AFL 2021 Essendon v Western Bulldogs: Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti targeted in racist attack

Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti has responded to the vile racist attack he was subjected to after Essendon’s elimination final loss to Western Bulldogs.

Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti was subjected to a racist online attack after a Bombers elimination final loss he did not play in. Picture: Michael Klein

Essendon forward Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti has penned a heartfelt message detailing his difficult year after being the subject of a racist online slur following a game he didn’t play in.

The Bombers removed an “appalling comment” from a fan on their Facebook page on Sunday night which had been directed at McDonald-Tipungwuti after the club’s elimination final loss to the Western Bulldogs.

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The 28-year-old did not feature in the match, having sat out the past three games due to personal reasons.

McDonald-Tipungwuti posted on Instagram that the comment was highly disappointing at a time when the wider public should be supporting each other.

Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti was subjected to a racist online attack after a Bombers elimination final loss he did not play in. Picture: Michael Klein

“As a society we should never define anyone by the colour of their skin, religion, race, culture or ability,” the post read.

“In Australia we are one people and a diverse community that should be galvanising together instead of ripping each other apart.

“My family and I like many others are separated by distance and Covid restrictions which has made this year very difficult for all. We all feel isolated and we should be using our words to unite us in the face of adversity.”

Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti addressed the racism on his Instagram page.

Essendon identified the individual who made the comment as a supporter but not a member.

“The club has attempted to contact the individual on several occasions on Monday morning and the individual has ignored our attempts to discuss the matter,” the Bombers said in a statement.

“Vilification, racial or otherwise, has absolutely no place in our society. This must stop now, and it starts with all of us in calling out this vile behaviour.

“The Essendon Football Club stands in total solidarity with McDonald-Tipungwuti and will continue its fight against racism.

“It has to stop.”

The Bombers also said they were aware of “unsavoury comments” directed towards Western Bulldogs players on social media after the match.

“The club condemns any abuse directed toward opposition players in light of the result following Sunday’s match or at any time,” the statement said.

“It is hurtful, unnecessary, and not in the spirit of our great game.”

McDonald-Tipungwuti is a proud Indigenous man, who was born and raised on the Tiwi Islands before moving to Victoria at age 17 to pursue his dream of an AFL career.

He has played 126 games for the Bombers since debuting in Round 1, 2016.

Cody Weightman was in Bombers’ fans sights online.

‘Ultimate teammate’: Injured star trolls haters

Injured Western Bulldogs star Josh Bruce has lived up to his reputation as the “ultimate teammate” by turning online protector for finals hero Cody Weightman.

Weightman kicked four matchwinning goals in the Bulldogs’ elimination final win over Essendon on Sunday.

But the 19-year-old was attacked online after all four came from free kicks in a game that ended the Bombers’ season, with a 22-14 free kick count in favour of the winning team.

Weightman, who was playing in his first final and just his 18th AFL game, copped plenty on social media despite earning votes from several pundits for his efforts.

Why the pile on Cody Weightman? His attack on the ball early when WBs were under pressure and his smother at HB showed enormous leadership and an insatiable desire to influence the contest. Goals were a bonus.

— Tony Shaw (@TonyShaw22) August 30, 2021

Bruce, whose season was ended by a knee injury in the final minutes against Essendon in round 21, used his time on the sidelines well, sticking up for Weightman.

Replying to some of the ugly comments posted on Weightman’s Instagram account, Bruce trolled the attackers, earning plenty of plaudits himself.

Bulldogs forward Aaron Naughton, who kicked three goals in Bruce’s absence, said he “loved” playing with Weightman, acknowledging his capacity to get free kicks.

“We know what the Flea (Weightman) is up to, drawing a couple of free kicks. But the energy and pressure he puts on the ball is evident and that’s why he got a lot of free kicks,” Naughton told the club website,

“He’s such a great finisher on goal, I love playing with him.”

Josh Bruce quickly moving up the list of favourite AFL players. https://t.co/8yAXhbf3nu

— David Moore (@morteinmooie) August 30, 2021

Naughton said he was quickly on the phone to Bruce after the win in Launceston that sent the Bulldogs into a semi-final showdown with the Brisbane Lions this Saturday.

“It’s obviously heartbreaking for my mate Brucey – I was on FaceTime to him just before,” he said.

“He’s just the ultimate teammate. Without him down there you have to take a bit more responsibility and leadership as the main sort of target down there, which has been good.”

The Bulldogs, who are still in Tasmania., are set to play on Saturday afternoon in Brisbane, with the winner to progress to a preliminary final showdown with Port Adelaide.

Probably dislike Josh Bruce more than i should as he always towels Norf up, but good on him for going to bat for a team mate 👍

Does Doggies coach Luke Beveridge have a couple of aces up his sleeve for the remainder of the finals series?

