AFL Melbourne v Essendon: Bookends to return for Demons, Rutten finds positives in defeat

The Demons have a dillemna ahead of next week’s match against Port Adelaide with an embarrassment of riches available for the match committee to select from.

Ben Brown is out of the Demons clash with Essendon

Melbourne’s undefeated start to the season will receive an extra boost next week when key bookends Jake Lever and Ben Brown return to the line-up to face Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval.

Lever is set to return for his first game of the year after overcoming a foot injury while Ben Brown (Covid protocols) withdrew from the Demons’ line-up that beat Essendon by 29 points on Friday night.

And Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin was looking forward to Lever reuniting with his fellow premiership key defender Steven May, who had his colours lowered by Essendon forward Peter Wright (four goals).

“Our back seven have done a great job in the first three weeks, but obviously Jake Lever is an important player for our footy club,” Goodwin said.

“His combination with Steven is really important to us … it’ll be good to have him back.”

In further good news for Melbourne, key defender Harrison Petty (calf) will return through the VFL next week while Michael Hibberd (calf) is “a couple of weeks away”.

Stream every match of every round of the 2022 Toyota AFL Premiership Season Live & Ad-Break Free In-Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin is looking forward to Jake Lever’s return. Picture: Michael Klein

Fringe key forward Sam Weideman played the game of his career against the Bombers, stepping up in Brown’s absence to boot a personal best four goals in his first game since Round 13 last year.

Whether he can fit into the same forward line as Brown and Tom McDonald remains to be seen, but Goodwin was full of praise for the way Weideman has handled the disappointment of remaining on the outer for so long, especially during a premiership run.

“He’s handled it incredibly well and ‘Weid’s been really open and honest with himself about what he needs to improve in his game and he just went to work at training through the summer,” Goodwin said.

“He’s been ready to go for a while and the opportunity presented tonight … I’m really proud of him.

“He’s worked incredibly hard to get this opportunity and he came out and delivered tonight.

“Clearly he’s putting enormous pressure on, Sam, in terms of selection, which is healthy.”

The highlight of Melbourne’s win was Ed Langdon’s incredible goal late in the game when he kicked the ball with the outside of his right boot from the left pocket on the boundary surrounded by Essendon trio Andrew McGrath, Dyson Heppell and James Stewart and threaded the needle.

“He said to me after, ‘I don’t know how I kicked that’, and I said, ‘Neither do I,” Goodwin laughed.

And down the other end of the ground late in the third term, Christian Petracca appeared to gesture that a goal he kicked was touched as he kicked it, despite the score reviewers failing to find conclusive evidence that that was the case and opting against overturning the goal umpire’s decision.

“I haven’t seen it, but it’s pretty honest,” Goodwin said with a chuckle.

Encouragingly for the Demons, who are chasing back-to-back premierships, Goodwin drew parallels between how his current team is performing and how the 2021 side went about its footy.

“Very similar to last year in terms of how we’re playing,” he said.

“We’re not blowing teams away, we’re playing a pretty ruthless sort of brand of footy around contest and defence and we’re able to grind teams down by the end.

“We’re really happy with how our game’s progressing, we’ve still got a lot of improvement left in us in terms of how we’re playing, but we’re playing the right way and hopefully that brand will stand up in time.”

RUTTEN ACENTUATES THE POSITIVES AFTER 0-3 START

Essendon coach Ben Rutten hasn’t lost faith in his team’s ability to compete with the best teams, despite a 0-3 start to the season for the first time in 55 years and only the second time in the club’s history.

The Bombers have lost to three of the four preliminary finalists from last year, but Rutten believes the lessons learn will stand the club in good stead for the remainder of the season.

Melbourne kept its unbeaten start to 2022 alive with a 29-point win – their 10th successive win including last season – but Essendon worked its way back into the contest after a sluggish start.

“Absolutely, we take some positives out of the last three weeks,” Rutten said.

