Essendon have smashed Carlton by 69 points in front of 83,000 fans at the MCG on Friday night. After just getting across the line by two points when the sides met in round 3, the Bombers blew the Blues out of the water after half time.
The Bombers put the onous back on the young Blues during the week, responding to the Blues “They Know We’re Coming” motto with “We are waiting”, further building up the Friday night blockbuster.
The game started fairly slowly and it wasn’t until the five minute mark that Brendan Fevola put the first goal on the board for the Blues. Bombers full forward Matthew Lloyd responded five minutes later to open the account for his side, before Hayden Skipworth goaled from a free kick to extend the Bombers lead. When Eddie Betts marked and goaled late in the first term the margin was cut to just one point at the first change and it looked as though we would have an even contest. Chris Judd was kept quiet in the first term by Andrew Welsh, only picking up a few touches.
Essendon hit back straight away in the second term through Andrew Lovett who goaled just 46 seconds into the quarter, before Irishman Setanta O’hAilpin goaled a few minutes later to cut the lead once again. Excitement machine, Alwyn Davey, hit up Angus Monfries inside 50 who booted his first for the game, but could shrug the persistant Blues who replied through Kade Simpson. When Jobe Watson left the ground with an ankle injury, the Blues looked to take control, breaking the exchange of goals with another two of their own as Betts and Fevola kicked their second goals. However the Bombers clicked into gear and booted five of the next six goals to take a four point lead into the main break.
The Bombers then dominated after half time, slamming on the first five goals of the quarter to jump out to a six goal lead. This gave Angus Monfries and Scott Lucas their third goals for the game, before Eddie Betts slotted his third goal and the Blues first for the quarter. Matthew Lloyd booted his third goal for the game late in the third term to take the lead back to six straight goals at 3 quarter time.
When Angus Monfries goaled from a free kick five minutes into the final term he had four goals from just four kicks. Andrew Lovett showed some magic slotting a goal from the boundary and taking a huge hanger before booting another goal a few minutes later and the signs looked bad for the Blues. After Lloyd and Lucas added to their totals, Judd booted his first goal and the Blues only for the final term. Monfries then had his fifth kick for the game which produced another goal to give him 100% hit rate for the game. Paddy Ryder then put the icing on the cake for the Bombers goaling after the siren as the Bombers kicked 16 of the last 18 goals of the game.
Despite having 22 disposals, Chris Judd was well beaten by Andrew Welsh who picked up 30 touches of his own. The injury to Watson was the only bad new for the Dons as they keep their spot in the top eight.
Essendon 2.4, 8.5 , 14.9, 21.10 (136)
Carlton 2.3, 7.7, 8.9, 9.13 (67)
GOALS
Essendon: Monfries 5, Lloyd 4, Lovett 3, Lucas 3, Skipworth 2, Reimers, Davey, Stanton, Ryder
Carlton: Betts 3, Fevola 2, O’hAilpin, Simpson, Gibbs, Judd
BEST
Essendon: Welsh, Prismall, Skipworth, Pears, Lovett, Monfries,
Carlton: Murphy, Carrazzo, Gibbs, Betts, O’hAilpin
INJURIES
Essendon: Watson (ankle)
Carlton: Bower (knee)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: McBurney, Stevic, Wenn
Official crowd: 83,407 at the MCG