This would have been a game the Bombers marked down as a comfortable win earlier in the season.
As West Coast came out of the gates looking lethargic in 2024, there was talk of petitioning for priority picks, lamentations about their list composition, and questions about their fitness. In effect, what people were saying about this club was everything you wouldn’t want to hear if you were a part of it.
And here we are, in Round Eight, with Essendon managing to squeeze by with a six-point win over this team that many labelled “a shambles” not that long ago.
Amazing how things change, and how quickly they do.
I kept waiting for the Bombers to pull away in this game. They threatened on a couple of occasions, but a missed opportunity here and there left the door ajar for the Eagles, and they damn-near walked right on through it.
With West Coast closing, yet another strong mark to Jake Waterman looked as though it would bring the Eagles within one kick.
Enter Jamie Cripps.
In what can only be described as an idiotic move, Cripps gave away a free kick as Waterman went back to take his shot at goal. In a game decided by one kick, it was a monumental error, and one that a veteran player should not make, no matter how annoyed he may be.
The Bombers managed to hold the Eagles off from there. Jack Williams slotted his third to give them one last shot, but the Bombers tied things up until the final siren gave them the four points.
There is so much to get through in this one – a win on the road at this stage of the season is huge. I don’t care if it is against West Coast, Brisbane, or the Whyalla Under Sevens. However, two things were clear as the teams left the arena.
One – The Bombers have done the early work to put them into finals contention
And Two – The days of the Eagles being an easy four points are well and truly over.
Let’s jump into The Mongrel’s Big Statements.
The remainder of this article is for our members. They support me, and I provide for them. It’s a good deal.
HB’s game reviews commence as members-only content. Sometimes, he opens them up to all after a day or so. But sometimes… he doesn’t! Most times, actually. He believes work such as this is worth twenty-five cents per day. If you don’t, that’s fine. You’re welcome to join and keep reading if you do.