Theme driver: What’s Bevo really up to with the Doggies?

It is never as bad as it seems.

That was the message Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge desperately tried to portray all last week, after his side missed the top four following three straight defeats to finish the home-and-away season.

Even before the Bulldogs were dropped to fifth on the ladder on percentage by a 38-point Brisbane win over West Coast, Beveridge had accepted the fact his side would have to do things the hard way this finals series.

Along with the playing group, he’s now embracing the challenge.

As much as the club’s first finals win since 2016 over Essendon on Sunday was a relief, Beveridge had been unwavering in his belief that a two-point loss to Port Adelaide in Round 23 was not as bad a result as it seemed.

Bailey Smith had a shot on goal to win the game in the dying seconds of that match, which just fell short of the line.

Port Adelaide went on to hammer Geelong by 43 points in their qualifying final seven days later.

“Port Adelaide beat us by two points last week and they beat a pretty good team (on Friday night),” Beveridge said Sunday.

“We’ve just been a fraction off establishing our best again.”

In Round 23, that was the case.

On Sunday against the Bombers, the Bulldogs were well and truly back to their best.

The final missing links in the side’s DNA were found, even in difficult circumstances.

A ‘home’ elimination final against Essendon was anything but on an unfamiliar slippery surface in Launceston and with a crowd that ran about 80 per cent in favour of the side in red and black.

Those fans had plenty to cheer about in a first half arm-wrestle where Essendon had the upper hand in for large periods.

The second half was a different story.

The Bulldogs looked as strong as ever with their set up behind the ball and held Essendon goalless for the entire second half.

Tim English and Mitch Hannan celebrate winning their elimination final against Essendon.

Their midfield helped with that, winning second half contested possessions 102-68, clearances 26-17 and the inside-50 count 32-21.

In the ruck battle, Lewis Young was much improved on his Round 23 performance after the Bulldogs decided not to take a risk on Stefan Martin.

Josh Schache provided an extra target up forward in the absence of Josh Bruce and small forward Cody Weightman bobbed up to kick four goals in his 14th AFL game and first final.

It all just clicked.

There is a theme “bubbling away” that Beveridge is keeping to himself — for now.

“My philosophy about the themes and emotive hooks is you don’t really talk about them unless they come to fruition, if ultimately you win the whole thing,” Beveridge said.

There remains an air of belief that the finals wins can roll on, just like they did in 2016.

Of the five other teams that remain in the premiership race, the Bulldogs have beaten four this year.

“That recent history gives you the understanding that you’re good enough,” Beveridge said.

Bombers coach reacts to ‘costly’ free kick calls

Essendon added some additional unwanted markers to its long finals victory drought but coach Ben Rutten has unwavering belief the seeds have been planted for future success.

The Bombers entered the elimination final against the Western Bulldogs in Launceston without a post-season victory in 6203 days, dating back to 2004.

A goalless second half resulted in a 49-point defeat, a seventh in succession in finals.

Essendon’s 4.12 (36) was also its lowest score since 1908.

Essendon’ cause was not helped by some questionable umpiring calls, with Cody Weightman’s match-high four goals all coming via free kicks.

The Dogs were on the right side of a 22-14 free kick count by the final siren.

Rutten remained diplomatic when asked if it zapped the energy from his players in the third quarter.

“I think it’s part of the game, it’s those conditions that the team that put themselves in the best position, puts their head over the ball and were prepared to absorb the tackle, there’s opportunities there for free kicks.

“They probably did that a fraction better than us in that third quarter and it was costly for us on the scoreboard.”

Cody Weightman kicked four goals for the Bulldogs.

However, after few expected the Bombers feature in the top eight race at the start the season, they have put the foundations in place to become a contender in the coming years.

“Certainly, success for us this year was not always going to be about the scoreboard. We embarked on a journey about us, building a really sustainable, strong footy club again that’s consistently competing at the top of the ladder for premierships,” Rutten said.

“To do that, we had to build and build a really strong foundation and a core group of guys.

“We had a lot of new players come to our group, so it’s about really establishing that, planting some really strong seeds and some strong roots in the ground for us to keep building on.

Martin Gleeson and the Bombers will have to wait another year for a shot at a breakthrough finals win,

“It didn’t happen for us tonight, we’re bitterly disappointed as we came here to win, it is a time of the year that we absolutely want to be playing in.

“We didn’t get the result that we wanted, but that ability to go through what we needed to go through this season, qualify for the finals, put ourselves in a position where we need to go through the week, prepare, they’re only going to be better for that, no doubt about that.

“There’s a lot more to this story to be written, this group’s really committed to doing it.”

DOGS EXTEND BOMBERS’ FINALS AGONY

— Adam Smith

The Western Bulldogs’ blue chip midfield has proven it doesn’t need perfect conditions to flash its class after outgunning Essendon on a rain-soaked UTAS Stadium.

