VelvetSledge
Moderator
- May 24, 2007
- 17,493
- 35,311
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- Essendon
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- Liverpool FC, Melbourne Storm
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- #1
PORT ADELAIDE POWER
Gotta say, after all the booing and drama surrounding this kid, it was bloody great to see Jason Horne-Francis really live up his potential. He's going to be a star, if he's not there already.
It was good to see Jeremy Finlayson being, ultimately, the deciding factor in the game, with two crucial marks in the dying stages, especially considering the tragedy unfolding in his family.
A dramatic second half saw the lead interchange multiple times, as these two relatively evenly-matched sides went hammer and tongs at each other in a thoroughly entertaining Friday night clash.
Port were very similar to the Dons last week in that they were asleep at the wheel for the first quarter before working their way back into the game - the only difference is that St Kilda didn't switch on in the second.
The Rioli named lives on, now in teal; Junior Rioli popping up with the last two goals of the third term to give the Power some breathing space against a Saints side that can beat anyone on their day.
The Power were super direct in their ball movement and moved it quickly and efficiently, whereas their pressure forced the Saints to over possess the pill and turn it over constantly.
Aliir Aliir has got back to top form after a slow start to the year, and will most likely be the biggest obstacle for Weideman today.
ST KILDA SAINTS 11.10 76
def. by
PORT ADELAIDE POWER 12.11 83
BEST: Horne-Francis, Boak, Butters, Houston, Powell-Pepper
GOALS: Rioli, Powell-Pepper, Dixon, Finlayson 2, Duursma, Boak, Houston, McEntee
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ESSENDON BOMBERS
To be a top side, you need to play four full quarters of footy, and it really seems like that's the concept we struggle with in 2023.
Against St Kilda, Collingwood, and Geelong, we've been headless for a single quarter out of the four and that has been the deciding factor for our losses in those games.
Aside from that, all the ingredients are there. Usually, a 5 goal loss would be upsetting, but we're finally on the right track.
With Hawkins kicking 8 on a woefully undersized BZT (that's not his fault, Hawkins is the size of a bus), but holding his own in the second half when the magnets were switched, you'd assume we would get smacked, but we were genuinely solid without being impressive.
Jake Stringer played arguably the best game of his Essendon career with a huge 4-goal, 26-disposal game, including 11 clearances. He was brilliant.
Sam Weideman looks like he's slotted into his role in the forward line perfectly now, kicking 5 goals. He'll face another big challenge this week with the stingy Port defence, but his confidence would be sky-high.
Dylan Shiel has had a brilliant, albeit somewhat underrated start to the year. He's hitting the scoreboard and getting heaps of footy.
Finishing with triple figures against the Cats doesn't happen often, so it's a sign that things are certainly heading in the right direction.
Whilst we are a young side without much experience, which ultimately was the difference last week, we're playing great footy and all lines are holding their own, no matter the opponent.
We have played the top four in the last month, and 5th and 6th in the next fortnight. It's a brutal run of fixtures, but after that, things start to ease up a bit. If we can get through the next two weeks with at least one win, we can start to push hard towards the bye.
ESSENDON BOMBERS 16.8 104
def. by
GEELONG CATS 20.12 132
BEST: Stringer, Weideman, Parish, Shiel, Caldwell, Martin
GOALS: Weideman 5, Stringer 4, Shiel 2, Draper, Caldwell, Redman, McDonald-Tipungwuti, Hobbs
PORT ADELAIDE EMERGENCIES: Jase Burgoyne, Francis Evans, Ollie Lord, Trent Dumont (is still playing apparently)
ESSENDON EMERGENCIES: Will Snelling, Zach Reid, Massimo D'Ambrosio, Jye Menzie
PORT ADELAIDE OUTS: Jase Burgoyne, Ollie Lord (Both Omitted), Xavier Duursma (Injured)
PORT ADELAIDE INS: Todd Marshall, Tom Jonas
ESSENDON OUTS: Massimo D'Ambrosio, Will Snelling (Both Omitted), Sam Durham (Suspended)
ESSENDON INS: Alwyn Davey Jnr, Dyson Heppell
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Sub to be chosen from the emergency list one hour prior to bounce.
No great surprises from either side this week, with the Power bringing back tall forward Todd Marshall, whilst also bringing back maligned captain Tom Jonas. Whilst in his day, Jonas was one of the hardest and toughest defenders in the league, his returns so far in 2023 have been somewhat down, much to the mire of plenty of Port fans. Jase Burgoyne and Ollie Lord have both been taken out of Ken Hinkley's team, whilst young jet Xavier Duursma will miss a matter of months with a torn PCL.
Sam Durham found himself on the wrong side of the Match Review Officer with a "dangerous tackle", and it's become entirely obvious that it's not worth appealing those suspensions anymore. Will Snelling and Massimo D'Ambrosio have also been dropped to the VFL after quiet returns against the Cats last week. Father son young gun Alwyn Davey Jnr has been brought back to AFL level for the trip to Adelaide in the hopes that getting seniors game time will start to result in more consistent performances, whilst former skipper Dyson Heppell also returns after a rest last week. It sounds bizarre considering the way he was hounded early in the season, but it really looked as though we missed him last week off half back.
That forward line of Walla, Davey, Stringer and Perkins has some real excitement factor.
ROUND 22, 2022
Marvel Stadium
14/8/22
ESSENDON BOMBERS 9.8 62
def. by
PORT ADELAIDE POWER 23.8 146
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ESSENDON GOALS: Perkins, D'Ambrosio 2, Wright, Langford, Parish, Hind, Martin
PORT ADELAIDE GOALS: Powell-Pepper 4, Butters, Georgiades 3, Finlayson, Marshall, McEntee 2, Boak, Dixon, Amon, Houston, Drew, Rozee, Bergman
ESSENDON BEST: Shiel, Ridley, McGrath
PORT ADELAIDE BEST: Wines, Butters, Powell-Pepper, Finlayson, Marshall, Houston
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CHANGES SINCE LAST TIME:
ESSENDON OUTS: Laverde, Durham, D'Ambrosio, Wright, Guelfi, Bryan
ESSENDON INS: Davey Jnr, McDonald-Tipungwuti, Weideman, Setterfield, Phillips
PORT ADELAIDE OUTS: Farrell, Amon, Duursma, Burgoyne, Georgiades, Mead
PORT ADELAIDE INS: McKenzie, Horne-Francis, Teakle, Williams, Rioli
Port are playing some seriously good footy and have the home deck, but this Essendon team is starting to really piece it together and are due for a win against the grain.
It's mostly heart over head, but let's get it done.
Essendon by 2.
Waiting for the game to start? Let's get poddy.
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