Hille, Davey stay with Bombers for 2013

Updated October 23, 2012 15:14:47

Essendon has re-signed ruckman David Hille and small forward Alwyn Davey for the 2013 season.

The one-year deal keeps Hille, a 2008 best and fairest winner, at the club for his 14th season.

"My hunger, desire and passion to compete at the highest level is as strong as it has ever been," Hille said in a statement.

"My body feels really good and I'm looking forward to the challenge and hard work of the upcoming preseason.

"As a playing group we've come a long way together and I want to make sure we continue down that path."

Hille, 31, has played 193 games for the Bombers and kicked 152 goals.

The 28-year-old Davey was an important cog in the Bombers' strong start to the 2012 season, and he finished the year with 29 goals from 17 games.

Davey, 28, has kicked 86 goals in 101 games for Essendon since making his debut in 2007.

He said he was happy to secure his place at the club for next season with a one-year deal.

"I really enjoyed my footy this year, I felt it was probably one of my most consistent years at the club and it was nice to kick a few goals as well," Davey said.

"We've got a really good group of guys here. We want to be successful, we're working hard and you can see we are on the right track."

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, vic, melbourne-3000

First posted October 23, 2012 13:04:50

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Bombers dump Lonergan, Reimers

Updated October 30, 2012 13:23:07

Essendon has ditched experienced players Sam Lonergan and Kyle Reimers from its 2013 playing list.

Lonergan played 14 games last season in an Bombers midfield that was hit hard by injury, and is a somewhat surprising omission.

The 25-year-old has played 79 games for Essendon after being drafted with pick 50 in the 2005 National Draft.

The 23-year-old Reimers, who has played 60 games for the club, only featured five times in 2012 as he continued his inconsistent form.

"Sam and Kyle have been terrific contributors for the Essendon Football Club and we wish them all the best for the next chapter in their careers," said coach James Hird.

Essendon acquired former St Kilda star Brendon Goddard through free agency, while signing Alwyn Davey, David Hille and Scott Gumbleton to one-year contracts.

The Bombers also traded Angus Monfries to Port Adelaide and will select Joe Daniher under the father-son rule in this upcoming National Draft.

Meanwhile, Geelong released Tom Gillies, veteran ruckman Orren Stephenson and rookie Jonathan Simpkin after a busy trade period.

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, essendon-3040, vic, australia

First posted October 30, 2012 13:20:30

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Crows, Bombers to open AFL season

Updated October 16, 2012 08:33:22

Adelaide will play Essendon at Football Park to start the 2013 AFL season, with the opening round to be split over two weekends.

The first game of the season on Friday, March 22 will be followed a day later by the derby between West Coast and Fremantle.

Carlton and Richmond will face-off on Thursday night the following week.

Geelong and Hawthorn cap off the first round with a tantalising clash on Easter Monday.

The full 2013 AFL draw is expected to be realised later this month.

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, australia, essendon-3040, vic

First posted October 16, 2012 07:15:46

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Monfries leaves Bombers for Port

Updated October 08, 2012 13:22:40

Essendon forward Angus Monfries will return to his home state and play for Port Adelaide in the first confirmed deal of the AFL trade period.

The Bombers will gain pick number 48 for Monfries, who had played 150 matches in eight seasons.

"I've loved playing for Essendon and I sincerely thank everyone there for the opportunities they've given me," Monfries said.

"I will miss Essendon, but it will be great to come home and play in front of my family and friends and help Port Adelaide get back to where it wants to be.

"That challenge is a big part of the appeal for me.

"I am someone who likes to get the best out of themselves and coming to Port Adelaide I will work to get more opportunities to do that."

Monfries says he is also looking to push up into the midfield.

He was a restricted free agent, but the Power were able to negotiate a trade with Essendon and he will join Port on a four-year deal.

It means Port will maximise the draft compensation they receive for losing Danyle Pearce to Fremantle and Troy Chaplin to Richmond last week through free agency.

