AFL SuperCoach take aways: Jye Caldwell pain, Jordan Dawson concern after Essendon-Adelaide thriller

There was plenty to unpack after a thrilling Friday night contest at Marvel Stadium. Check out our three big SuperCoach takeaways.

The Bombers and Crows fought out a Friday night thriller and there was plento to unpack — check out our three big SuperCoach takeaways from the Marvel Stadium clash.

1. Not owning Zach Merrett is just painful

I’m one of those unfortunate souls in the top few thousand coaches who somehow still don’t have Zach Merrett in their teams. There was reason for us non-owners to be optimistic several times tonight. First, when Hugh Bond went to him early in the game for a tag few had predicted. Then when Merrett limped to 52 points at halftime after a quiet second quarter. By three-quarter-time he was over 90 points though, when non-owners were given another chance to dream. Merrett went quiet, got stuck on 93 points for a while but then Sam Berry fell into his back 30m out from goal. He kicked truly, went up to 111 and another big score was locked in.

2. Jye Caldwell’s owners are mighty unlucky

Just when Jye Caldwell got cooking in the second half and launched to 100 SuperCoach points, his head was slammed into the turf in a tackle from Ben Keays. He initially went off the ground for a head injury assessment but was subbed out not long after and if he is diagnosed with concussion, Caldwell will also be ruled out of round 20. That’s a big blow for the Bombers but also the SuperCoaches who have been enjoying Caldwell’s supreme run of form in recent weeks.

3. Billy Dowling is better than some of our premiums

What is it about Billy Dowling and fourth quarters? Just when it seemed like he had slowed after an impressive first half on Friday night, Dowling surged in the last term to finish with more than 80 points and back up his 101-point outing from round 18. It’s an interesting call coming up for coaches who have Dowling as their M9 or F7 and had the emergency on him on Friday. Do you take Dowling’s score knowing it’s guaranteed or back a premium to beat him? Based on recent weeks, the latter is no certainty to happen.

Jye Caldwell’s absence was a big blow for the Bombers but also SuperCoaches. Picture: Mark Stewart

INJURY-RAVAGED CROWS STUN BOMBERS IN CLASSIC

A Josh Rachele goal with a minute to play has earned an injury-ravaged Adelaide a win for the ages in a Friday night classic against Essendon.

The Bombers trailed by six goals when Adelaide piled on eight consecutive majors in the second term, including three to Ben Keays.

Inspired by captain Zach Merrett and spearhead Kyle Langford after the main break, Essendon hauled in the deficit and led into the final minutes until Rachele’s snap dribbled through to give the Crows the lead.

The Bombers went forward twice in the last minute but could only add two points to their total, allowing Adelaide to cling on for a 17.13 (115) to 17.11 (113) triumph.

The loss is likely to be compounded for the Bombers with important midfielder Jye Caldwell subbed in the lasr quarter amid concussion fears after a tackle from Ben Keays.

Keays finished with five goals but is sure to come under scrutiny from match review officer Michael Christian.

Crows skipper Jordan Dawson also spent most of the last quarter off the field after he was collected by a bump from impressive Bombers youngster Nate Caddy.

Josh Rachele was the hero for the Crows. Picture: Mark Stewart

Q3: MERRETT, CALDWELL LAUNCH DONS TOWARD VITAL WIN

Here come the Bombers.

Inspired by a five-minute surge from captain Zach Merrett at the start of the third quarter and two goals from Nate Caddy, Essendon powered its way back into a crucial game for its top-eight aspirations against Adelaide.

Caddy goaled twice after Jade Gresham booted the opening goal of the second half, all but eradicting Adelaide’s halftime advantage in a matter of minutes.

Merrett piled on about 20 SuperCoach points during that run, providng the clearance and assist for Caddy’s first and then almost kicking a goal with a snap himself minutes later.

And the Crows were unable to stop his momentum after appearing to drop the Hugh Bond tag as Merrett went from 52 points at halftime to almost 100 with a quarter to play.

It could leave SuperCoaches with him as vice-captain a big call to make should he score around 130 considering Zak Butters and Marcus Bontempelli have favourable match-ups on Saturday.

Whatever Brad Scott said at halftime clearly worked because with 12 minutes still remaining in the quarter, Adelaide’s lead was culled to one point after a superb set shot from Kyle Langford.

The quarter was almost a direct reversal of the second as Essendon moved the ball with speed and Adelaide’s defence, missing injured pillars Nick Murray and Jordon Butts.

The Bombers’ dominance has resulted in a big shift in the SuperCoach scoring as well, with Langford, Merrett and Caddy joining Martin among the top scorers in red and black.

