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Bombers avoid major upset but it comes at an injury cost
Nicholas Quinlan • April 19th, 2025 12:21 pm
Essendon has survived a potentially massive upset against West Coast to keep in touch with the top eight.
The Bombers would win 77-75 against the Eagles after trailing for most of the match at Optus Stadium.
West Coast looked to have a point to prove at the start of the game after having suffered an embarrassing 71-point loss to Carlton.
And they did start well with Jake Waterman booting four goals in the first quarter to get out to a 22-point lead at quarter time.
The Eagles would keep their pressure and momentum up early in the second as they got out to a game-high lead of 29 points.
But six unanswered goals between the 19th minute of the third quarter and the 11th minute of the fourth quarter for Essendon would be enough for Essendon to take the lead and hold on despite late goals from West Coast's Elijah Hewett and Jack Williams to bring the game back to single digits.
Essendon were assisted by their ability to win the clearance battle throughout the game (37 to 22) as they could generate more attacking chances from stoppages.
They were also able to create far more uncontested possessions in comparison to West Coast (222-199) which also meant the Bombers could move the ball quicker than what West Coast could do.
Speaking in the post-game press conference, Essendon coach Brad Scott was not surprised by how West Coast played.
“We came over here knowing exactly what we were facing and maybe I played into that a little too much in terms of preparing the group, to make sure that we were guarding against any possible complacency,” he said.
“I don’t think we are in any position to ever be complacent, and we knew exactly that's the response we’d get from West Coast.
“I look at West Coast’s team; they’ve got capability, they’ve got good players.
“We got exactly what we expected and I thought they played a really good brand of footy and we were clearly on the back foot.”
While Essendon would be relieved with the four points, they will have some selection changes for their ANZAC Day clash.
They will be without ruckman Sam Draper who suffered an achilles tendon for an extended period of time.
His injury would be confirmed by Scott post-game, but he was keen to stress that he does not know how long he will be out for.
“It looks like an achilles,” Scott said.
“But the severity of it, we’re concerned about it.
“I’m reluctant to make big statements about it because we don’t know for sure.
“But at three-quarter time he had some calf tightness on the other side, which I was rightly concerned about, but he felt a tight calf in the third quarter; he played out the quarter, felt fine and right to go.
“And when he went down, I thought it was that calf, but it was actually the achilles on the other leg.”
Scott also said that Xavier Duursma has gone to the hospital as a precautionary measure after West Coast's Matt Flynn collided into the midfielder’s stomach.