The Bombers had put an offer to Monfries, but he decided to return to South Australia.

"Angus has been a fantastic player for Essendon and it's always sad to see a player of his calibre leave," coach James Hird said in a statement.

"At the end of the day Angus had an offer in front of him that we believe truly reflected his position at Essendon, but he has made a decision to secure his financial future and we have to respect that."

The Bombers recruited the 25-year-old with their first pick at number 14 in the 2004 national draft.

AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, essendon-3040, port-adelaide-5015

First posted October 08, 2012 13:22:40

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Myers, Jetta extend Bombers contracts

Updated October 11, 2012 13:34:47

Essendon duo David Myers and Leroy Jetta have signed two-year contract extensions, tying them to the AFL club until the end of the 2014 season.

Myers has played 45 games for the Bombers since being selected with pick six in the 2007 national draft.

Fellow West Australian Jetta has played 83 matches in six seasons in the red and black.

Utility Myers said the decision to re-sign with Essendon was a simple one.

"It was evident from the first half of the season that we can play exciting football and are capable of matching it with the best teams," he said.

"We're willing to do whatever it takes to make this club successful and I feel that we are on the right track."

Jetta resisted the temptation to return home to WA.

"We're a close group, and I want to be a part of this team, because I think we can achieve great things together," said the small forward.

"Playing alongside my close mates Paddy Ryder, Alwyn Davey and Courtenay Dempsey made the decision to stay at the Bombers easy."

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, essendon-3040, melbourne-3000, vic, australia

First posted October 11, 2012 13:13:15

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Watson named Bombers' best

Updated October 04, 2012 12:30:27

Essendon captain Jobe Watson added another honour to his 2012 tally after winning the Bomber's best-and-fairest award

Watson, who last month was awarded the Brownlow Medal, claimed his third Crichton Medal in four seasons, polling 551 votes to finish well ahead of team-mate Dyson Heppell (310).

"It has been a surreal couple of weeks and I'm truly honoured to be named the 2012 Crichton medallist," Watson said in a statement.

"I love playing for the Essendon Football Club and while individual accolades are great, we play football to achieve success as a team, and that's something I know this group has their sights set on."

Bombers coach James Hird says Watson was a deserved winner.

"To win a third Crichton Medal in four years is a great effort, and it just proves the ruthless standards Jobe demands of himself," he said.

Evergreen two-time premiership player Dustin Fletcher finished third in the Crichton Medal count with 256 votes.

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, essendon-3040

First posted October 04, 2012 12:30:27

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Goddard leaves Saints for Bombers

Updated October 02, 2012 08:22:21

It took just one day into the AFL's new free agency trade period for the Bombers to hit their big target, securing Brendon Goddard on a four-year deal from next season.

Essendon confirmed it had made a formal offer to St Kilda earlier on Monday, after the 28-year-old Goddard - a restricted free agent - agreed terms with the Bombers.

Just hours later, St Kilda confirmed it could only offer Goddard a three-year contract, sealing Goddard's departure to Windy Hill.

"We made a significant offer to Brendon that was relative to both his position and other players within the team," St Kilda head of football Chris Pelchen said.

"While we are disappointed at his decision to leave the Saints, we are absolutely committed to our 'team first' philosophy in relation to player contracts.

"While we were keen to retain Brendon's services, the club respects his right to exercise his options under new free agency rules."

Essendon said Goddard was currently on annual leave and unavailable for comment.

Coach James Hird and chief executive Ian Robson will hold a press conference on Tuesday.

Essendon assistant coach Mark Thompson believes Goddard will make an immediate difference.

"He's a quality player, he plays to win, he uses the ball well, he's a good size, he's very flexible, and we probably haven't got enough of those players," Thompson said on Fox Footy.

"I think he'll probably slip straight into the leadership group I'd say.

"Just his experience of playing big-time finals football, playing a style of footy that can win finals.

