Best Win Since 2000 No. 28
Round 14 2018 vs West Coast
| West Coast | 0.1.1 | 1.6.12 | 2.12.24 | 6.16.52 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essendon | 6.2.38 | 8.4.52 | 9.7.61 | 12.8.80 |
Context
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Essendon were having a disappointing season after making the finals in 2017. They came back from their bye in 13th on the ladder with a 5-7 W/L record.
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West Coast were 2nd on the ladder but were missing their key forward duo, Josh Kennedy and Jack Darling.
Why it’s on the list / key moments
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Essendon couldn’t do a thing wrong to start the game. The Bombers won the 1st quarter 38-1 thanks to their daring run through the corridor off half back from the likes of Adam Saad and Conor McKenna. Saad was awarded the 3 Brownlow votes.
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Devon Smith snapped a terrific goal on the run from a tight angle just before the QT siren.
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As if that wasn’t good enough, Smith converted well from a set shot to kick off the 2nd quarter. Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti then burst away from a stoppage in the right-forward pocket and bent the ball through the middle to make the scores an unbelievable 50-1.
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The Eagles started to pepper away at the goals with 21 of the remaining 31 scoring shots, but they saved their accuracy until it was too late to impact the result.
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Devon Smith kicked his 3rd goal by roving the pack and squeezing a dribbler through a small gap, midway through the 4th quarter.
Extra notes
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Essendon won the disposal count 392-319.
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West Coast won the free kick count 33-17.
What happened next?
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Essendon improved their season’s fortunes but couldn’t get over the line in spirited performances against the top 6 sides, which cost them a spot in the finals.
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West Coast finished 2nd on the ladder and won all 3 of their finals to become premiers, including the famous win against Collingwood on Grand Final day where Dom Sheed threaded the needle to put the Eagles in front late on.
Click here to go to best win #27.