Hawthorn vs Essendon: Joe Daniher leads Bombers’ second-half blitz, Jon Patton suffers another injury

Essendon looked down and out as it entered the rooms trailing by six goals at half-time. But a rousing speech from coach-in-waiting Ben Rutten was enough to spark the Bombers’ incredible comeback.

Liz Walsh and Jay Clark

5 min read

August 28, 2020 - 12:47PM

Joe Daniher celebrates one of his three goals as Essendon completed its stunning comeback against Hawthorn. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

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Essendon coach John Worsfold has backed his side’s handling of star Joe Daniher after the forward’s sensational three-goal return from 15 months on the sidelines.

Worsfold said Daniher proved the doubters wrong, returning from a chronic groin injury with an electric performance that inspired the Bombers’ thrilling 16-point win over Hawthorn.

Worsfold said the footy world was able to “very quickly remember how good a player he is”.

“We have so much more information than people that are based in other states and trying to make a call on what’s right and what’s wrong,” he said after the Bombers’ thrilling 16-point win over Hawthorn.

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Joe Daniher was back to his best against Hawthorn. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

“I get the people who say ‘this could happen, this may happen’, the same with Cale Hooker coming back into the team without any match practice, in the last five weeks.

“With Joe in particular, there has been so much work put into his program, and about getting him ready to come back into the game.

“We talked about the opportunity or the possibility of playing him in some match simulation practice match, and after all of us having all those discussions, we decided on this pathway and credit to everyone he’s come out and performed well.

“Let’s hope he pulls up well and he’s ready to go.”

TRUCK DELIVERS PEP TALK

Worsfold said a half-time pep talk by coach-in-waiting Ben ‘Truck’ Rutten inspired the Bombers’ huge 52-point turnaround.

“I didn’t say anything at half time,” Worsfold said.

“(Rutten’s half time contribution included) some structural stuff that we adjusted, and most of it was instructional around ‘this is how it’s going to look when we get out there in terms of how we’re setting up’.

“But the bulk of it was: ‘Believe in what we’ve been working on, believe in the way we want to play, forget about the first half, we can’t do anything about that, let’s just be positive about the way we want to take the game on in the second half’.

“I’m so proud of them regardless (of the win over the Hawks), I was proud of them last week, I was proud of them the week before.

“(But) I’m proud of the fact they were able to not run out in the second half disappointed and flat, but still believing ... and they got excited about it.

“I think Truck asked Irving Mosquito, when he came off in the third quarter and he just said: ‘How much fun is this!’

“That shows they started to feel the rewards of all the hard work they’ve been putting in.”

Ben Rutten speaks to his players at one of the breaks against Hawthorn. Picture: James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images

WELCOME BACK, JOE

Essendon spearhead Joe Daniher made a sensational return to football helping spearhead the Bombers to a stunning 16-point comeback win over Hawthorn.

The star forward snagged three goals from 14 disposals and 10 marks and showcased his supreme aerial power reeling in two brilliant high grabs in the third-term burst.

His sparking comeback will fuel hopes the 26-year-old can recapture his best after a three-year-long battle with recurring groin problems.

The Herald Sun revealed on Wednesday the Bombers had already launched into talks with Daniher’s TLA management about a new deal in the face of interest from Sydney Swans, Brisbane Lions and Geelong Cats.

Daniher can walk to the club of his choice as a free agent at season’s but Essendon list manager Adrian Dodoro remains determined to keep him.

There were concerns Essendon had been “desperate” in rushing Daniher back to the top level without any match practice in recent weeks.

But the father-son gem brushed aside any fears over his fitness on Thursday night launching a 55m set shot on his booming left foot in the five-goal-to-one third-term fightback.

Importantly, he moved well and was Essendon’s most threatening forward after half time as the Bombers posted their sixth win of the season.

Speaking after the match, Daniher said he aimed to play in Essendon’s last four games of the season, if he pulled up well in the coming days.

“I feel really good and I have got the training in, so I have been working hard and hopefully I can play out this year,” Daniher said.

“It has been frustrating, but I just had to stick to the process and make sure I got the injury right.

“The boys’ support has been fantastic, so to come out and help them out, it feels good.”

Bomber Devon Smith celebrated his 150th game with a brilliant win over Hawthorn. Picture: James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images

HAWKS’ FAST START

Like they did against Port Adelaide, the Hawks got off to a blinding start and dominated the first term, but for all their effort were only 13 points up at the first siren, with inaccuracy hurting them.

Tim O’Brien’s poster and Jack Gunston’s missed snap right in front, were two of four behinds for the quarter.

The Bombers, meanwhile, were jittery, making poor decisions heading forward and sending mistimed handballs to teammates under pressure.

A team-lifting goal from Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti was a highlight, but as Essendon great Matthew Lloyd described the Bombers’ first term on 3AW: “That’s as bad a quarter as we’ve seen from them all year”.

The Hawks rectified their inaccuracy in the second term piling on 4.6, and by half time had seven individual goal-kickers.

Hawk Chad Wingard tries to evade Bomber Andrew McGrath during Thursday’s match at Adelaide Oval. Picture: James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images

BOMBERS IN THE CLEAR

If there was one area that the Bombers were in front all day, it was clearances.

Despite being 36 points down at halftime, they were well up in that stat, 20-10, with Andrew McGrath and Dylan Shiel having combined for nine.

And yet, they were down by six goals.

As the Bombers staged their fight back in the third, finally those clearances started mattering and they had 17-4 inside-50s for the quarter as McGrath had a field day, adding another 12 touches and two clearances to his tally.

He finished with 32 disposals and was close to best on ground.

But teammate Zach Merrett’s 36 touches were simply team-lifting.

For Hawthorn, Tom Mitchell (27 disposals) and Jon Ceglar (30 hit-outs) were important.