In 2019 we will be looking back on five key lessons to take away from every Bombers match, thanks to RMIT.
This time we look into Essendon’s disappointing 59-point loss to Port Adelaide at Marvel Stadium on Saturday.
1. You can’t rely on comeback footy
As exciting as it was to see the Bombers repeatedly chase down their opponents in style, there was always a lingering concern about the side’s sluggish starts in recent weeks.
There wasn’t much between Essendon and Port Adelaide in the first half, but the Dons simply failed to capitalise on their opportunities as the Power made the most of theirs at the other end.
It saw the visitors enter the main change 16 points clear of the Bombers despite the home side leading inside 50s 30 to 28 and the team was made to pay for its missed chances from thereon.
While in other weeks Essendon was able to finish off strongly and get out of jail, the team was punished on Saturday with Port running riot in the second half with 11 goals to Essendon’s two, showing comeback football is just not sustainable enough.
2. Snelling offers exactly what the Dons need
Essendon has missed last year’s best and fairest winner Devon Smith this season. But part of the missing aggression, grunt and pressure Smith provided for the side has been reintroduced by new Bomber Will Snelling.
The mid-season recruit was a shining light for Essendon on Saturday in just his third game for the club, playing like a man possessed against his old side, which he played for just once in three frustrating years.
Snelling’s ability to fight in the contest and put his head over the ball has been extremely impressive and important for the side, while he continues to prove dangerous in front of goal.
He finished the game with 21 disposals, 13 contested possessions, five tackles, two goals and a goal assist and the future looks bright for the 21-year-old.
Two goals and an assist in Q2 for Snell.
— Essendon FC (@essendonfc) August 3, 2019
This was the pick of the bunch #AFLDonsPower pic.twitter.com/NUWAjEN2GR
3. Early losses proved damaging
Snelling’s ability to do the tough stuff on the ball was particularly important once young gun Darcy Parish was withdrawn from the game due to concussion.
But the early loss of Parish in the first quarter hurt the side, compounding the absence of captain Dyson Heppell and leaving a significant void in the contest through the middle.
It added insult to injury following the late withdrawal of Shaun McKernan before the game with the important big man suffering from illness.
It caused a shake-up of the side, forcing a number of changes that saw the Bombers struggle to gain any momentum throughout the game.
Without McKernan standing tall deep in the forward line and pinch-hitting in the ruck, regular defender Cale Hooker was swung forward and athletic goalkicker Mitch Brown was forced to help out in the ruck.
That also meant last week’s clearance king Jake Stringer couldn’t spend as much time on the ball as the side would have liked and the side eventually finished the game down 41 to 31 in clearances (19 to 11 in the centre) and with only seven marks inside 50 to Port’s 15.
The Bombers missed the in-from Shaun McKernan on Saturday. (Image: AFL Photos)
4. Unheralded Ambrose continues to shine
There are few more underrated players than Patrick Ambrose and he showed once again how valuable he is this week.
Ambrose has been in 38 contested defence one on ones in 2019 and he has lost just five, making up just 13.2 per cent, which puts him right up among the best one-on-one defenders in the league.
Only Port Adelaide’s Tom Jonas (13 per cent) has a better success rate than Ambrose out of the 100 players who have had the most one on ones this year.
Ambrose’s ability to shut down his opponents has seen him claim a number of big scalps throughout the year and this week the unfortunate one was powerful Port forward Charlie Dixon.
The tough Bomber kept Dixon goalless and restricted his impact across the ground, letting his opponent claim just five disposals.
If it weren’t for a quad strain that saw Ambrose miss three games, it wouldn’t have surprised many to see the shutdown defender right up in contention for the 2019 Crichton Medal, and hopefully he will get his due recognition soon.
Ambrose closes down Dixon at Marvel Stadium. (Image: AFL Photos)
5. Port’s best is very hard to stop
The Power were always going to respond from a frustrating run of form and unfortunately that time came against the Dons on Saturday.
The talented side was clinical in attack, making every chance count and working tirelessly to create space and flow forward in numbers.
Port was clearly the cleaner side with the ball in hand with 76 per cent kicking efficiency to Essendon’s 62, allowing the team to create meaningful opportunities in front of goal and converting them brilliantly with 14 goals and two behinds from set shots.
The Bombers were only able to boot consecutive goals on one occasion on Saturday on a frustrating day where the Power repeatedly had the answer to any challenge, closing down Essendon’s space and strangling the side’s style of play.
Port’s emerging crop of young stars were particularly impressive under the roof with first-year players Connor Rozee (22 disposals, five inside 50s and 2.5) and Xavier Duursma (26 disposals and a goal) showcasing their talent in an eye-catching display that showed just how good the Power can be.
