Essendon’s trip to the SCG to take on the Sydney Swans has been a learning experience for the Bombers, according to Captain Brendon Goddard.
The Bombers played some of their best football of the year against the red-hot Swans in the first half, before the home side was able to run away with a 13 goal to one second half.
Goddard said it was a tale of two halves and there were a lot of positives to be taken out of the 81-point loss.
“A few of us in the post match spoke of the positives of the first half. It was some of the best footy we have played all year in terms of our ball movement in particular which is something we have been working on,” Goddard said.
“It was a disappointing end to the game with the last quarter.
“We haven’t done the review yet, that’s coming tomorrow but I envisage the review will be a lot of positives in the first half and things we can really learn from in the second half which was against a quality opposition.
“A few of the younger guys, even guys that missed some footy over the time, they are going to take something away from the game.”
Key defender Michael Hartley faced a rampant Lance Franklin who finished the day with six majors, four of them coming after the half time break.
“The delivery to Buddy was first class, Harts did a pretty good job,” Goddard said.
“A year ago Harts wouldn’t have thought he’d be playing on Lance Franklin at the SCG on a Saturday afternoon.
“Hypothetically if the other guys were here he wouldn’t of been doing that so there’s a silver lining from the difficult circumstances we’re in. You can’t tell me he’s not going to be better for it.”
The Bombers went to the harbour city with a goal to rectify some slow starts in interstate matches this season.
In round one at Metricon Stadium against the Gold Coast, the Bombers trailed by 29 points at quarter time. A trip to Adelaide Oval to take on Port Adelaide saw a 35 point deficit at the first change in round three.
“Our first couple of interstate trips we haven’t started well, we talked about that and addressed those issues,” Goddard said.
“It was really positive to see we started well in an interstate trip and against a quality opposition.”
