Pies vs Bombers Review

What have you learned?

It's one thing to receive a lesson, but it's another to take those lessons, put the learnings into practice, and then execute what you've learned. Over time, this process will extend to longer periods, but this week showcased two major lessons. One demonstrated an improvement on something very fresh in the Essendon players' minds, and the other showed a work in progress since early this year, highlighting the players' growing capabilities.

Not a great start.

I won’t dwell too much on the chaotic first 20 minutes of play but instead use it as a comparison to what unfolded afterward. The first quarter was truly disorganized, with few recognizable elements of Essendon's game plan outside of their time in the forward half that could counter Collingwood's strategy. Scores against came from defensive half kickouts, center bounce, and forward half stoppages, making it difficult to pinpoint immediate areas for improvement to regain control.

Collingwood had 25 possession chains in the quarter, nine of which began in Essendon's forward 50. Over 40% of those chains ended up inside Collingwood's forward 50. It wasn’t a matter of the Magpies winning the ball back from the Bombers and scoring, as they could only do this on average every 8.66 Bomber possessions. Instead, when Collingwood had the football, their possession chains consistently went the distance.

It was a horrific quarter of football, something all fans had seen far too often over the years and, most importantly, something the Essendon players had experienced for too long.

Lesson one.

This was the third game in four weeks at the MCG, and the experience gained from the recent matches at the home of finals was evident. Poor efficiency with the ball was a major factor in the loss to Carlton, while poor defensive work without the football contributed to the loss to Geelong last week. For me, the common factor for both performances was the inexperience with the dimensions of the MCG and the change in setup and system for 2024.

Against Carlton, it was about not exploring the available space at the MCG to move the ball effectively. The players' work rate to utilise the open spaces was lacking, making their ball movement predictable to the Blues and leaving them susceptible to being dictated to on the rebound. Against Geelong, it was about defending the dimensions when the Cats were in transition. These two games were fresh in the players' minds and served as motivation for this week's clash.

Against Carlton, Essendon was "throwing haymakers" with the ball, showing no finesse in honouring players who worked to space as a lead-up option to "build the ball up the field."

It led to shallow entries inside 50 that were too easy to defend and resulted in unfulfilled opportunities, with the added risk of the ball going the other way. Geelong’s switch of direction after winning the ball back from post-clearance contested possession and then generating an uncontested kick-mark game in transition was obvious and something that had served Essendon well in the past, and it seemed to be a set plan for this week's clash.

The second quarter was about regaining control of the game, which was achieved using a different approach than what had been the norm this year. This season, Essendon averaged 39.2 handballs per quarter, maybe surprising to some, ranking 4th behind GWS, Fremantle, and the Western Bulldogs. After starting the game with 43 handballs in the first 20 minutes, the number ramped up to 49 in the second quarter. Importantly, these weren’t the backward handballs that Collingwood’s pressure thrives on, but forward handballs that gained territory. Of the 1556 metres gained in the second quarter, 192 came from handballs, a significant improvement from the previous quarter, which saw a loss of 19 metres in territory. Now, it was about using every bit of grass available on the MCG.

The Bombers went +22 in possessions and +25 in uncontested possessions, while only going +8 in uncontested marks. Once the ball got outside of congestion, the tackle pressure that the Pies love to apply dissipated, with their season average of over 35 tackles in a half reduced to 19. As Essendon wrestled back control of the game in the second quarter, it was the third quarter where they truly put their stamp on the game in a different manner.

Even though Collingwood initially had the edge in moving the ball from clearance, it was post-clearance where Essendon went back to work. They went +6 in contested possession and were able to win the ball back every 4.56 Collingwood possessions, leading to 14 more uncontested possessions and 17 more uncontested marks outside of the front third. Now, the ground was being stretched to its absolute limits, and the Pies were forced to cover every inch of it defensively. Five of the first six shots at goal were from Essendon, continuing into the early part of the last quarter as they had 12 out of 14 shots at goal in a 26-minute period starting from the beginning of the third quarter.

