AFL Round 6 – Essendon v GWS Giants: Mind games, magic tricks, martian moves

My two teams – Essendon at the top of the ladder and the Giants at the bottom play each other today.  The Bombers haven’t lost a game and the Giants haven’t won one this season. However, I expect the Giants to come out tackling hard and try to make it a close tussle for at least a quarter. The Giants have nothing to lose and everything to gain by putting in a good effort and I expect Sheeds to have them fired up to take on his former team. Mind games, magic tricks, martian inspired moves; whatever Sheeds has up his sleeves, today is the day to display the lot.

The Giants lack of big men against the Suns last week was telling and this week they have even less big men with Setanta  O’hAilpin and Phil Davis out.  Realistically this could turn into a massacre.The Bombers will be looking for a big percentage booster.

Following the Giants  is like watching the thirds in my hometown. I have  been with these boys from the beginning. Watching them progress is satisfying no matter the result of a game. With Essendon I’m just as attached but in an established  way. I want then to go for broke and win the flag.

When these teams play each other my strategy is simple. Tend to the youngest one first then give the older one some attention.

“C’mon Giants! I’m barracking for you in the first half”

Jeremy Cameron marks and gets the Giants off to a good start with the first goal of the game.  Adams get the Giants second after a handpass from Scully. Then Cameron gets another.  The Giants have a three goal lead before the Bombers get out of bed. Hardingham is first awake and scores their first . Cameron gets his third for the match from a free . Scully goals after a handpass from Shiel. Townsend has done a good job  containing Watson so far in the opening quarter and Tim Mohr has defended well for the Giants.

The Giants have scored 5 goals to the Bombers one in the opening term.

Bomber Thompson does not look happy and  attempts to blow some cobwebs out of the players ears at quarter time.

It makes no immediate difference as the Giants once again get the first score of the quarter, through Scully. The Bombers are struggling with accuracy and perhaps their ears have not yet recovered. Stanton goes off after seeming to pull  a muscle after a chase on Scully. Davey gets a much needed goal for Bombers. The Bombers crowd are unhappy whenever the Giants are awarded a free. Stanton comes back onto the ground. Cameron marks to get his fourth goal for the match. The Giants are playing with confidence. Gumbleton gets a much needed goal for the Bombers. The Giants have weathered the storm for half a game of football and find themselves up by 21 points at the main break.

Bomber Thompson appears even less happy than he was at quarter time. Hirdy is cool and calm. The perfect coaching combination when you think about it.

For the third time the Giants get the first goal of the quarter. Cameron  now has five on the board. The Giants have a 28 point lead before Goddard  steadies the red and black ship  with a long goal from the boundary after a  tough deliberate out of bounds call against the Giants. Gumbleton follows up and the Bombers seem to be finally warming up. Stanton goes off to don the red vest and is replaced by Hocking. Davey goals, then Crameri  brings the Bombers to within two points. Crameri  who has run and worked hard to get himself into the game  puts the Bombers in front by three points after a free from a classic new rule interpretation after Rhys Palmer was first to the ball and in the process upends Crameri.  Hocking goals to put the Bombers up by 12 points then Gumbleton adds one on siren time to give the Bombers an 18 point lead at three quarter time. The Bomber engine has finally slipped into gear and their faithful  fans can  breathe easily at last.  Hibberd and Dempsey have run and created space for the Bombers and driven the ball forward to create opportunities for their forwards.

The Bombers change the pattern of things by  getting the first goal of the final quarter.  The Giants are learning how to play tired and try to hang in there. Treloar scores a much needed goal for the Giants. Crameri  marks on a strong lead and goals for the Bombers. When Bellchambers goals the Bombers are out to a  lead of 31 points. Adams scores the Giants their tenth goal. Davey scores two more for the Bombers. He looks like a guy who wants a game next week. Bruce goals for Giants  then Cameron gets his sixth for the game – no mean feat in a losing team. Hille and Baguley  add to the Bombers tally. The Bombers are winners by 39 points, but the Giants worked hard today and made the Bombers earn their victory.

Greater Western Sydney         5.2  7.5    8.9      12.9 (81)

Essendon                                   1.5  3.8  10.15  17.18 (120)

GOALS

Essendon : Crameri 4; Davey 4; Gumbleton 3; Hardingham, Goddard, Hocking, Bellchambers, Baguley, Hille.

Greater Western Sydney Cameron 6; Scully 2; Adams 2; Treloar, Bruce.

BEST

Essendon: Hibberd , Zaharakis, Goddard, Davey, Gumbleton, Dempsey, Crameri.

Greater Western Sydney: Cameron, Adams , Mohr , Scully, Townsend, Treloar.

UMPIRES: McBurney, Bannister, Burgess

Crowd 30,143

OUR VOTES

Cameron ( GWS) 3, Hibberd (Ess) 2, Dempsey (Ess) 1.

Comments

  1. Rod Oaten says

    Pamela, how can you have two teams? I remember someone asking my mother many years ago if she had a second team? Of course she said, Essendon seconds. I’m a bit like that.

  2. Pamela Sherpa says

    It’s just like having children Rod – you share the love between them . Actually it’s much easier than I thought it would be. I don’t feel torn and the other Giants fans I know are in the same boat with other teams. It’s one big happy football world for us.

  3. Tasman Hughes says

    I really enjoyed your article in the 2012 almanac. “Now,” I said after I read it. “People having two teams actually makes sense.”

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