Defensive duo Jordan Ridley and Mason Redman have also been important, while a goal from Jye Caldwell which put Essendon 10 points clear pushed him towards another SuperCoach hundred.

The other big watch is Crows captain Jordan Dawson, who was hurt in a collision with Nate Caddy and is likely to be assessed for concussion.

Q2: RAMPANT CROWS LEAVE DONS FINALS BID IN JEOPARDY

Essendon’s flimsy hold on a top-eight is in jeopardy after an eight-goal blitz from Adelaide at Marvel Stadium.

The Bombers left it until late in the quarter to answer a second-term blitzkreig from the rampant Crows as Ben Keays led the way with three goals.

The Crows kicked eight consecutive majors and led by 36 points against an Essendon side which could end the round as low as ninth.

Last week thousands cashed in on Geelong’s Lawson Humphries when he scored 108 and Adelaide young guns Zac Taylor and Billy Dowling are delivering tonight.

Taylor and Dowling both kicked goals in the second term, helping Adelaide draw level midway through the quarter in a worrying sign for the Bombers.

Taylor eclipsed 50 SuperCoach points with 15 minutes still left in the second term and Dowling - who scored 101 points last round - wasn’t far behind.

For the Bombers, Sam Durham is on track to record his most disposals in a game and was the pick of an under-siege Essendon midfield in that quarter.

At one stage, the Bombers trailed by 36 points after successive goals from the in-form Ben Keays, majors from Riley Thilthorpe and Darcy Fogarty and a third from Keays in a blistering run.

Keays has scored 120, 93 and 123 SuperCoach in the past three weeks and has 67 at halftime.

Nic Martin continued to defy an attempted tag from Lachie Murphy to be 57 SuperCoach at the main break.

Meanwhile, Coaches who have stuck fat with Jordan Dawson might finally be rewarded tonight, with the Crows skipper on 60 points after a big second term.

Rory Laird leads all comers with 73 points. SuperCoach forward line saviour Jye Caldwell has been quiet with 35 points, while Zach Merrett has 52.

FIRST QUARTER

Second-gamer Hugh Bond has the uneviable task of tagging Brownlow Medal contender Zach Merrett tonight.

The Bombers skipper has been one of the AFL’s hottest players in the past two months and sounded a warning to the Crows when he had five disposals in the first five minutes tonight. Merrett managed to slip Bond several times at stoppages as his experience shone through, managing seven disposals, five clearances and 28 SuperCoach points.

Lachie Murphy is trying to quell Nic Martin but the tag is working about as well as Windows computers tonight. Martin has been best afield and has 38 SuperCoach points.

The Bombers got off to a fast start with the opening three goals before Adelaide steadied at Marvel Stadium. After being used as the sub last week in his first game for the year, former No.2 pick Riley Thilthorpe has been prominent for the Crows and leads the game with 44 SuperCoach points. Jye Caldwell is going head to head with Jordan Dawson. Dawson’s SuperCoach scoring (21 points) was hampered by a 50m penalty he gave away during the opening term. Matt Guelfi crunched Brodie Smith early in the quarter but the veteran Crow has played on. Nick Murray is the other injury concern for the Crows after leaving the field with a knee complaint. Murray was subbed out of the game for Brayden Cook at quarter-time.

TOP-10 PICK FEELS DONS SELECTION SQUEEZE

Archie Perkins has felt the selection squeeze at Essendon and been relegated to sub for tonight’s clash with Adelaide.

The 22-year-old, who has averaged 17 disposals and four tackles this year, has been down on form in recent games.

He shapes as a second-half gamebreaker for the Bombers as they try to strengthen their grip on a finals spot.

Brayden Cook is the sub for Adelaide, which is chasing its seventh win of 2024.

Follow live updates and SuperCoach analysis all night below.

PRE-GAME: CAN CROWS CRASH BOMBERS’ FINALS PARTY?

Adelaide’s September dream is over for 2024, but it can still play a big role in shaping the finals – starting with a huge clash against Essendon on Friday night.

The Bombers slipped to sixth after last week’s loss to Melbourne, just two points ahead of three teams with finals ambitions, and with an inferior percentage to another three a game further back – the Western Bulldogs, Gold Coast and Collingwood.

Two players who will play key roles on Friday night are opposing captains Zach Merrett – who averages 129 SuperCoach points in his past three games against Adelaide – and Jordan Dawson, who scored 168 when these teams last met in round 6 this year.

Originally published as AFL SuperCoach take aways: Jye Caldwell pain, Jordan Dawson concern after Essendon-Adelaide thriller