Lesson two.

The coaches, opposition, and fans got their first true look at Essendon in a one-on-one battle on the field in Round Four versus Port Adelaide after quarter time, and it was a massive failure. Since then, numerous games have tested the team's ability to consistently win one-on-one contests both ahead of the field and behind it. This mode, as opposed to the more modern zone defence, tests a player's work rate both with and without the footy, as well as his ability to consistently win or, at worst, halve contests instead of losing them.

For the first 20 minutes of this game, the players' work rate in keeping a shorter leash on their direct matchups was poor, leading to easy transitions and far too many uncontested marks in those chains forward.

Collingwood took 58 uncontested marks in the first half, with 51 taken in the two back thirds of the ground. Playing in a one-on-one mode, this was a disappointing start. However, as the game progressed, the players improved significantly, allowing Collingwood only 24 more uncontested marks for the rest of the game, 38 fewer than Essendon in that time.

This improvement demonstrated the players' work to spread from those man-on-man matchups to become an option for a teammate, whether by hand or foot.

Keep within reach of your direct matchup and make finding him as an option for his teammates a risky and difficult task, while also having the awareness to quickly switch into attacking mode to make him accountable the other way when your teammates have the ball.

This is a promising sign going forward, as executing this more consistently will be pivotal in the latter part of the season.

Punishment.

There are two methods to intercept the ball from the opposition and disrupt their possession chain to regain control. One way is through winning it at ground level, while the other is through marking in the air. The latter is the preferred method as it can help stop the opposition's momentum and enable the team to organise defensively and offensively.

This season, Essendon has averaged just over 68 intercepts per game, with 23.16% of them coming from marks. This week, that rate increased to 32.78%, as 20 intercept marks were taken, with McKay registering six of his own, his second-highest of the year.

In the first 15 games, Essendon has averaged 12.3 shots at goal from intercepts, with an 18% strike rate in turning those intercepts into shots. In their last meeting with Collingwood, the Bombers had a slightly improved rate of just over 19%. This week, however, they significantly increased that rate to 26.2%, with 16 shots earned from winning the ball back.

Collingwood’s primary scoring source for 2024 has been from clearances and intercepts won in their front half, accounting for almost 50 points a game and 55% of their total score. Early signs were not promising for Essendon as multiple shots came from Collingwood's front half, often due to poor stoppage work or unpressured turnovers. Fortunately, after the first quarter, everything changed.

Only 27 points were scored in Collingwood's front half for the entire game, with 13 of those points coming directly from centre bounces.

Leading the way.

The Captains performance was once again extraordinary. His season continues to peak, and this game marked his highest point yet. He recorded 33.7 AFL Player Rating Points, the second-highest of any player this year and the highest of his career. Over the last five games, he is the seventh-ranked player in the competition for impact on Player Ratings. His 15 score involvements are the second-highest of anyone this year.

Merrett’s work spanned both the front and back halves of the ground, with nearly half of his possessions in the defensive half, especially during the crucial first quarter.

In the last five games, Caldwell is ranked number one for tackles, averaging 9.6 per game. It's not just defensively that he has made a significant contribution. Among the top 20 players for tackles, nobody has had more shots at goal than him. Only Heeney and Bontempelli have had more among the top 50 tacklers in this period. Additionally, only Walsh, Dunkley, and Miers have had a greater influence on score involvements for their team in this five-week period.

Acknowledged.

Momentum changes and multiple modes were required, making this performance particularly satisfying for several reasons.

The ability to switch strategies effectively at key moments reflects the players' growth and maturity. It’s not just about following a set plan but also about understanding the dynamics of the game and responding appropriately under pressure.

The implications of this performance go beyond just this game. It sends a strong message to the rest of the competition that Essendon is not only prepared but also capable of making in-game adjustments.

This versatility will be a significant advantage as the season progresses to the pointy end.