least given succour for the Navy Blue faithful.
Weitering immediately justified Carlton’s decision to use its first pick on the assured key defender, shaded by only Nick Graham after 19 excellent disposals.
But for an Essendon fan base whose long winter has now lasted four long years, Sunday was reaffirming stuff.
Everywhere you looked in front of a crowd of 18,718 you could see a player in red and black realising he could fill one of 12 vacant Round 1 positions.
Last year’s No.4 pick Darcy Parish locked in one of those slots, Long showed enough footy smarts to remind you of his famous old man Michael and Sam Grimley (1.4) was wayward but a constant hit-up presence.
Captain Brendon Goddard (21 possessions) went from defensive sweeper to damaging three-goal presence, David Zaharakis (28 touches) rediscovered his lost spark, and strong-bodied top-up Michael Sam battled away in the ruck.
As Ryan Crowley, one of the club’s four top-up on the day, banged home a goal on the final siren, it was hard not to think it was the perfect day at the office.
One contributor wearing the No.45 jumper went unnoticed, which was just about perfect.
Female umpire Eleni Glouftsis passed the umpire’s test of being effective and unobtrusive after nailing the game’s first centre bounce.
She made history as the first female field umpire and drew strong crowd support without any obvious mistakes in her three quarters on field.
Carlton spent two-and-a-half quarters locked on just a single goal, which might not surprise given Marc Murphy, Patrick Cripps, Matthew Kreuzer and Sam Kerridge were absent.
But the indictment was the lack of pressure, the constant skill errors, the contrast in poise from the brilliant Weitering compared to many of his teammates.
His first handful of touches were justifiably nervy, but soon he was intercept marking at will and making strong decisions on the way back out.
Jack Silvagni and McKay came on after halftime, and both had moments to savour.
McKay, Carlton’s No.10 pick last year, went back strongly with the flight to mark then nailed the set shot with a his left foot.
Silvagni’s first touch was aborted when the umpire instead paid a 50m penalty — he had to hand it to a teammate — but he finished with five touches.
The sting might have have long gone out of the contest, but it was something for him to build on.
So many greater tests lie ahead for Essendon, the first of them Geelong next Saturday and then Grand Finalist West Coast on March 13.
Only then will we judge the Bombers’ chances of evading a wooden spoon in 2016.
Yet for one golden afternoon this was footy as so many middle-aged Essendon fans have known it.
Beating a famed rival at a suburban venue with some hot chips at half time and a kick-to-kick with the kids post-siren.
THREE THINGS WE LEARNED
1. Carlton says Princes Park won’t be resuscitated as an AFL venue, but it was one of Sunday’s real winners. A massive crowd packed in, the surface was in mint condition and it is mystifying why the Blues wouldn’t lobby to play interstate clubs here.
The official attendance was 18,718, another excellent NAB Challenge crowd this year.
2. Both Essendon and Carlton have found themselves some dozen-year players. Jacob Weitering racked it up all day and after a few errant passes early grew more assured.
Harry McKay (pick 10) kicked a nice goal after going back with the flight and Charlie Curnow showed some tricks. For Essendon, Darcy Parish justified his No.4 draft selection with real midfield grunt and willingness to get his hands dirty.
3. Jake Long didn’t exactly run up and down the Princes Park wing like his old man Michael, but he might just have a career. The slightly built Long kicked a clever goal and could get more chances to impress this year given his impressive outing.
CARLTON 1.3.8 (35)
ESSENDON 1.13.8 (95)
SUPERGOALS
Carlton: E Curnow
Essendon: Z Merrett
GOALS
Carlton: McKay, Smith, Gallucci
BEST
Essendon: Daniher 3, Goddard 3, Grimley, Hams, Long, McKernan, Dempsey, Crowley, Merrett
Carlton: Graham, Tuohy, Weitering, Tutt, Ed Curnow
Essendon: Goddard, Zaharakis, Daniher, Zach Merrett, Gleeson, Parish, Edwards
INJURIES
Carlton: Nil
Essendon: Nil
Reports: Nil
Umpires: O’Gorman, Schmitt, Jeferry, Glouftsis
Official crowd: 18,718 at Ikon Park
Brutal Baz and Cats sink Bombers to new low
When Bailey Smith and Max Holmes are at their best together, there aren’t many who can keep up – but what Essendon fans saw at the MCG on Saturday was another crushing blow.
The Blues won — but is anyone convinced?
Carlton did what they needed to do against an injury-hit Essendon. But the performance wouldn’t have given their faithful much confidence 2025 will amount to anything special.