“They haven’t all been blistering performances, but to be able to play three prelim finalists from last year all in three weeks at the start of the season is going to give us a nice little template to see where our game is at.

Tex Wanganeen gave Essendon fans a glimpse into the future. Picture: Michael Klein

“Most importantly, we have got time now to be able to continue to work on it for the rest of the season.”

The Bombers will play back-to-back games against Adelaide and Fremantle at Marvel Stadium in the next fortnight as it looks to get its season back on track.

Rutten admitted he was frustrated by the lacklustre start to Friday night’s clash with the Demons, but took heart from an improved physical approach across the next three quarters.

“I thought our first quarter was a bit reactive and (we were) on the back foot,” he said.

“That’s an area for the group where we want to be coming off the front foot and firing.

“Maybe it was playing against the reigning premiers … but I thought the way our guys responded after quarter time (was good). They were up for the fight, they competed hard around stoppages and the pressure was lifted.

“We saw some evidence that some of our stuff is good enough against the top teams, but we have to work on our ability to be able to do it for longer.”

The Bombers ended up winning the tackle count 50-38, which pleased Rutten, given what has happened in the previous two matches.

Devon Smith was relegated to the medical sub on Friday night off the back of his lack of defensive pressure in the first two rounds.

Rutten said of Smith: “I think he is an experienced mature player who hasn’t been quite at his best and he has been pretty honest about that.”

“It is just about how to support him to get back to playing the footy we know he can play.

“Hopefully this can be a bit of a circuit breaker for him.”

The coach praised Peter Wright for his workrate after kicking four goals and giving the Bombers a focal point in attack, while he said Tex Wanganeen and Nic Martin have good futures ahead of them.

“Peter Wright again was a really strong presence for us ahead of the ball,” he said.

Rutten and the Bombers came in for some criticism last week for having Wanganeen debut as the medical sub and he sat on the bench for the whole game.

But his real “debut” gave Essendon fans – and his famous father Gavin in the stands – plenty to smile about, especially his composure in slotting through his first goal.

“It was awesome to see that goal … we really think he is going to be a player for us,” Rutten said.

“He has got great speed, he has got a really strong work ethic and for him to finish with a goal like that is just a bit of a snippet that we are going to see a lot more from him.”

BOMBERS SINK TO 55-YEAR LOW AS DEE SLOTS GOTY CONTENDER

Melbourne have overcome a shockingly wasteful first half to maintain their undefeated start to the season with a 29-point win over a plucky Essendon outfit at the MCG on Friday night.

The Demons absolutely dominated play in opening two quarters, but incredibly, thanks largely to woeful goalkicking, only enjoyed a nine-point lead at halftime before the more efficient Bombers found themselves eight points up early in the third quarter.

But the reigning premiers responded strongly, kicking seven of the next nine majors, as well as the final three of the game, to make sure the Bombers stayed at arm’s length.

Melbourne finished the game with massive advantages in inside 50s (66-39), contested possessions (133-116), disposals (376-320) and marks (120-88), yet Essendon forward Peter Wright was lining up at the 21-minute mark of the final term to get the Bombers within six points. He missed it, though, and it would prove to be Essendon’s last roll of the dice, saving the Demons nervous end to the game.

Clayton Oliver was everywhere for the Dees. Picture: Getty Images

Sam Weideman kicked four goals. Picture: Getty Images

The 14.15 (99) to 10.10 (70) result means Melbourne have started back-to-back seasons 3-0 for the first time in 66 years, and in a great omen for the current crop.

Melbourne won consecutive flags in 1955 and 1956 as part of a hat-trick of premierships that was completed in 1957.

Conversely, Essendon have started a season 0-3 for the first time since 1967 and just the second time in their history. Their next two games against Adelaide and Fremantle, both in Melbourne, are must-wins if they hope to make the finals again.

