Best Win Since 2000 No. 31
Round 9 2018 vs Geelong
| Essendon | 5.2.32 | 9.5.59 | 10.11.71 | 12.12.84 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geelong | 2.2.14 | 2.3.15 | 3.5.23 | 7.8.50 |
Context
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Essendon were 2-6 and had just lost to previously winless Carlton. Mark Neeld had just left his post as game performance coach.
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Geelong were 3rd on the ladder.
Why it’s on the list / key moments
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The Bombers blew Geelong away early, escaping to a 32-2 lead, before Geelong kicked 2 of their own to conclude the 1st quarter.
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Zach Merrett laid a crunching tackle on Gary Ablett Jnr right on the QT siren to prevent a last-second shot on goal.
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The Cats never looked threatening all afternoon. The Dons looked like a completely different team than the one from the first 8 weeks, attacking the football with intent and looking to move the ball quickly. The Dons won the 2nd quarter by 26 points and were totally dominant.
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Dyson Heppell caught Geelong star Joel Selwood with a ferocious tackle halfway through the 2nd quarter and was awarded a free kick for his efforts.
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Conor McKenna kicked a fantastic goal on the run from outside 50 to make the margin 54 points with just over 7 minutes of game time remaining. For once, it was the Cats kicking junk time goals that didn’t reflect the course of the match.
Extra notes
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Matt Guelfi kicked his 1st goal for Essendon.
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Jordan Ridley and Dylan Clarke’s debuts for Essendon.
What happened next?
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Essendon were much improved from this point onwards, but their poor start proved costly as they finished 11th.
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Geelong scraped into the 8 despite their 131.6%. They were easily accounted for by a reborn Melbourne side in an Elimination Final.
Click here to go to best win #30.