Essendon have bounced back from their AFL Gather Round horror show with a runaway 29-point win over the Western Bulldogs.
A week after being embarrassed by Port Adelaide, the Bombers were up for the fight in a 15.6 (96) to 9.13 (67) victory in a feisty contest at Marvel Stadium on Friday night.
They trailed by 10 points midway through the second term but overwhelmed their opponents with 10 of the next 11 goals.
The result gave Brad Scott’s side a 3-2 record ahead of an interstate trip to take on winless Adelaide next week.
Zach Merrett (27 disposals) was typically busy in the midfield alongside Jye Caldwell (23) and Sam Durham (21) while Jake Stringer delighted in kicking two goals against his former club.
Kyle Langford (three), Harrison Jones and Xavier Duursma (two each) also kicked multiple goals.
Dominated by Port Adelaide in centre clearances last week in a 69-point thumping, the Bombers redressed their issues in that area as Todd Goldstein and Sam Draper won their ruck battle with All-Australian Tim English and Sam Darcy.
Bulldogs forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan kicked 3.3 from 12 touches in his 50th AFL game but missed an important set shot at the start of the final quarter before the Bombers kicked away.
Tom Liberatore (25 disposals, nine clearances), Adam Treloar (28, four) and Ed Richards (22 touches) fought hard for the Bulldogs, who had no answer to Essendon’s spread of contributors.
An entertaining opening term featured four lead changes as Ugle-Hagan kicked two goals from strong marks and a late Alwyn Davey Jnr major helped the Bombers to a narrow 5.0 to 4.2 lead at quarter-time.
The trend continued in the second period as the Bulldogs temporarily seized momentum, hitting the front with the first two goals of the quarter, only for Essendon to hit back with the next three.
Stringer had started the game on the bench and missed some targets with poor early kicks but produced a highlight when he slotted the Bombers’ go-ahead goal before halftime with a brilliant left-foot snap.
They led 8.2 to 6.6 at the main break and the surge continued when Jones kicked their fourth consecutive major, the lead swelling to 14 points early in the third term.
Ugle-Hagan responded by slotting his third goal not long after almost pulling down a spectacular grab reminiscent of Gary Ablett Sr’s one-handed 1994 mark of the year.
But the Bombers restored their double-figure buffer in a flashpoint when Treloar gave away a free-kick to Stringer in a marking contest, before three Bulldogs collided in the air and Langford took the advantage to kick his third goal.
Jye Menzie succumbed to a left shoulder injury and was substituted out of the game at three-quarter time but it didn’t stop Essendon kicking away with the first five goals of the final term.
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Key events
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Update
Luke Beveridge says Tom Liberatore is OK
A moment captured on the broadcast late in the fourth quarter was Bulldogs’ star Tom Liberatore appearing to collapse on the field.
He got to his feet and finished the match.
Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge says Liberatore is fine.
“He’s fine. I think for some reason he lost his footing and stumbled,’ he said.
“He’s been looked after and there’s no concussion.”
What happened to the Bulldogs?
Huge crowd! Can’t believe the score. Where are the Doggies?
– Old mate
The Western Bulldogs will be disappointed with that game, especially after nearly knocking off Geelong last week.
They could not handle the Bombers’ pressure tonight.
They also did not convert enough of their opportunities at goal.
Plenty to work on over the next week.
A win worth savouring if you are an Essendon fan
Bombers away! Thanks Mick
– Mike
Are the Bulldogs making the right call with their substitutions?
Essendon won the stoppages tonight
A lot was made of Essendon’s poor stoppages against Port Adelaide in Gather Round.
They fixed it tonight.
The won hit-outs 35-23 and clearances 35-27.
A great turnaround.
‘We copped it all week’: Langford thrilled with Bombers performance
Kyle Langford has spoken after the match, where he kicked three goals.
“We copped it all week about our performance and we really wanted to bounce back, for each other, for our supporters,” he told the Seven Network
“It was a great effort by the guys — a great win.”
FT: Essendon 15.6 (96) defeat Western Bulldogs 9.13 (67)
A magnificent win for the Essendon Football Club.
Coming off the disappointment of last week, they needed a big performance and they delivered.
A 29-point win in the end.
Two in a row for the Bulldogs. Margin back to 30 points
The Western Bulldogs had enough scoring opportunities tonight, but their efficiency was not good enough.
Aaron Naughton does take an opportunity for the Dogs, getting his second goal.
Sam Darcy gets a goal for the Dogs
Too little, too late, but it is a nice goal for Darcy.
Knocks the ball down inside the goalsquare, but gets his boot to the ball as Bombers defenders swam to him.
50,144 pack into Docklands
They have just posted the crowd — 50,144.
It’s been more than a decade (I believe) since 50,000 packed into Docklands for a home-and-away fixture.
More goals for Essendon as they run away with the match
Essendon have answered a lot of questions tonight.
They have kicked 10 of the last 11 goals in this match.
Seven of their goals have been from stoppages, including the most recent one to Jake Stringer, who marks inside 50 and slots it down the middle.
The lead at the end of the third quarter was 14 points, it is now 43.
Durham, GOAL. Are the Bombers home?
Sam Durham kicks his first goal for the night.
Essendon has kicked four straight goals.
Their pressure across the park has been outstanding.
Goal Essendon. They lead by 25
Great pressure from the Bombers.
They were composed inside their defensive 50, and they send it back the other way.
Jade Gresham collects it 40 metres out, snaps, and goals.
A big roar from the Essendon fans at Docklands.
Harrison Jones kicks his second, Essendon lead by 19
Well done Harrison Jones. He spots a ball going inside 50 is coming up short.
He dives and takes the mark.
He goes back and slots his second goal for the match.
The game is there for Essendon to win right now.
3QT: Bombers lead by 14 ahead of a massive final term
This game can go either way.
14 points will not feel safe for Essendon.
No team has been able to pull away from the other.
This should be an exciting finish.
Kyle Langford kicks his third goal for Essendon
They were lining up the Bombers.
Their pressure in the forward half has been excellent.
The ball goes to the goalsquare and Stringer is infringed.
The advantage is paid to Langford, who is standing in the goalsquare next to Stringer.
He thinks about giving it to his mate as a reward, but he puts in a certain goal to extend the lead to 15 points.
Bulldogs make their substitution
Bailey Dale is in and Ryley Sanders is out.
Teams trading behinds as the game hangs in the balance
The previous five scores have been behinds.
Both teams have missed good chances for goal.
Enjoy this ALMOST mark:
Bulldogs halt momentum with a goal
The Western Bulldogs needed that — and it was Jamarra Ugle-Hagan again.
Another strong mark inside 50. Another great kick for a goal.
We reviewed it to see if it hit the post, but it didn’t.
Goal Bulldogs.
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