WEST COAST EAGLES 18.12 (120) def ESSENDON 9.13 (67)
ESSENDON has dropped to seventh spot on the ladder after a disappointing 53-point loss to West Coast at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
The signs were there during its VFL loss the previous day to the Box Hill Hawks in which it lost by 72-points.
The ASADA investigation was dragging the club to its knees and perhaps there was now a belief within the playing group that they know it is inevitable that the club will be stripped of premiership points when charges come from the AFL this week.
The sad thing for the AFL is that no one outside the top eight deserves to take Essendon’s place. Carlton and North Melbourne, both on 9-10, are two games outside the eight and had disappointing losses also this weekend.
Coach James Hird admitted after the match that the external pressures had finally caught up with its players.
“There’s no doubt the speculation, the intensity of the press, and the expectation of what’s to come can’t help but affect your preparation for a game, and I think that’s across the board,” Hird said post-match.
“I think the players were affected today.
“I think they were affected during the week – it was a big week in terms of off-field stuff.”
He said his team have been “sensational” this season up until this week.
“Our players have been sensational all year,” Hird said.
“They keep fronting up, they keep trying.
“It’s been the toughest year that any group of footballers could ever imagine, and they’ve been terrific.
“We’ve still got 13 wins.
“We’re critical of our performance today and the fact we didn’t win, but that’s not critical of them as people or if you look at the year as a whole.”
The Bombers can’t drop out of the eight on wins and losses – but they can finish as low as eighth if they lose their next three matches.
But it appears inevitable that that may seem out of their grasp with the AFL controlling their fate – which is likely to be known this week.
Carlton, in ninth spot, would come into the eight to replace the Bombers if that was the case.
Here are the match highlights:
ESSENDON 3.3 6.7 8.13 9.13 (67)
WEST COAST 3.6 6.9 12.10 18.12 (120)
GOALS
Essendon: Goddard 3, Winderlich 2, Kommer, Bellchambers, Hooker, Baguley
West Coast: LeCras 5, Hill 2, Wellingham 2, Darling 2, Dalziell 2, Schofield, Priddis, Kennedy, Gaff, Cripps
BEST
Essendon: Goddard, Hibberd, Watson, Carlisle, Stanton, Heppell
West Coast: Priddis, LeCras, Darling, Masten, Cox, Dalziell
INJURIES
Essendon: Winderlich (hamstring)
West Coast: Wilson (head)
SUBSTITUTES
Essendon: Ben Howlett replaced Jason Winderlich during the second quarter
West Coast: Brad Sheppard replaced Blayne Wilson at three-quarter-time
Reports: Dustin Fletcher reported for rough conduct against Jamie Cripps
Umpires: Leppard, Hosking, Meredith
Official crowd: 32,595 at Etihad Stadium