For Melbourne, Angus Brayshaw took a remarkable 20 marks to go with 34 disposals, Clayon Oliver racked up 38 touches (18 contested) and 15 inside 50s, Ed Langdon (31 touches) was superb on the wing and recalled key forward Sam Weideman stood tall in Ben Brown’s absence, kicking a career-high four goals.

Essendon were well served by Wright (four goals) while Jordan Ridley (21 touches) and Darcy Parish (24) tried hard as well.

LANGDON SEALS IT IN STYLE

Langdon did Peter Daicos proud late in the final quarter when he kicked the ball with the outside of his right boot from the left pocket on the boundary — surrounded by Essendon trio Andrew McGrath, Dyson Heppell and James Stewart — and threaded the needle to put Melbourne up by 17 points and make Wright’s missed set shot down the other end two minutes earlier hurt Essendon even more.

Ed Langdon kicks this miracle goal. Picture: Getty Images

GET OUT OF TOWN!

That is actually outrageous Ed Langdon 🤯#AFLDeesDonspic.twitter.com/csQfrAk6f5

— AFL (@AFL) April 1, 2022

Langdon celebrates after the goal. Picture: Getty Images

REDMAN CLANGERS

With his Bombers enjoying the momentum for the first time in the match, Mason Redman had a patch that he would rather forget. With his side leading by seven points, his kick-in went straight to Clayton Oliver who set up James Harmes’ first goal from 40m out in front. Then seven minutes later, Redman soccered the ball out of bounds on the wing and the ensuing play from the Melbourne free kick led to Sam Weideman nailing a magnificent drop-punt set shot from the fence to put the Demons 11 points to the good.

SUPER GOAL FOR HONEST PETRACCA

Late in the third quarter, Christian Petracca kicked one of the goals of the night as he bisected the big sticks from 52m out on the run from the boundary. The Melbourne superstar appeared to admit that the kick was actually touched by James Stewart, however, the score reviewers didn’t have enough evidence to overturn the decision, meaning the Demons could keep their 11-point lead.

Tex Wanganeen celebrates his first AFL goal. Picture: Getty Images

WANGANEEN GETS ON THE BOARD

Early in the third term, Essendon youngster Tex Wanganeen cleverly outbodied Joel Smith, grabbed the crumbs, cut across the forward line and snapped truly from 30m out in front for his first AFL goal, exhibiting the similar kind of dexterity that his famous father Gavin displayed in his glittering career.

Good luck topping this for wholesome moment of the year.

Tex Wanganeen kicks his first goal and his dad Gav goes off! #FootyOhWhatAFeeling | #AFLDeesDonspic.twitter.com/5n24vTkTM8

— AFL (@AFL) April 1, 2022

Gavin Wanganeen celebrates after his son's first AFL goal. Picture: Fox Footy

Gavin Wanganeen's reaction after his son Tex hit the post 😅#AFLDeesDonspic.twitter.com/lXKwkfTyvd

— AFL (@AFL) April 1, 2022

SCOREBOARD

DEMONS 3.5, 4.8, 9.12, 14.15 (99)

BOMBERS 0.4, 3.5, 8.5, 10.10 (70)

LERNER’S BEST

Demons: Brayshaw, Oliver, Langdon, Weideman, Harmes, Gawn.
Bombers: Wright, Ridley, Kelly, Stewart, Parish, Martin.

GOALS

Demons: Weideman 4, Harmes 2, Fritsch 2, McDonald, Viney, Sparrow, Petracca, Spargo, Langdon.
Bombers: Wright 4, Stringer 2, Cutler, McGrath, Wanganeen, Perkins.

INJURIES Demons: Nil Bombers: Nil

UMPIRES Foot, Stephens, Whetton

VENUE MCG

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

LERNER’S VOTES

3 A.Brayshaw (Melb)

2 C.Oliver (Melb)

1 E.Langdon (Melb)

Originally published as AFL Melbourne v Essendon: Bookends to return for Demons, Rutten finds positives in defeat