"He's been part of all that so just his general leadership around the club."

Goddard was named in St Kilda's leadership group in 2012, and was seen as a possible successor to Saints captain Nick Riewoldt.

He played 20 games for St Kilda in 2012, and has played 205 career games (scoring 104 goals) for the club since making his AFL debut in 2003.

As a restricted free agent, Goddard had to decide on the best offer of his choice from one rival club before his own club had 72 hours to decide whether to match that offer.

Had the Saints matched the offer, Goddard could have accepted, sought a trade or entered the AFL draft.

Also on Monday, the AFL advised no priority picks would be awarded to any clubs for the upcoming draft.

Under the previous rule, any team that accumulated 16 premiership points or less in a year was entitled to a selection prior to the second round of the AFL Draft, while any club with two consecutive seasons of 16 premiership points or less in a year, was entitled to a selection prior to the first round.

In February this season, the AFL decided a much-stricter criteria would be used to determine whether clubs were eligible for priority picks.

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, st-kilda-3182, vic, australia, essendon-3040

First posted October 01, 2012 12:47:28

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Bombers hail Watson's Brownlow win

Updated September 25, 2012 13:46:08

Essendon coach James Hird has heralded captain Jobe Watson's Brownlow Medal win as a morale-boosting postscript to the Bombers' disappointing season.

Watson became Essendon's first winner of the Brownlow since Hird shared the award with Brisbane's Michael Voss in 1996.

The Bombers captain polled 30 votes on Monday night to finish four clear of Hawthorn's Sam Mitchell and Richmond's Trent Cotchin.

Watson is also the first player since the Hawks' Shane Crawford in 1999 to win the Brownlow despite his team finishing outside the finals.

By round 14, Watson had polled in all but two matches and was a runaway leader on 26.

But his votes dried up in the second half of the season, just as the Bombers' fortunes went into freefall.

The Bombers lost the last seven matches and plummeted to 11th with an 11-11 record.

"It was a disappointing end to our season, but this is a massive highlight for our club and Jobe personally," Hird said.

"I don't think there could be anything better in our season than Jobe winning the Brownlow right now.

"We obviously want to go on and be great as a team, but for our captain to do what he did tonight is incredible and we're so proud of him."

Hird and Watson swapped playful jibes as they fronted the media after Monday night's count in Melbourne.

"Unfortunately I don't have the tartan to match the previous winner from the footy club, or the black eye," Watson said of Hird's attire and appearance at the 1996 count.

Hird later remembered that when Watson joined the Bombers a decade ago, his fitness was so poor that his team-mates could give him a two-and-half lap head start in a five-lap race - and still beat him.

Watson arrived at the Bombers under the father-son rule, his Dad Tim being one of the club's all-time greats.

Like Jobe, Tim captained the club and the elder Watson also played in three premierships.

Tim and wife Susie were at the count to see their son's triumph.

"It was a fairly stressful night for the whole family to be honest, sitting there watching him, but it was just a wonderful result.," Tim said.

Jobe's career was stagnating in 2007 and Tim famously told him that he had to improve if he was to succeed as an AFL player.

Jobe did not speak to him for three days, but the message stuck.

"Sometimes you bite your tongue, bite your tongue and then there comes a time when you think as a parent 'okay, now's the time I probably need to actually say to him there's a fork in the road and you can choose which direction you want to go in'," Tim said.

Jobe later joked that he now has done something that his father was unable to achieve during his great playing career.

"Not that we're very competitive, Dad and I, but it will be something I always just keep up my sleeve," he said with a grin.

Watson admitted to nerves as his votes dried up and players such as Mitchell and Cotchin kept polling.

But he was guaranteed the win with two rounds of matches left.

