Round 1 – Hawthorn v Essendon: All is right with the world

Hawthorn v Essendon
3:20 PM, Sunday March 19
MCG

 

 

I should be asleep. Have to wake up for work in six hours. But my brain can’t settle. It keeps replaying Essendon’s win against Hawthorn again and again. Can’t get to sleep. Might as well write my thoughts about today’s game, Essendon’s biggest and best win against Hawthorn in almost two decades.

 

There were so many moments that made me smile as an Essendon supporter, and as a footy supporter more generally. It was great being at the footy again. I do agree with those who think the cricket season lasts too long. The AFLW not being played in February anymore, though I understand why the decision was made, has made this footy drought feel even longer. Preseason footy doesn’t really count. Five, six, seven, or eight period-long matches with some VFL footy thrown in for good measure. Even the preseason matches that last only four-quarters, the way the footy gods intended them to be, don’t feel like real matches. Not since the preseason tournament was thrown out.

 

It was great to yell ‘BALLLL!’ aggressively at the umpires. It was great to eat a hot jam doughnut on a cold day (how I’ve missed those doughnuts). It was great to be a part of a large mass of humanity moving to the MCG, all in that moment with one reason to live: watching the footy live. I miss these moments when the footy isn’t on.

 

From an Essendon perspective, it was great to see Davey Jnr playing as well as he did. Watching the replay of his goal back and seeing his Dad and twin brother applauding warmed my black and red heart right up. If that warmed up my heart, then seeing Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti run onto the footy field made it swell with love and affection. I’ve been lucky enough to witness four amazing Walla-related moments. In round 2, 2016 I sat in awe as a ‘Tippa’ chant started around the MCG. An MCG chant for a bloke playing in his second game. I was there in Round 4 of 2019 when he kicked seven goals against Brisbane. When he kicked his seventh, the roar of the crowd was so loud I didn’t hear the siren sound seconds later. I saw him kick his great goal against Collingwood on Anzac Day 2021 live. Yes, he was out of bounds by quite a long way. But I don’t care. It was a great goal kicked by a fantastic player. And besides, Jamie Elliott kicked a goal against us on Anzac Day in 2015 which was also out by quite a distance.

 

And then I saw Walla’s game today.

 

Now, him merely being out there would’ve been plenty of enough excitement and happiness for Bombers supporters today. But when he kicked an amazing goal from 50 metres or so, my swollen heart burst. I think that may be one of my favourite footy moments ever. One I will never forget. I certainly don’t think the young Hawthorn supporter sitting in front of me will forget the amount of screaming and yelling I did (no, I am not sorry).

 

There were other amazing moments too. But there are just too many to recount. I think the most incredible thing about today was that we’ve been belted many times by the Hawks over the last 15 years or so. 2012, both teams entrenched in the top 8, Hawthorn mounting a Grand Final assault, Essendon floundering a little. Hawks won by nearly 100 points, not even a contest. 2013, smashed us by ten goals or so. 2015 (the second time around) a 38-point margin, in the end, flattered us. But there have been amazing Essendon wins too. Hurley’s herculean heroics against the Hawks in Round 22, 2009 to get us into finals, the first 2015 game with Hooker’s snap and the timely siren, Adam Saad’s great goal in 2019, the ‘Joe-Show’ as the commentary team called it in 2020, and the out of nowhere comeback just last year. It is true that we are in a little dominant patch against the Hawks now, with their win against us in Round 1 of 2021 the only loss against them since 2018. But this win was different. All those other recent wins were close and featured a spirited Essendon fightback against a stubborn Hawthorn team. This win was dominant. Think about that. We not only beat the old enemy on the day they were celebrating the 40th anniversary of the ’83 flag, we spanked ’em. Crushed, annihilated, obliterated, and eviscerated them. And I loved every moment of it.

 

Yes, yes I know we were playing the youngest team in the comp (or maybe the second youngest) who played absolutely horribly today, but hey! We too are young. The Hawks were awful but it takes a great performance to truly make them pay for it as we did.

 

I’m not getting ahead of myself yet. There will be lows this year and there will be highs. But for now, I am enoying that we are now on top of the ladder. Imagine that, on top of the ladder. First time since 2013 that that has happened, I reckon.

 

All is right with the world. And now, to sleep.

 

I set my alarm for five and a half hours from now.

 

 

HAWTHORN    4.5     5.7     5.9      9.11 (65)
ESSENDON       3.1     8.5    14.8    19.10 (124)

 

GOALS
Hawthorn: Breust 3, Hardwick 2, Wingard, Jiath, Amon, Greene
Essendon: Perkins 3, Weideman, Redman, Draper, Menzie 2, Setterfield, Ridley, Jones, Davey jnr, Caldwell, Durham, Heppell, McDonald-Tipungwuti

 

BEST
Hawthorn: Worpel, Ward, Sicily, Day, Hardwick
Essendon: Merrett, Parish, Perkins, Laverde, Setterfield, Redman

 

Crowd: 68,691 at the MCG

 

 

 

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