Australian Football

Match Report

As expected, GWS had an ultimately comfortable win over bottom side Essendon at Docklands stadium on Sunday afternoon. What was entirely unexpected was that the win wasn't close to be comfortable, or indeed even being a win, until time on in the final quarter, when the Giants finally broke away from a gallant and highly tenacious Bombers outfit with three late goals to score a 27-point win. Until that point, Essendon was very much in the game and the Dons were indeed ahead as late as 17 minutes into the third quarter. In the end, though, GWS's greater talent and composure saw them through to a win that sees it within a game of the top of the ladder.

What was to come for Essendon in the first half wasn't apparent in the match's early minutes, with a behind to Toby Greene followed by a goal to Ryan Griffen giving the Giants a seven-point lead after 90 seconds. The Bombers got on the board with a goal at the three-minute mark, and then GWS wasted several opportunities, adding six consecutive behinds to lead by seven points midway through the term. Essendon then started to get on top, with two goals to Orazio Fantasia giving the Dons a lead of a goal. Jeremy Cameron levelled the score with his first at the 24-minute mark, but a goal to Joe Daniher and a cluster of behinds gave Essendon a 10-point lead at quarter time.

When Zac Williams scored the first goal of the second term within 30 seconds of the start of the term for the Giants, the general expectation was that GWS would quickly get on a roll and take charge of the match. But Essendon had other ideas and kicked three of the next four goals, via Matthew Leuenberger, Mitch Brown and Jamar, to jump to a 16-point lead. The Giants hit back through majors to Jacob Hopper and Sam Reid, but another goal to Leuenberger gave the Bombers a shock 12-point half-time lead. 

Joe Daniher had a chance to extend Essendon's lead early in the third quarter but his shot at goal in the second minute sailed wide. The Giants then began to gradually get on top. They missed a couple of shots at first, but then Toby Greene kicked truly to cut the deficit to an even goals. Cameron and Josh Kelly added further behinds, and then first-gamer kicked two in a row (the first after a dubious free kick) to give GWS a nine-point lead. Cameron added another to make the difference 15 but Fantasia's third goal had the Bomber within striking distance, eight points adrift at 'orange' time.

The first goal of the final term went Essendon's way to Mitch Brown, to bring the Dons within two points but three in a row from GWS, via Jonathan Patton, Greene and Kennedy to jump out to a 20-point lead. Daniher kicked a great long goal to keep Essendon in it, and the Dons had further chances to stay in the hunt but five more shots at goal result in just five behinds. In the meantime the Giants added three goals straight to extend the final margin to a harsh and non-reflective 27 points at the final siren.

Fantasia's 20th game for Essendon was easily his best, his 12 disposals yielding four goals as well as four misses. For the victors, Stephen Coniglio (29 touches and a goal) played a greay game. 

GWS will host Carlton at the Sydney Showground next Saturday, while the Bombers will have a week off before their round 15 match against West Coast at Subiaco on Thursday week.

GOALS
Essendon: Fantasia 4; Jamar, Brown, Leuenberger, Daniher 2
GWS: Greene 4; Kennedy 3; Williams, Cameron 2; Griffen, Hopper, Kelly, Reid, Patton, Coniglio

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Essendon: Kelly, Zaharakis, Cooney, Fantasia, Merrett, Jamar
GWS: Coniglio, Williams, Greene, Ward, Shaw

BEST - HERALD SUN
Essendon: Fantasia, Merrett, Jamar, Gwilt, Kelly Goddard, Dempsey
GWS: Shaw, Williams, Greene, Coniglio, Kennedy, Scully

INJURIES
Essendon: Nil
GWS: Davis (foot), Haynes (back)

REPORTS: Essendon's Mark Jamar for verbal abuse in the first quarter

UMPIRES: Nicholls, Findlay, Fleer, Pannell

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Sandy Roberts, Dwayne Russell, Jonathan Brown, Alastair Lynch, David King