ABC/AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, melbourne-3000

First posted September 25, 2012 07:43:24

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Hird disappointed by timid Bombers

Updated August 25, 2012 16:19:29

Essendon coach James Hird bemoaned his side's lack of adventure, after a 45-point defeat to Richmond at the MCG ended the Bombers' hopes of a top-eight finish.

The 13.24 (102) to 8.9 (57) result was the Bombers' sixth-straight loss and confirmed their absence from finals football, something that was effectively sealed a week ago when Carlton obliterated them by 96 points.

What most disappointed Hird most was that his team opted to play safe rather than take risks when behind early in the game.

"I'd rather get flogged and take the game on than lose by 50 - it was a bad-enough loss anyway - and be safe," Hird said.

"We're a better kicking team than... we showed tonight.

"We're going to get some time to work on it pretty soon, we have a big summer ahead."

Essendon's plague of soft-tissue injuries also continued when Alwyn Davey was subbed off early in the second term with a hamstring problem.

Midfielder Shane Tuck starred for Richmond with 33 disposals and full-forward Jack Riewoldt kicked three goals to stay in contention for the Coleman Medal.

Tigers star Trent Cotchin and Essendon captain Jobe Watson are Brownlow Medal favourites, with the Richmond star more likely to have earned a vote from the match.

Cotchin had 31 possessions, but finished with 0.5 in front of goal.

Essendon midfielder David Zaharakis told Grandstand he and his team-mates were struggling to come to terms with the team's slump.

"I don't know at the moment, I'm pretty speechless about it," he said.

"There was a massive emphasis at half-time that we we've lost our will to run ... over the whole four quarters it was just disappointing."

Zaharakis gave Grandstand an insight into his feelings going into the Tigers' match.

"This week I was pretty hurt by what happened last week on the field," he said.

"I've been an Essendon man my whole life and what happened at the footy club last week and the way we played was pretty shattering personally.

"My mind-set this week was that it's a big game for the club ... it was very disappointing we couldn't do it [lift team performance]."

While Richmond and Essendon will probably finish the season with 11-11 records, their circumstances are vastly different.

If they beat Port Adelaide next week, the Tigers will have won four of their last five matches.

Tigers coach Damien Hardwick was delighted by his team backing up so well six days after a losing effort in Fremantle.

"For a period of time there was some concern, coming from a reasonably hot day in Perth back on a six-day break," he said.

"We probably were a bit nervous going into the game.

"It was always going to be a slog early, but to work away was really good.

"The thing that was disappointing was our composure to get the ball inside 50 to a marking target. We've just got to improve in that area."

By contrast, Essendon had high hopes after making the finals last season, but a year that started so well has gone into freefall.

Essendon will start rank outsiders next week against premiership contenders Collingwood.

The Bombers were terrible at times on Friday night and a fairer reflection of the game would be to reverse Richmond's scores for goals and behinds.

At half-time, the Tigers led by 29 points, but had dominated the inside 50 count by a whopping 42-23.

Courtenay Dempsey personified Essendon's woes - clearly low on confidence, he made repeated mistakes and his season cannot end quickly enough.

But he had plenty of mates.

The Bombers only trailed by 18 points when they kicked two goals early in the third term.

Richmond kicked the last three goals of the quarter to snuff out the challenge.

Also in the third term, Tigers utility Shane Edwards was reported for striking Essendon forward Angus Monfries with a forearm to the face.

Adding to Essendon's woes, key position player Michael Hurley limped off during the final term.

Dyson Heppell and Stewart Crameri stood out on a bleak night for Essendon, while first-gamer Nick O'Brien goaled in the opening term with his first kick in the AFL.

Essendon: 8.9 (57) - Monfries 3, Browne, Gumbleton, Hurley, Jetta, O'Brien.

Richmond: 13.24 (102) - Riewoldt 3, Edwards 2, McGuane 2, Astbury, Deledio, Grigg, Martin, Nahas, O'Hanlon.

