Australian Football

Match Report

Essendon has survived a first half-scare from Greater Western Sydney on Saturday afternoon to defeat the Giants, remain undefeated and maintain its place at the head of the ladder.

The game got off to a bright start for GWS, with Jeremy Cameron marking and kicking the first goal of the match at the three-minute mark. Taylor Adams followed up with a freak goal from the forward pocket to give the Giants an 11-point lead and when Cameron marked and kicked his second at the eight-minute mark, GWS suddenly led by 17 points. It took until the 12-minute mark for the Bombers to get on the board, with Hardingham kicking Essendon's first. But Jeremy Cameron received a free kick and kicked his third moments later to restore a 15-point lead to the Giants and Tom Scully added another just before quarter time and the first break saw GWS with a 21-point buffer.

The margin was extended further when Scully kicked another top open the second quarter but Alwyn Davey kicked his first to cut the Giants' lead back to 20 after nine minutes. Jeremy Cameron's great game continued and he marked again and converted for his fourth to give the Giants a 27-point lead and an upset win appeared to be on the cards. Rhys Palmer could have taken the margin beyond 30 but he missed, and Scott Gumbleton then scored a goal for Essendon at the 25-minute mark, leaving GWS 21 points to the good at the long break.

Alas for the young Giants they were unable to sustain the effort in the second half. After the perfect start to the third quarter with Cameron kicking his fifth, the Bombers exploded with the next seven goals, through Brendon Goddard, Gumbleton (two), Davey, Stewart Crameri (two) and Heath Hocking and they took an 18-point lead into the last quarter. The Giants recovered to kick four goals in the final term, including a sixth to Cameron, but Essendon kicked another seven to run out winners by 39 points.

David Zaharakis played another great game for the Dons, while Cameron was a stand-out for GWS.

The Bombers will now meet Geelong on Friday night at Docklands to decide top place on the ladder. The two sides are the only undefeated ones after round six. The Giants, still in search of their first win, will take on Adelaide at home next Sunday afternoon.

GOALS
Essendon: Crameri, Davey 4; Gumbleton 3; Hardingham, Goddard, Hocking, Bellchambers, Baguley, Hille
GWS: Cameron 6; Scully, Adams 2; Treloar, Bruce

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Essendon: Zaharakis, Hibberd, Goddard, Davey, Gumbleton, Dempsey, Crameri
GWS: Cameron, Adams, Townsend, Mohr, Scully, Treloar

BEST - THE AGE
Essendon: Zaharakis, Davey, Hibberd, Dempsey, Goddard, Hooker
GWS: Cameron, Mohr, Townsend, Treloar, Adams, Giles, Reid

COACHES' COMMENTS
James Hird (Ess): We didn't play well in the first half, and the Giants played very well in the first half. We came into the game understanding that they [the Giants] had excellent speed, excellent skill and that if we didn't win enough of the contest and defend well in our forward half , they'd get out the back of us and be able to use the ball well, and it played out that way. We just had to get the game back we wanted it.

Kevin Sheedy (GWS): We played pretty well and we didn't get the results that we should have got earlier. We missed running goals from 25, 30 yards out. We should have been another two goals ahead at half time and that would have put real scoreboard pressure on them. We've lost some key players goal-to-goal which I think hurt us a lot compared what Essendon's lost, so I think the young team did okay.

INJURIES
Essendon: Stanton (groin)
GWS: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Essendon: Heath Hocking replaced Brent Stanton (upper leg) in the third quarter
GWS: Zac Williams replaced Tomas Bugg at three-quarter timE

UMPIRES: McBurney, Bannister, Burgess