Essendon’s VFL side produced a gritty performance at ETU Stadium on Saturday, overcoming a sluggish start to power past Port Melbourne with a 16-point victory.
The Bombers were made to work hard for the win, trailing for much of the contest before a final-quarter surge sealed the 9.17 (71) to 7.13 (55) result.
The game had some added spice with former Bombers Dyson Heppell, Tex Wanganeen, and Tom Hird lining up for the Borough, injecting extra intrigue into an already competitive clash.
It was a tightly contested opening term, with momentum swinging both ways as Alwyn Davey Jr. and Kayle Gerreyn hit the scoreboard early. Despite Essendon’s forward pressure, it was Port Melbourne who edged ahead by quarter-time.
Port built on their lead early in the second quarter, capitalising on clean ball use and some lapses in Essendon’s structure. However, the Bombers clawed back momentum before the main break through goals from Oskar Smartt and a second from the lively Davey Jr.
The third quarter turned into a defensive stalemate, with both sides struggling to generate scoreboard impact. It wasn’t until Rhys Unwin snapped truly that the Bombers finally hit the front for the first time in the match, setting up a tense final term.
Essendon exploded out of the gates in the fourth quarter, lifting their intensity around the ball and locking the game inside their forward half. The side battled inaccuracy but eventually goals from Jared Eckersley, Davey Jr., and Tyler Sellers sealed a dominant final term to cap off a strong comeback win.
Davey Jr. was electric throughout, using his pace to create turnovers, apply relentless pressure, and finish with three goals in a standout performance.
Elijah Tsatas was a bull around the contest, collecting a game-high 32 disposals and 15 clearances, while Lewis Hayes impressed again down back with 26 touches, 12 marks, and six tackles.
Jayden Laverde also stood tall in defence, racking up 22 disposals and 10 marks to repel numerous Port Melbourne entries.
Co-captains Xavier O'Neill and Jackson Hately led from the front, combining for 48 disposals and setting the tone through the midfield with their work rate and composure.
Jayden Nguyen provided rebound and run off half-back with 20 disposals, consistently driving the ball forward, and Oskar Smartt continued his promising form inside 50 with scoreboard impact and forward-half pressure.
The Bombers’ strong finish sees them continue to build momentum, with the performance showcasing their growing depth and maturity under pressure.
The side play Collingwood next week where they will look to improve to 3-1.
Essendon 2.0 (12) 4.4 (28) 6.11 (47) 9.17 (71)
Port Melbourne 2.5 (17) 5.7 (37) 6.9 (45) 7.13 (55)
Goals: Eckersley (1), Smartt (1), Gerreyn (1), Sellers (1), O'Neill (1), Unwin (1), Davey Jr. (3)