ABC/AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, vic, melbourne-3000

First posted August 24, 2012 22:35:35

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Blues face uphill task to down Bombers

Gerard Whateley

Updated August 17, 2012 12:04:36

Carlton can't win this.

On paper they do not match-up anywhere near right.

They just have no tall defenders. I think Essendon will play them in a fairly aggressive match and it will be high scoring unless the weather closes in.

The rain's supposed to stop in the morning and I don't see how Crameri, Hurley and Ryder wouldn't combine for a winning score.

I don't want to be unfair to them but Carlton has gone from being a team aiming to a top four finish to one out mediocre wins to try to grip to the bottom of the eight.

They are a world away from where they expected to be and while they have been able to do it. I keep thinking back to that Bulldogs night.

I know they were missing a third of their team and all but they just looked terrible. I don't think they were overly convincing against the Lions.

The Bombers are coming back to an upswing and I think they've got Carlton at exactly the right time.

Gerard Whateley was speaking to Grandstand Sports Breakfast on August 17.

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, carlton-3053

First posted August 17, 2012 11:53:53

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Bombers buckle under pressure: Hurley

Updated August 20, 2012 17:37:06

Essendon key forward Michael Hurley has admitted Bombers' senior assistant Mark Thompson was spot on when he said the team did not handle pressure well.

Still raw from the Bombers' 96-point thrashing by Carlton, Hurley said right now his team was not worth its place in the top eight, but that things could still be turned around.

"We always want to play finals footy," he said.

"If we play like we did on the weekend we probably don't deserve to be there, but in saying that, if we play the way we know we can, then I think we do (deserve to be there)."

The Bombers have now lost five matches on the trot, and having started the year 8-1, the team is now 11-9 and in 10th position, all but out of finals contention.

Thompson spoke out after Essendon's loss against North Melbourne - the week before the Carlton debacle - warning that the team did not appear to deal well with expectation.

Hurley said the evidence backed the former Geelong coach and Essendon premiership captain's statement.

"I think so, I think we've seen it a few times,'' he said.

"The final last year (a 62-point loss to the Blues in the elimination final) was very similar to the weekend.

"It was a big game, with a fair bit on the line and to play like that was pretty disappointing."

Hurley said the players could not wait for Friday night's game against Richmond at the MCG to start showing some improvement.

"Halfway through the year we were in a really good position and then a few things happened that weren't ideal.

"Now we're just clinging on.

"I suppose it's been a bit of a shock and really tough."

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, melbourne-3000, vic, australia

First posted August 20, 2012 17:32:46

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Bombers' Davey out for two

Updated June 12, 2012 13:30:16

Essendon will miss forward Alwyn Davey for two matches after the Bombers' livewire accepted a ban for rough conduct.

The AFL tribunal will not sit on Tuesday night after six players accepted fines or bans rather than challenge their charges laid following the weekend's round of matches.

Meanwhile Melbourne's Luke Tapscott has been charged with striking by the match review panel and faces a one-match ban with an early plea after Monday's match between the Demons and Collingwood.

Davey chose to accept the ban for a bump he laid on Sydney's Daniel Hannebery in the third quarter of the Bomber's loss to the Swans on Saturday.

Hannebery came from the ground looking dazed and was substituted shortly afterwards.

If Davey had challenged the ban and lost, he would have been out for three matches, not including this week's bye.

Davey will now return for the round 15 game against St Kilda at Docklands.

Fremantle's Hayden Ballantyne has accepted a one-match ban for striking Richmond's Chris Newman.

His Dockers' team-mate Ryan Crowley, who last week was reprimanded for staging, accepted a $900 fine with an early plea for making an obscene gesture during the Dockers' win over the Tigers.

Geelong's Josh Hunt has accepted a $1350 fine for standing on Carlton's Eddie Betts in the Cats' Friday night win over the Blues at Docklands.

Finally Hawthorn's Liam Shiels and Port Adelaide's Danyle Pearce have been charged with wrestling in Sunday's match at Football Park. Both players can accept a $900 fine with an early plea.

