As a footy fan, we always look forward to Friday nights. Friday night footy signifies the start of a new round, another chance for a win or a loss, and almost always delivers a good game. However last nights game between the Essendon Bombers and the Western Bulldogs had another purpose, to raise money for the victims of the Victorian Bushfires. If the players needed a reason to put on a good show that has to be the best yet, and they did not disappoint. The final lead change did not occur until there was just 18 seconds on the clock, the Bombers winning by a point.
With both teams missing key players it was time for the youth to show us what they have. Jay Neagle and Scott Gumbleton showed promising signs up forward for the Bombers, both notching up goals, while for the Dogs it was youngster Jarrod Grant who took some strong marks but looked uneasy when kicking at goal, having kicked a super goal (which he earned by chasing down Courtney Dempsey and laying an important tackle, and a 50m penalty took him inside 50) and four behinds. Courtney Dempsey and Jarrod Atkinson provided excellent run out of defence for the dons, allowing them to attack the game in the way that the coach wants. However there was another player standing up for Essendon, and one that needed to in order to repay the faith which was instilled in him during the pre-season draft. I am of course talking about Hayden “Skippy” Skipworth. Skippy collected 15 possessions, laid 7 tackles and kicked two very important goals, one after the three quarter time siren to give the Bombers an 11 point lead, and another just after the break to extend that lead further.
Goals were hard to come by in the first term with both teams applying good pressure and running the ball back and fourth, the margin 2 points at the break. In the second quarter though the story was much different, the first half belonged to Essendon and the second half belonged to the Doggies. Three quick goals to youngsters Neagle, Gumbleton and Jetta (after Brad Johnson opened the second quarter scoring with a goal) gave the Dons a handy 10 point lead. The Bulldogs rallied though and although having 6 scoring shots late in the term, only kicked one goal and scores were level at the main break.
Neagle increased Essendons lead within the first minute of the third quarter with his second goal of the night, but the Dons failed to capitalise on their inside 50’s kicking four straight behinds after that. The Dogs made them pay too. Brennan Stack kicked a long goal which was followed soon after by Wayde Skippers first goal to return the lead to the Bulldogs. It was time for the Western Bulldogs to miss some chances, and as so often happens they paid when Jarrod Aktinson was paid a free kick and booted a 9 pointer. As mentioned earlier a handy 11 point lead was in the Bombers favour after recycled Adelaide Crows player Hayden “Skippy” Skipworth converted after the three quarter time siren.
Skippy kicked things off in the final term with a goal, and Essendon were flying. The Doggies however had other plans, and lead by their skipper Brad Johnson who kicked two goals clawed their way back into the game. When Eagleton goaled from a stoppage the Dogs had a one point advantage and the Bombers were on the back foot. Adam McPhee kicked the ball out on the full from a set shot, and soon after Captain Matthew Lloyd hit the post to level the scores. With 18 seconds left on the clock McPhee became the saviour, and the fans forgot his vital miss just minutes earlier, when he snapped a behind to put the Bombers in front by a point. The Western Bulldogs were unable to get the ball back to the other end and the game was over.
It was a thrilling finish to a game that was moved from Darwin to Melbourne in an effort to raise money for the bushfire victims. The final tally of $1.2 Million was announced soon after the game, which includes $300,000 from the AFL on behalf of the 16 Clubs and $150,000 from the AFL Players Association. The tally does not include the money raised by the Red Cross call centre during the live broadcast.
On a lighter note, the Irish couple that Essendon’s Irish recruit Michael Quinn is living with travelled up to Darwin in order to watch him play his first AFL game only to have it moved to Melbourne and miss the game all together.
RESULT:
Essendon 0.2.3 0.5.4 1.7.8 1.8.13 (70)
Western Bulldogs 1.1.2 1.3.7 1.5.9 1.8.12 (69)
GOALS
Essendon: Nine-point goals: Atkinson Goals: Jetta 2, Neagle 2, Skipworth 2, Houli, Gumbleton
Western Bulldogs: Nine-point goals: Grant Goals: Johnson 4, Ward, Stack, Skipper, Eagleton
BEST
Essendon: Watson, Lovett, Dempsey, Skipworth, Hille, Houli, Neagle, Nash
Western Bulldogs: Johnson, Cross, Boyd, Higgins, Hudson, Gilbee, Harbrow, Morris
INJURIES
Essendon: Nil
Western Bulldogs: Nil
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Keating, Wenn, Hendrie
Crowd: 35,123 at Telstra Dome
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