Essendon is back on the winners list after a tough and gritty 23-point win over Richmond claimed the Sir Doug Nicholls Cupat Punt Road Oval on Saturday evening.
Punt Road bore the brunt of Melbourne’s winter snap but it failed to deter the Bombers who thrived in the conditions, prevailing 9.13 (67) to the Tigers 5.14 (44).
Jackson Merrett was awarded with the Sir Doug Nicholls Award as best on ground with 33 touches, six tackles and a crucial goal at the start of the final term.
Playing just his second game, Aaron Francis had the Bomber faithful savoring with 22 disposals and 11 marks, many of them cutting off the Tigers possession.
Richmond was up for the contest early, controlling the opening 10 minutes of play locking the ball in their forward half. The Tigers were wasteful in front of goal, registering five behinds before the Bombers pinched the lead after a strong one-handed grab and goal from Jack Langford from their first real advance inside forward 50.
Todd Elton got the Tigers first soon after, but a brilliant passage of play started with one of Aaron Francis’ intercept marks and linking through Bruno Laguda, Alex McLeod, Jackson Merrett and finished off by Mason Redman provided the highlight of the first quarter and tied up the scores at 12 at the first change.
Merrett’s pressure created an opportunity for Will Hams to kick his first early in the second, which was followed by a big tackle from Connor McKenna giving Jake Long and Yestin Eades the chance to combine for a memorable goal.
A smoother from Hams, then desperation and strength in the contest from debutant Nash Holmes displayed the endeavor of the Bombers but a couple of goals from the home side closed the margin back to a kick at the long interval.
Shaun McKernan was an emergency for the AFL clash and spent the first half on the bench, but joined in the action at the start of the third quarter.
The Tigers claimed the lead early in the third quarter but a goal from Sam Grimley restored the Bombers advantage. The third quarter was a dour and hard fought with only the one goal to each side and the Bombers taking a two-point lead into three quarter time.
Stand-in captain Ben McNiece saved a certain goal at one end early in the last quarter, then at the other Merrett rolled one through to give the Bombers a little breathing space.
Goals from Sam Heavyside and Eades stretched the lead to 22 points but Richmond wasn’t done, keeping a pulse with a goal from Ivan Maric.
Hams, who dealt with a heavy tag throughout the match, iced the game with a long range bomb from 50 metres capping off his 24 possessions.
Jordan Schroder picked up 27 disposals with Josh Freezer, Aaron Heppell and Bruno Laguda all getting 19 and Nick Kommer 18. Chris Peart led the tackle count with 12 while Nash Holmes impressed with his will around the contest in his debut.
Coach Matthew Egan was impressed with the way the team set up the win against a persistent opposition.
“Richmond were obviously in for the fight, their first 10 minutes was excellent but they couldn’t convert on the scoreboard – we knew it was going to be an arm wrestle for the whole game,” Egan said.
“The conditions were greasy but you could still use the ball OK. At the start I think we were just kicking long to a contest when we could of kept using the frees around the ground.
“I thought we adjusted really well, our contested work and tackling in particular in the first half when we were under pressure was great.
“We played our style game and as the game went on it started opening up. I was rapt with the win.”
Sam Michael in the ruck led a new-look midfield group of Merrett, Hams, Tom Wallis, Holmes, Peart and Schroder.
Egan said there wasn’t one thing in particular that stood out, saying it was an all-round game and one that stuck to the team plan.
“Longy spoke during the week that indigenous round to him meant playing the style of footy of taking the game on and having fun, we spoke a lot about that during the week – I thought we did that,” he said.
“It wasn’t always going to work with the conditions but we wanted them to keep taking the game on.”
Egan said he was thrilled in the performances of Merrett, Hams and Francis who he said were getting the rewards for some really hard work off the field.
He had some praise for Gippsland Power product Holmes and Heavyside who provided the spark in the last quarter as well as McNiece who captained the side in the absence of Daniel Coghlan.
“McNiece stood up as captain for the first time with Cogs playing the state game on Sunday, Benny looked really comfortable in a leadership position,” Egan said.
Jake Long was carried from the ground by trainers with a knee injury in the last quarter. The severity is yet to be determined.
The win evens the Bombers win-loss ledger at four and four and see’s them back inside the eight in fifth, albeit with a game in hand.
Goal kickers: Hams, Eades 2, Merrett, Langford, Redman, Grimley and Heavyside.