The league's match review panel also announced on Monday that Tapscott has been charged with striking Collingwood's Alex Fasolo in the Queens's Birthday match on Monday at the MCG.

Tapscott has been banned for two matches, but can accept a one-match ban with an early plea.

The Magpies' Dane Swan has been charged with tripping the Demons' Sam Blease, and can accept a reprimand and 45 points toward his future record with an early plea.

His Collingwood team-mate Dayne Beams can accept a $1950 fine for making reckless contact with umpire Jordan Bannister during the same game.

The panel took no action against Collingwood's Nathan Brown for a clash with Melbourne's Colin Sylvia that left the Demon with blood streaming from his face.

The panel found the head clash was accidental.

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First posted June 12, 2012 13:30:16

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Swans beat Bombers in a squeaker

Updated June 09, 2012 23:48:45

It was a tale of two Jettas at Docklands on Saturday night as Essendon came from 47 points down at the final change to fall just four points short of a famous win.

In an incredible finish, the Bombers kicked nine goals in the final term, including Leroy Jetta's inspired mid-air volley before his cousin, Sydney star Lewis Jetta kicked his third at the other end to seal the win 13.8 (86) to 11.16 (82).

The Swans are now top of the ladder, at least temporarily, after a heart-stopping finish to the game.

Sydney's defence put in Trojan work, restricting Essendon to just 11 goals from 78 forward entries for the match, while the Bombers smashed the clearances 51-31.

The Swans' Ted Richards told Grandstand that it the Sydney defence had a nervous time as the Bombers closed in.

"The ball just kept coming down, to their midfielders credit they just kept winning clearance after clearance," he said.

"It was just real pressure footy, they had the momentum ... and it was just really hard to stop them."

For most of the match, the focus was on Sydney's strong counter-attacking and the Bombers dire kicking, which saw James Hird's men score 1.11 in the first half, and only 2.16 in the first three quarters.

But as if someone turned a switch in the three-quarter time huddle, Essendon suddenly found some speed and direct play and the Swans were the ones under pressure.

Three goals in four minutes kickstarted the comeback, as Alwyn Davey grabbed a brace and Nathan Lovett-Murray added another.

Sydney's run was stopping, but the Bombers were in full flight, with goals to Brent Stanton, Heath Hocking, Jobe Watson and David Myers, before Leroy Jetta's mid-air score brought the house down at the 25-minute mark.

Ninety seconds later Lewis Jetta had a chance at the other end, and the Swans livewire did not miss, getting the lead back out to 10 points.

The drama was still not finished, as Bombers captain Watson took a huge mark and goaled to bring his team within a kick.

As the Docklands crowd went wild, the Bombers had one last chance to get the win, and they streamed forward in the final seconds.

Dempsey took a mark on 50 as the clock ticked down, but not knowing how long was left, he wheeled round to kick to the square as time expired, leaving the Bomber defender to crumple to the ground in disbelief.

Richards told Grandstand that Lewis Jetta was coming into his own as a playmaker, and gaining confidence in his ability to deliver for the Swans.

"Jets, I think he's getting that real belief in his ability to just back himself when he gets the ball," Richards said.

"His first year, he might have been a bit under-confident to take people on, but to take on someone of the calibre of Dustin Fletcher and use his pace and back his kicking is just fantastic."

The Swans and Essendon are now both 8-3, with Sydney one of five teams on 32 points, top of the ladder on percentage.

Collingwood can overtake both Sydney and Essendon with a win on the Queen's Birthday match with Melbourne on Monday, while both the Swans and Bombers have the bye next week.

Essendon: 11.16 (82) - Davey 3, Watson 2, Howlett, Lovett-Murray, Stanton, Myers, Hocking, Jetta.

Sydney: 13.8 (86) - Jetta 3, Reid 2, Jack 2, Everitt, Mumford, Shaw, Roberts-Thomson, McVeigh, Bolton.

