‘Cannon into him’: Essendon legend Matthew Lloyd fumes at sledge

Essendon legend Matthew Lloyd has voiced his frustration with the Bombers for not standing up to Swans midfielder Luke Parker.

Matthew Lloyd and Luke Parker.

Essendon legend Matthew Lloyd has voiced his frustration with the Bombers for not standing up to Sydney Swans midfielder Luke Parker during Saturday’s debilitating loss at the SCG, accusing Ben Rutten’s men of lacking a “ruthless streak”.

After Essendon midfielder Dylan Shiel lost control of the footy following a Chad Warner tackle in the second quarter, Parker pounced on a loose ball before stepping around Bombers defender Nick Hind and kicking a long-range major.

As the Sydney crowd erupted, Parker appeared to taunt the struggling Shiel by repeatedly shrugging his shoulders.

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“We don’t often see this, but I like it,” five-time All-Australian Nick Riewoldt told Fox Footy:

“I would much rather see that combative nature between players on the field than the love-in we see at times.”

Herald Sun reporter Jon Ralph tweeted that Parker was “blatantly taking the piss out of” a woeful Essendon side that laid just 30 tackles for the game.

Speaking on Channel 9’s Sunday Footy Show, Lloyd argued that Parker’s actions were a blatant example of disrespect, and the Bombers should have retaliated accordingly.

“You never, ever want to be walked over in life or disrespected in any way,” he said on Sunday morning.

“I thought Dylan Shiel was disrespected in a way you never wanted to be treated as a footballer.

“I would’ve ploughed straight through Parker here, got him to the ground and said, ‘You will never, ever treat me like that again’. I’d cannon into him. If you don’t give away a free kick, even better.

“Dylan Shiel isn’t that type of player to do it, but I would’ve loved for someone else to do it on his behalf.

“I think that will be something Ben Rutten will show and say this is how you are viewed Dylan and this is how us as a team are being viewed.

Sydney Swans midfielder Luke Parker.

Dylan Shiel of the Bombers. Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

“You can be not as talented as another team, but effort doesn’t come into it — 30 tackles says it all, a lack of defence says it all. They’re too nice and there’s no ruthless streak whatsoever.

“You’ve got to start somewhere … I’m not talking about knocking someone into tomorrow, I’m talking about making a statement that you’re not going to be walked all over and they are being walked all over.”

The Bombers were anything but explosive on Saturday evening, managing just 158 disposals and kicking a measly two goals in the second half as they suffered a heavy 14.21 (105) to 6.11 (47) defeat.

Having registered just two wins in the opening nine rounds, the Bombers are currently reeling down at 16th on the AFL ladder.

Essendon will next face the Richmond Tigers at the MCG on Saturday, with the first bounce scheduled for 7.30pm AEST.