Round 22 1995, Essendon vs. Carlton

Game Statistics

ESSENDON.........3.6 5.9  6.10  9.13 (67)
CARLTON..........4.5 9.6 12.8  16.12 (108)

Goals:

ESSENDON: Salmon 3, Cransberg 2, Hird, Lloyd, Alessio, Young 1.
CARLTON: Spalding, Pearce 3, Williams, Kernahan, Rice 2, Clape, Ratten, Lynn, Camporeale 1.

Crowd:

87,984 at the MCG

Comment:

Well if Carlton don't win the flag this year, they'll never win it. They really controlled the game from mid-way through the second quarter. It was a dominance I haven't seen since Essendon's dominance in the 1993 Grand Final. And similar to that day, Carlton's power was not shown on the scoreboard. The most they lead by was the final margin, around 40 points. In other circumstances a forty point loss would not be seen as a dominant win, but in this context that is what it was. But, and there are always buts, I believe the Dons are not out of the premiership race, which I'll say in more detail later.

The game started at a frantic pace. After a few minutes Carlton had gained the upper hand, and controlled the ball in almost every area of the ground. Most Essendon players looked shocked, as though the sudden burst by Carlton had completely taken them by surprise. Then, to the credit of the whole team, the Don clawed their way back to be right in it at quarter time. After an awesome five minutes or so by Carlton, the character the players showed to regain their composure was definitely a good sign.

But then Carlton did it again in the second quarter. After a good start by Dons, and at one point we lead by more than a goal, the Blues took off. Now I realise this is the reason they've only lost two games for the year, and why no other team in the eight has beaten them. They really were supreme in almost all departments. It was the same story in the third quarter, and then they finished it off in the last. Yet it was a little bizarre, because possibly their most impressive term was the third, but they only kicked three goals to our one, and their lead was not truly reflected on the scoreboard.

One conclusion that I did reach at the game today was that Carlton supporters ARE worse than Collingwood supporters (now, this must be taken in context. This is a generalisation, and I know many Carlton supporters and Collingwood supporters who are good, rational people. But there do exist a number of people who go each week and give the game a bad name. This is the story of these such people...) Going into todays game I had thought that I had not really encountered any "idiots" this year at the footy, in neither Collingwood game, or the earlier Carlton game. But today, oh today, I was surrounded by the biggest bunch of losers I've ever had the displeasure of being seated near at the footy. Example A. At the ten minute mark of the third quarter, they began reciting the Carlton club song, in full. At this stage they were only about five goals in front. Example B. At the fifteen minute mark of the last quarter they found full voice again. And again, the lead was only five goals. Example C. There were more racist Carlton supporters at this game than at either Collingwood game. Sub-example 1. About four drunkards continually shouted abuse at Gavin Wanganeen, who ironically was running for some part of the game next to his aboriginal cousin in Troy Bond. Sub-example 2. When Essendon supporters booed Greg Williams for his recent racial-indescretion, their supporters flocked to his side, like flies to dung heap. This continual display of ignorance and egocentric attitudes almost made me throw up at one stage.

And of course, those Carlton supporters are soooo modest in victory. Okay, a bit of taunting and that is all right, but the deluge of "We are the best. We are supreme." slogans was sickening. One would have thought that they had just won the flag. And in fact, I think they really believe it is already theirs. Ding-ding!! Wake up!! Carlton has looked superb going into the finals for three successive years, only to be humiliated in the only games that really matter. Who cares if you've won 20 games. Big fat hairy deal. In ten years time the only team that will be remembered is the one that wins the flag, and last year, Carlton-the-favourites were bundled out in straight sets. Oh yes, I do hope to see a repeat performance, oh yes! Anyway, I had to add that because I had an abundance of hatred for all those wankers (i'm afraid there just isn't any other word for them) who unfortunately occupied the same seating area as I did.

To the better players, and unfortunately they were rather difficult to find for this game. When Somerville was injured early and had to leave the ground, Essendon had a real dilemma. They solved it by putting Cransberg in the ruck. At first I was skeptical about this move, as Justin Madden is about a foot taller than him (well maybe not quite) and much more experienced. But I was delighted when Cransberg took on the challenge, and contested Madden almost equally in the ruck, and followed up around the ground, even kicking two goals. Unfortunately this good form was only sustained for about half the game. I thought possibly Essendon's best player was the captain, Mark Thompson. He really showed experience and consistency when many other players were rattled. In only his second game back in the seniors, he really led by example. Another player who always tries his heart out given any situation is James Hird. He played forward and back, and wherever he was, he could always be found in the packs creating the play, or in the air taking marks. Other good players included Dustin Fletcher, who continues his recent good form, and played a good game for his fiftieth; Ben Doolan, who really worked hard on the wing; and Damien Hardwick, who is also in good form at the moment.

However there were quite a few players who were down on form for this game, and of course we had quite a few injuries also. If you put Long, Mercuri, Misiti, Symons, O'Connor and Cockatoo-Collins back into the side, and players like Alessio and Olarenshaw strike some form, we are going to be very tough to beat in the finals. If you look at the stats, Long, Mercuri and Misiti make up about sixty possessions between them each week. That is a lot of play missing from the side. Given our loss and Geelong's win, we can only finish third or fourth, depending on what Richmond do tonight. And given that West Coast will beat Fremantle tomorrow, we will probably play North if we finish third, or WCE if we finish fourth. But the way the final eight was fallen, it looks like Carlton and Geelong will win in the first week, which means we should get the double chance finishing third or fourth. Anyway, these are all hypotheticals, and I guess we'll find out in a week's time how things will go. As a final word, we are by no means beaten yet! - Brad

Votes:

 For the finals, I'd like to get the input of all the Bomber fans out there for the votes. Any Essendon supporters who get to see the game, either live or delayed or whatever, can email me (bjpat5@mfs04.cc.monash.edu.au) their 3-2-1 votes for the game. I'll add them all up and give the votes as awarded by the supporters. I don't know how successful this will be because I don't know how many people who access the page actually get to see the game, or if they rely on this site for the information. Anyway, I'll take votes up to the following Wednesday or Thursday after the game, and then add them to this page by the Friday. Of course I'll keep posting my votes straight after the game.