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, vic, melbourne-3000

First posted June 09, 2012 22:46:41

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Hill unlikely starter against Bombers

Updated June 21, 2012 14:40:36

Fremantle is set to make at least four changes for Saturday's clash with Essendon in Perth after midfielder Stephen Hill's bid to recover from an ankle injury fell short.

Hill tweaked his ankle early in the June 9 match against Richmond, but battled on through the pain to play a crucial role in the two-goal win.

But last week's bye was not enough for Hill to sufficiently recover from the injury, with the Dockers confirming the 22-year-old is unlikely to face the Bombers.

Hill's absence comes at a bad time for the Dockers, who also need to find replacements for ruckman Aaron Sandilands (turf toe), defender Zac Dawson (knee) and goalsneak Hayden Ballantyne (suspended).

Kepler Bradley and Zac Clarke will battle it out to replace Sandilands, while Alex Silvagni is set to come in for Dawson.

Michael Walters, Jayden Pitt, Nick Lower and Paul Duffield are all in the selection mix for the other two spots, but midfielder Anthony Morabito will spend at least another week in the WAFL building match fitness.

The Dockers sit 11th on the table with a 6-5 record, while the Bombers have an 8-3 return, but enter Saturday's match on the back of two straight losses.

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, fremantle-6160

First posted June 21, 2012 14:40:36

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Demons survive to record Bombers boilover

Updated June 02, 2012 22:49:15

Melbourne produced the upset of the season, taking advantage of a wasteful Essendon to win by a goal at the MCG on Saturday night to give coach Mark Neeld the first victory of his reign.

Another loss would have given the embattled club its first 0-10 start since 1919.

But the Demons, who faced an avalanche of criticism after copping a 101-point hiding from Sydney just two weeks ago, won 8.10 (58) to 6.16 (52) in front of 42,987 fans.

The win lifted them off the bottom of the ladder, leaving winless Gold Coast in the wooden spoon berth.

Melbourne players literally jumped for joy and gathered in groups to hug each other as the siren sounded.

They had trailed for much of the night, but surged clear with three goals to one in the final quarter to hand the second-placed Bombers just their second defeat of the season.

The much-maligned Jack Watts continued his strong recent form in defence, leading a valiant Demons set-up at the back which kept the Bombers to a meagre score despite their constant attacking thrusts.

Jared Rivers, Daniel Nicholson and Tom McDonald were also good in defence, while Brent Moloney, Nathan Jones and Jack Grimes provided drive from the midfield, with Moloney and Jones also kicking a goal each.

Essendon captain Jobe Watson was clearly his side's best with 32 disposals and two goals.

His work helped the Bombers have the lion's share of attacking moves for most of the game.

But, while Melbourne defended desperately to stay in touch throughout the night, Essendon was largely to blame for its own defeat.

The Bombers' kicking for goal was atrocious. Key forwards Stewart Crameri, with 0.3, Paddy Ryder, with 0.2, and Michael Hurley, with 0.3 and another shot out on the full, all wasted straightforward chances, but were not the only culprits.

The Bombers also produced sloppy disposals and fumbled to ruin many promising attacking moves, with Hurley heading towards an open goal in the last term but over-running a ground ball, when a goal would have put his side ahead.

After Melbourne moved 11 points clear through a Colin Garland goal, Watson produced a nice snap to cut the margin to less than a kick and pumped his fist to try to rev up his team, but to no avail as the Demons closed out the game.

Melbourne: 8.10 (58) - Garland 2, Clark, Howe, Jones, Moloney, Morton, Sylvia

Essendon: 6.16 (52) - Watson 2, Colyer, Davey, Hocking, Melksham

AAP/ABC

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, melbourne-3000, essendon-3040, vic, australia

First posted June 02, 2012 22:14:56

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Injuries reveal Bombers' true depth

Updated June 01, 2012 16:49:07

When Essendon's horror run of injuries finally abates, it could prove a blessing in disguise for the league high-flyers.