The Dogs staggered into the elimination final on the back of three consecutive defeats — blowing their top-four hopes in the process — but bounced back to form to send the Bombers packing from the premiership race.

Essendon’s wait to end its finals drought, which stood at 6203 days without a win entering the clash, will extend into 2022 after the Dogs secured a 13.7 (85) to 4.12 (36) result, their first post-season victory since claiming the 2016 premiership.

Livewire forward Cody Weightman kicked a match-high four goals, Aaron Naughton added three and Josh Schache — who was a late swap with speedster Jason Johannisen as the medical substitute — chimed in with two alongside Mitch Hannan.

Jake Stringer battles Bulldogs Jack Macrae and Marcus Bontempelli.

But it was in the middle of the ground where the Dogs got down and dirty, led by midfield warrior Tom Liberatore.

“Libba” finished with 35 touches (17 contested), seven clearances and seven tackles to lead the inside brigade, Jack Macrae (36 disposals) was again at his prolific best while Adam Treloar, Lachie Hunter and Marcus Bontempelli had 76 possessions between them.

The Dogs broke the contest open with three straight majors in the second quarter to skip 11 points clear, before Jake Stringer’s second goal deep into time helped cut the deficit to three at the main break.

Stringer’s goal was the last of the day for the Bombers, with a clean and clinical Dogs piling on 8.3 to 0.5 in the second half.

Darcy Parish was electric in the first half for Essendon before being blanketed by Josh Dunkley in the second, but still finished with 35 disposals and a goal.

DOMINANT DARCY

Darcy Parish put the Bombers on his back in the second quarter with one of the most spectacular individual efforts seen in finals.

The All-Australian had 16 possessions (11 contested), seven clearances and four inside-50s — all highs for the quarter — as well as kicking a goal. Since 2010, only Jarrad McVeigh (20) has had more disposals in any quarter of a final.

Marcus Bontempelli gets a break on Dylan Shiel in the wet.

TASMANIAN GETS CHANCE ON HOME SOIL

A late change from the Western Bulldogs handed home town favourite Ryan Gardner an 11th hour call-up. Gardner, who hails from Burnie — a 90-minute drive northwest of Launceston — came into the side after fellow key defender Zaine Cordy was ruled out with illness. Gardner was forced to miss the Dogs’ round 22 clash in Launceston having attended a Tier-2 Covid-19 site in the days before the match.

SCOREBOARD

DOGS 2.1, 5.4, 8.5, 13.7 (85)

BOMBERS 1.4, 4.7, 4.10, 4.12 (36)

SMITH’S BEST

Dogs: Liberatore, Weightman, Macrae, Bontempelli, English, Dale

Bombers: Parish, Draper, Ridley, Merrett, Redman, Gleeson

GOALS

Dogs: Weightman 4, Naughton 3, Schache 2, Hannan 2, Vandermeer, Smith

Bombers: Stringer 2, Smith, Parish

INJURIES

Nil.

UMPIRES Rosebury, Stephens, Williamson

Venue: UTAS Stadium

DOGS FREE KICKS MELT DOWN TWITTER

— Chris Cavanagh

“Free kick Bulldogs”

The phrase became a theme of the 2016 finals series as the Western Bulldogs powered to premiership glory.

And Essendon fans are steaming, with the 2021 finals series seemingly beginning in the same way.

The Bulldogs narrowly led the free kick count 15-12 at three-quarter time against the Bombers in their elimination final in Launceston.

However, it is where the Bulldogs have been getting their free kicks that has been of most interest to Essendon fans.

Bulldogs forward Cody Weightman has kicked four goals directly from free kicks alone, among a total of five goals from free kicks for Luke Beveridge’s side.

Weightman kicked his first goal in the opening quarter from a free kick for high contact in a tackle.

Four goals from frees for Weightman, one of them line ball, the other a blatant mistake. On a wet day with 11 goals it’s going to cost the Dons the game

— Jon Ralph (@RalphyHeraldSun) August 29, 2021

Deadset ruining this final the umpires #AFLDogsDons

— Steve Salter (@PoggaSalter) August 29, 2021

Teammate Aaron Naughton kicked a goal from 25m out on the boundary for a deliberate out of bounds call in the second term.

Weightman then ran into Essendon ruckman Sam Draper minutes later and received another free kick for high contact, slotting his second goal from 20m out directly in front.

Weightman received a further two free kicks within two minutes in the third quarter, the first for a hold in a marking contest and the second for a bump after he was already out of bounds which was deemed unreasonable.

He kicked goals from both opportunities.

In his first AFL final, Weightman has an equal-career-high four goals to the final break, which saw the Bulldogs leading by 19 points.

Originally published as AFL 2021 Essendon v Western Bulldogs: Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti targeted in racist attack