3 - Mark Thompson
In his second game back the captain showed the top form he had on the backline before he was injured. It's something we've really missed this year, a settling influence on the backline, and bomber certainly fulfilled this role today.

2 - James Hird
Again Jimmy through himself into the game. He worked hard on the ground, and also took heaps of marks around the ground. He keeps up his consistently good form, which will see him up there in the Brownlow Medal count.

1 - Dustin Fletcher
After a good game last week further up the ground, Dustin is once again finding the great form he enjoyed in his debut year. He is a player that we need to be right up there for a successful finals campaign.

The Statistics for Round 22:


Possessions    Kicks          Handballs      Marks         
DOOLAN      25 DOOLAN      17 HIRD        12 ALESSIO      7
THOMPSON    21 HARVEY      14 WANGANEEN    9 CUMMINGS     6
HIRD        20 THOMPSON    13 DOOLAN       8 LLOYD        6
WANGANEEN   18 HARDWICK    11 THOMPSON     8 HIRD         6
O'DONNELL   17 PRIOR       10 DENHAM       8 SALMON       5
PRIOR       16 FLETCHER     9 O'DONNELL    8 FLETCHER     5
HARVEY      15 O'DONNELL    9 PRIOR        6 HARVEY       5
LLOYD       14 LLOYD        9 FLETCHER     5 DENHAM       4
FLETCHER    14 CALTHORPE    9 LLOYD        5 DOOLAN       4
DENHAM      14 WANGANEEN    9 DANIHER,C    5 OLARENSHAW   4

Standing after Round 22 and the end of the Home and Away games:

Fourth. After 22 games that's where we finished. It is quite disappointing to think we were second going into the round, and came out fourth (thanks Richmond!!). And congratulations must be given to Sydney, who successfully kept Collingwood out of this years finals. Well done! And congrats to Brisbane, who will briefly appear in their first finals series ever (I couldn't see them getting close to Carlton down here). So that's it. All the debate about how the final eight will finish is over. And somehow Brisbane managed to surprise everyone and sneak in. It seems, however, that seventh and eigth are irrelevant, and will only provide practice matches for Carlton and Geelong. Commiserations go to Fitzroy, holding down the wooden spoon quite well this year, with even greater certainty than the blues took the minor premiership. And it was also such a shame to see the Dons great rival of the eighties, Hawthorn, relegated to second last, and thus missing the finals for the first time in 14 years. And it will be Richmond who will appear in thier first finals series for 13 years, so there is certainly some shuffling going on with the final placings this year. Now to the finals... The final ladder is as follows:

---------------P--W--L-D--For-Agst---%--Pts
Carlton.......22 20  2 0 2357 1711 137.76 80
Geelong.......22 16  6 0 2558 1939 131.92 64
Richmond......22 15  6 1 2103 1957 107.46 62
Essendon......22 14  6 2 2464 1931 127.60 60
West Coast....22 14  8 0 2079 1692 122.87 56
Nth Melb......22 14  8 0 2311 2013 114.80 56
Footscray.....22 11 10 1 1879 2054  91.48 46
Brisbane......22 10 12 0 2104 2207  95.33 40
Melbourne.....22  9 13 0 1938 1925 100.68 36
Collingwood...22  8 12 2 2043 2111  96.78 36
Adelaide......22  9 13 0 1763 2191  80.47 36
Sydney........22  8 14 0 2314 2299 100.65 32
Fremantle.....22  8 14 0 2051 2209  92.88 32
St. Kilda.....22  8 14 0 1814 2258  80.34 32
Hawthorn......22  7 15 0 1857 1975  94.03 28
Fitzroy.......22  2 20 0 1617 2780  58.17  8

Next Week:

Qualifying Final 4 versus the West Coast Eagles. This is probably the best scenario for Essendon from all perspectives (given that we haven't finished in the top two). First, it means that if we lose, we won't have to play the Eagles in an elimination type final the next week, we will have to play either Richmond or North (given that Carlton and Geelong will win, giving us the double chance). Also, it means that we will not have to play the Eagles in Perth. If we had finished third, and played North this week and lost; while West Coast beat Richmond, it would mean we would be playing the Eagles in Perth in an elimination final, no thanks. The final eight is such a strange system that because Carlton and Geelong are almost certainties to win, the games for Richmond v. North and us v. the Eagles don't actually mean anything, since those four teams are likely to play eachother the next week anyway! But, and there are always buts, things are likely to go astray somewhere, it's just that I cannot see either Footscray (who were beaten by St Kilda) or Brisbane (who play an awesome Carlton) winning. Now to the game against the Eagles. This will probably be the best of the four games this weekend. If we get just a few of our big possession winners back, and there is a general lift around the club, we should beat the Eagles comfortably. We all know that the Eagles usually thrive in September, given that most of their players have been there for the last four years. Essendon, on the other hand, have played some very intense games this year, which should help the younger players who haven't played in the finals before. I think we'll win, but it will go right down to the wire...
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