Round 17 – Essendon v Adelaide: Growing Maturity

By Caspar McLeod.
10/7/2021.
Essendon v Adelaide, Marvel Stadium.

 

 

I firmly believe this win for Essendon was a sign of growing maturity for our footy future. Consider the last few seasons. Until this year, 2017 was the last year we had at least one win by 50+ points. That year we beat both Port and West Coast by 70+. Since 2017, we’ve had many 50+ defeats. For the sake of my sanity, I’m not going to list any of them.

 

This year, we’ve stepped it up a few notches after an uninspiring campaign last year. The win on Friday night was our third by over 10 goals in 2021. And yet, I feel… unsatisfied. This is weird, considering that, in previous years, we would have lost a game like this. Even last year, when the Crows were in the middle of their worst season ever, they nearly beat us. This year, the Crows beat Geelong and Melbourne and pushed Brisbane for a half before fading just a week before. And we smashed them.

 

But… we kicked 11.18. Imagine, IMAGINE if we kicked 18.11? Percentage, like every year, is going to play a massive role come the end of the season. I can’t help but feel we left a lot of percentage out there tonight.

 

And yet, despite my frustration at how inaccurate we’ve been at times this season, I can’t help but feel a growing sense of pride in my Bombers as I leave the stadium. We’ve become one of the most consistently watchable teams in the league. We’re well placed for the finals at the end of round 17, which was unthinkable at the end of round 2 (hell, even after round 8 it was looking very unlikely).

 

Next week, we have the improved Roos, and then a tricky three-game stretch featuring games against the Giants, Swans, and Dogs. But, for now, I’m going to enjoy our win over Adelaide.

 

But, I do have one request, Bombers. Please spend extra time this week in front of the sticks, practicing goal-kicking.

 

 

ESSENDON              2.5      6.8     9.12     11.18 (84)
ADELAIDE               0.2      1.3       2.7     2.9 (21)

 

GOALS
Essendon:  Perkins 3, Wright 2, Hooker, Jones, McDonald-Tipungwuti, Snelling, Stringer, Waterman
Adelaide: Murphy, Schoenberg

 

BEST
Essendon: Merrett, Redman, Ridley, Perkins, Hind, Snelling
Adelaide: Laird, Seedsman, Smith, Schoenberg 

 

INJURIES
Essendon: Langford (hamstring)
Adelaide: Himmelberg (illness) replaced in selected side by Will Hamill, Doedee (concussion), Seedsman (calf)

 

SUBSTITUTES
Essendon: Ham (replaced Langford in the fourth quarter)
Adelaide: Davis (replaced Doedee in the second quarter)

 

 

 

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