Match result: Werribee 13.15.93 defeated by Essendon 16.10.106
Venue: Avalon Airport Oval
Conditions: Cold, no wind but very slippery
Story of the game
A spot in the eight was up for grabs with Werribee taking on Essendon.
Jed Anderson made his return after three months out with a hamstring injury, but it was another comeback that stole the spotlight.
After spending the last couple of weeks in the Development League, Ben McKay returned to the senior side and was in everything down forward early. Two first-quarter goals, then a third early in the second term, helped Werribee to a 25-point lead.
A string of missed chances prevented the home side from putting the game away early, but it still held a 33-point lead at half time.
Essendon came out the better side in the second half, kicking the first two goals of the term to cut the margin to 21. However, Aaron Black stood up kicking a goal to turn the momentum and start another Werribee run. The margin stretched to 41 points after a string of consecutive goals, and the Tigers were all but home.
The Bombers thought otherwise, kicking four goals in a row to reduce the buffer to 16 by three quarter time.
The onslaught continued in the final term with Essendon taking the lead at the seven-minute mark after the first three goals of the quarter. Just when it appeared the visitors had all the momentum, Braydon Preuss took a big contested mark at the top of the goal square, and put Werribee back in front.
At the 11-minute mark, the Tigers led 93-91. 12 minutes later, an Essendon behind put it up 94-93, and Werribee needed something special to retake the lead.
Instead it was the Bombers that kicked the decisive goal to extend their lead to seven points, deep into time-on. A further goal to Shaun McKernan sealed the deal, and Essendon ended up victorious by 13 points.
What the coach said – John Lamont
Pre-game
“Simple focuses, win the contested ball. Keep your feet, all those little simple things early in the game. Let’s be decisive and direct in our ball movement. Good team defence.”
QT: Werribee 4.6.30 lead Essendon 3.2.20
“Our team defence has been good; they haven’t been chipping it around us. Be direct, get the ball in there and get that inside 50 count up.”
3QT: Werribee 12.15.87 lead Essendon 11.5.71
“We just need to exit better out of the back half. Set up with our handball, finish off with our kicking. We just dropped away from a few things so we need to recalibrate. Don’t over possess, let’s make sure we’re getting up on them.”
FT: Werribee 13.15.93 defeated by Essendon 16.10.106
“Hard to believe, really, that a team can play so well in the first half and then the game just reversed. We just couldn’t generate enough contested ball wins and then turning that into inside 50’s and scores. It’s a very disappointing loss.”
By the numbers
Jed Anderson – 9 disposals, 2 marks, 3 tackles
Aaron Black – 16 disposals, 7 marks, 7 tackles, 1 goal
Ryan Clarke – 20 disposals, 10 tackles
Will Fordham – 7 disposals, 4 marks, 1 goal
Lachlan Hansen – 4 disposals, 2 tackles (limited game time)
Mitch Hibberd – 15 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles
Ben McKay – 8 disposals, 7 marks, 3 goals
Declan Mountford – 14 disposals, 7 tackles, 1 goal
Braydon Preuss – 7 disposals, 42 hit-outs, 1 goal
Joel Tippett – 13 disposals, 5 marks, 4 tackles
Ed Vickers-Willis – 14 disposals, 5 marks, 5 tackles
Best of the AFL
Ben McKay
In his return to the VFL senior side, McKay was dominant early. Three goals came through his aerial ability, out-marking the Essendon defence regularly.
“Getting my hands on the ball early definitely helped me with my confidence throughout the game,” McKay said post-match.
“Especially in that last quarter I felt like whenever the ball was in the air, I could back myself in to force the contest and I was happy to take a couple of marks.”
Best of the VFL
Tom Gribble & Michael Sodomaco
Gribble (26 disposals, 1 goal) and Sodomaco (24 disposals, 1 goal) were influential, winning their fair share of ball to keep Werribee pushing forward.
Points of interest
1. Jed Anderson made his much-anticipated return after 12 weeks out with a hamstring injury. Playing normal game time with regular rotations, Anderson was able to run out the match well.
“I thought he was understandably rusty, but he looked like he was getting into some pretty good spots, especially when the long ball came in," development manager Ben Dyer said post-match.
“You just want to see them playing the four quarters and getting the touch back. His pressure and intent to tackle was really strong, which was pleasing.
“His effort and his urgency was up, which is obviously a really important part of his game.”
RELATED: Jed's comeback complete
2. Although he’s only played a handful of games in his return from a long-term injury, Ed Vickers-Willis continues to progress rapidly.
While his stat line may not jump off the page – 14 disposals, 5 marks, 5 tackles – he was extremely impressive playing off the half-back line.
“He looked so comfortable in his decisions about when to impact and when to stay at home and defend,” Dyer said.
“That ability gives him the chance to intercept. He knows when his opponents are relevant.
“Given the way teams defend at AFL level these days, it just suggests his game is going to stand up to that level. He played an AFL-type game today.
“It’s a credit to his preparation, he’s so diligent in the work he does both off and on the field. If there’s a part of his game he’s not happy with, he’s really proactive in working out a way to address it. Things can be fast-tracked with him for that reason.”
3. Faced with an Essendon team which rotated its ruckman constantly against him, Braydon Preuss stood strong early. With 42 hit-outs for the afternoon, the big man also spent some time forward.
“His tap work and his body work in the first half was really good,” development coach David Loader said.
“He really influenced a couple of contests where he got across, starting to play like a big body.
“They ran two ruckmen on him, so it was always going to be a good challenge for him. His mark and goal was what we hadn’t seen too much from him.
“It’s a learning curve from Preussy, to be able to deal with that and learn to still impact the game.”
4. With 10 tackles to go with his nine clearances and 20 disposals, Ryan Clarke had a well-rounded game in the middle of the ground.
“He was really good again,” Loader said.
“What I’m really liking about his game at the moment is his continuity to turn up every game and put in a good solid performance.
“That’s a sign of a good player, who can be in your best contributors every week win or lose.
“He’s setting up really well and giving us a lot. He continues to run all day, running as hard late as he does early.
“He’s a talented kid and works really hard.”
5. With another five-day break between Werribee’s match and North’s clash against Adelaide, the game time of players was closely monitored.
Hansen only played the first half before coming out of the game, perhaps with an eye to being included to take on the Crows on Thursday.
Most likely AFL call-up: Lachlan Hansen
Next week: Saturday June 25 v Coburg at Avalon Airport Oval, 2:00pm
