Essendon Coach John Worsfold says the Bombers had a clear plan in place to curtail the influence of Jason Johannisen, but the Norm Smith Medal winner was just too good on the day.

Johannisen kicked four goals and spent much of the game in the forward half as the Bulldogs recorded a 30-point win over the Bombers.

Worsfold told The Footy Panel it wasn’t a lack of planning or a failure to apply a hard tag that cost the side.

“He (Johannisen) beat his opponent, that’s it in a nutshell,” he said.

“His speed and his ability to convert and finish … some of them from long range were outstanding. 

“Small forwards can get away from you at times.

“I would like to let our supporters know that there was plenty of work put into if Johannisen was playing off half back and even the times he was going to be on the wing – we were very clear on how we were going to play him.

“He played forward and full credit to him that’s he’s got the ability to play forward or back and still impact games.

“He was just too good.”

Worsfold said the Bombers have used ‘run-with’ players at times this season and the coaching staff considers a range of factors before determining how to combat the opposition’s best players. 

“You’re always weighing up how much you want to change the way your team plays to cope with a different midfield mix versus if your midfield overall will beat the opposition midfield,” Worsfold said. 

“Throughout this year we’ve probably used what we would call a ‘run-with’ player three or four times through the midfield.

“No one has really picked it up and we don’t promote the fact … but we were really pleased with the jobs that were done. 

“It wasn’t bringing in a straight shut down player. It was using one of our midfielders who has got great concentration and the ability to match up an opponent, attack them and get off them.

“We’re open to scrutiny as well – if you lose a game and a midfielder from the opposition dominates, people say ‘you lost because you didn’t tag’.

“That’s a pretty basic view of it and it’s an understandable one but there is a lot more factors to it.”