TENACIOUS BOMBERS
Only errant finishing prevented Essendon from sewing up Friday night’s thriller against Adelaide with plenty of time to spare.
The Bombers made life tough for themselves but, ultimately, they owed their heart-stopping win to the heat they applied when it mattered.
Essendon’s midfield engine room of skipper Zach Merrett, Sam Durham and Jye Caldwell applied a combined 24 tackles.
Their endeavours were matched by the Bombers’ forward line, which applied pressure from the opening bounce.
RANKINE REPRESSED
After his breakout five-star show against Carlton six days ago, Izak Rankine came crashing back to reality against Essendon.
Rankine, predictably, started the match in the centre square, where he was greeted by giant-slaying Sam Durham, but the electric Crow could only muster two first-half disposals.
A frustrated Rankine began the third term by dump-tackling Caldwell – it is a tackle that will be looked at by the MRO. Caldwell’s head hit the ground, but he did have a hand free. It looked eerily similar to Charlie Cameron’s tackle last week on Jake Lever. Maybe Rankine will need to call on the “good bloke” tax to avoid a penalty.
Adelaide’s midfield breach was superbly filled, firstly by captain Jordan Dawson, then by emerging gun Jake Soligo.
Rankine rose out of his rut briefly in the fourth, producing a thrilling four-bounce run along the member’s wing and a magnificent snapped goal.
FRANTIC FINISH
All 36 players were beavering away at the River End as Adelaide forged a series of repeat entries in the dying seconds.
Josh Rachele missed a go-ahead shot with 30 seconds left, moments after Taylor Walker appealed for high contact against Ben McKay.
Reilly O’Brien got the tap at a forward stoppage inside the last 10 seconds where Walker gained possession and tried desperately to free the footy.
A scrap for the footy finished with Sam Draper lunging on top of the pill, just in time for the full-time siren to sound, Walker making a bee-line for umpire Nathan Toner to appeal for a holding-the-ball decision against the big Bomber, to no avail.
The match finished in high drama as Sam Draper’s body was over the footy. There’s plenty of debate already whether he should have been penalised.
On Fox Footy, commentator Nathan Buckley argued that technically on any part of the field at any time of the game that is a holding the ball infringement.
Buckley says it was clear from the reaction of the Adelaide players that the umpire had made the call that it was a ball up before the siren went.
What do you think? Have your say in the comments.
Essendon’s three-point victory stirred the Adelaide crowd into raucous booing because they believed the Crows should have been awarded a free kick in front of goals in the dying seconds.
The Adelaide crowd was livid, claiming Sam Draper should have been pinged for holding the ball. The Bombers ruckman was on the ground, on top of the ball, 20m from Adelaide’s goal.
Had it been awarded against Draper, Taylor Walker was the tackler and would have taken the kick. The Adelaide players were jumping up and down, appealing for the umpire to blow their whistle in their favour. Instead, time was called on the game.
Seven commentator Luke Hodge says it was a free-kick. “It looked like he was laying down, going to sleep,” Hodge said.
Fox Footy’s Garry Lyon agreed: “It looked like he fell on it, and dragged it in. He just looks like he had that massive frame cradling that ball and not letting anyone at it.”
“On any part of the field, at any time of the game, that is a free-kick,” Nathan Buckley said.
Seven’s Matthew Richardson was not as convinced. He said the ball was dragged back under Draper by the Crows tackler.
As the Essendon players jumped for joy at the siren, the Adelaide crowd erupted with boos.
Essendon are now 4-2 heading into the Anzac Day game against Collingwood. The Crows have sunk to 1-5, and their season is almost shot.
A Josh Rachele snap misses the goals. He lands a point. They are three points down. Ten seconds to go
A minute to go. A ball up 15m from Adelaide goal.
This game is going to the wire. The Bombers look like they are trying to defend to hold on, and the Crows are doing the attacking.
Two minutes remaining, the Bombers by four points.
Mitch Hinge was running along the boundary and taking a shot on goal but was mown downlate by an air-borne Alwyn Davey. He sprayed the kick out on the full. Inspiring from Davey.
But the Crows have started winning the clearances and now have the ball in their forward half.
Three minutes remaining, Bombers by four points.
There’s five minutes left, folks. The Bombers lead by five points and the game is up for grabs.
Nic Martin lands a big banger and Essendon take a one goal lead.
Bombers fans are biting their finger nails. Under eight minutes left.
Essendon defender Sam Draper takes a strong grab while resting forward.
But from 25m he butchers the kick and swings it left. Scores are level at 72-each. Under nine minutes remaining.
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