Essendon endured a steep learning curve on the road in its 72-point loss to a star-studded NT Thunder side at TIO Oval in Darwin.
Against a team bristling with no fewer than 12 AFLW players including 2018 All-Australian captain Chelsea Randall, the Bombers were undermanned but nonetheless caught the Thunder unawares in the first quarter in the 4.0 (24) to 14.12 (96) loss.
Moving the ball directly and precisely, Essendon stunned the hot favourites with the first three goals of the game through Kendra Heil (two) and Alex Quigley. The Thunder was forced onto the back foot as the Bombers played with no regard for their opponent’s reputation and put together their best quarter of football thus far. Local-born Danielle Ponter had a homecoming to remember when she kicked her third goal in as many matches to bring the Darwin crowd to its feet in the shadows of quarter time to reclaim Essendon’s lead at the first change.
However, once the likes of Angela Foley, Emma Swanson and Lisa Roberts found their footing the tide of the match turned and there was no going back. The Thunder seized the lead through Swanson in the opening minute of the second quarter and proceeded to pile on another nine goals against the besieged Bombers.
In the Darwin heat, the Essendon backline worked to the very end. Simone Nalder negated the Thunder’s long bombs into attack in the second half with a safe pair of hands on the last line of defence. Lauren Caruso played her best game yet as she hunted the ball in the backline while full-back Kirby Hicks added the goalless Adelaide AFLW player Rhiannon Metcalfe to her growing list of scalps.
It was a baptism of fire for debutants Nat MacDonald and Aysha Ward, but coach Brendan Major said his side never surrendered.
“No one likes losing, but there have been positives to come pout of every game,” reflected Major. “We showed a lot of positives early, those four goals were from seven entries… then their big guns started to influence stoppages and pressured us well, but our backs stood up and out midfielders defended well.”
Essendon will look for its first win when it plays the Southern Saints next Sunday at Trevor Barker Beach Oval from 11.30am.
Essendon 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0.24
NT Thunder 3.4 8.6 12.8 14.12.96
Goals – (Ess) Heil 2, Ponter, Quigley.
- (NT) Swanson 2, Foley 2, Sedunary 2, Roberts 2, Hickey, Forth, Hewett, Jones, Bevan, Varnhagen.
Best – (Ess) Nalder, Ugle, Moreau, Hicks, Collier, Caruso.