The Bombers have used 31 players so far this season in marching to eight wins from nine matches and have not yet been able to field their best side because of a spate of injuries - mainly soft tissue.

But these injuries have allowed coach James Hird to sift through the players at his disposal, and discover a deep pool of talent which should make the Bombers even more formidable when all are fully fit.

Conventional wisdom among coaches is that clubs need at least 32 players ready to immediately slot into senior football to be finals and premiership-capable.

Hird believes he now has 35.

But he was careful when pressed about whether that was the magic number for the finals tilt surely coming after the Bombers' sizzling start to the season.

"You'd like to think you've got 35 guys who are ready to come in," Hird said on Friday.

"I'm not sure of how good we can be or where we can go. I suppose that we think we've got 34 or 35 players who can play.

"Whether they're good enough or not, or whether as a team we're good enough or not, the next 15 weeks of the season will play out and we'll see what happens from there."

Virtually all the Bombers' wins this season have come with a good player missing.

It happens again for their clash with winless Melbourne at the MCG on Saturday night, with young defender Dyson Heppell and experienced Mark McVeigh the latest casualties.

Heppell will miss his second successive match with a knee injury, while Hird said McVeigh was being spelled to overcome complications from off-season hip surgery.

Heppell should return next week, with midfielder McVeigh out for no more than a fortnight.

But the plus side of the ledger is a return for veteran defender Dustin Fletcher against the Demons.

And Hird said injury-troubled forward Scott Gumbleton was approaching full fitness, along with experienced ruckman David Hille and speedy midfielder Jason Winderlich.

Hird sees all three as playing some role in the second half of the season.

"Depth in your team, and depth with that sort of class in Hille, Winderlich and Gumbleton who a few years ago were a huge part of this team, is very exciting," Hird said.

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, essendon-3040, vic, australia

First posted June 01, 2012 16:49:07

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Rising reward for Bombers big man

Updated May 29, 2012 08:46:19

Essendon defender Jake Carlisle has been recognised with the round nine Rising Star nomination.

The 20-year-old took seven marks and gathered 13 possessions in the Bombers' 11-goal win over Greater Western Sydney on Saturday night.

Carlisle, who has played seven matches this season to go with his 10 from last year, has been an influential figure in the Essendon's much-improved defence.

"His football in the back half of last year and so far this year has been very good, so it's a credit to him to get the nomination," Bombers coach James Hird said.

"I think Jake reads the game very well and his ability to take a mark as a defender and use the ball very well helps create our attack.

"We've played him forward and back so it's great to have that versatility in the team.

Carlisle was taken with pick 24 in the 2009 draft.

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, essendon-3040, vic, australia

First posted May 29, 2012 08:46:19

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Bombers burn Giants on home debut

Updated May 26, 2012 23:14:29

Essendon claimed top spot on the ladder with a 66-point win over Greater Western Sydney on Saturday night, but it was nowhere as easy a triumph as the margin suggests.

A one-sided second-half helped the Bombers ease to a 18.11 (119) to 7.11 (53) victory in the maiden match at Skoda Stadium, the revamped showground facility at Sydney Olympic Park.

James Hird's charges were put under immense pressure by the league's newcomers for large sections of the opening half.

The Bombers lead at half-time was still a comfortable 28 points - the advantage coming from clinical work in the forward line and the Giants' contrasting profligacy at the other end.

The Giants had more scoring shots than the Bombers at the major break but only two goals to show for it.

Remarkably the Giants had registered nine behinds before its first goal at home in the 19th minute of the second quarter when Dylan Shiel sprinted into the goalsquare unopposed.

Adam Treloar had another major with 46 seconds remaining in the second term to conjure memories of round three this year, when the Bombers flirted with disaster in a 17-point win over expansion side Gold Coast.

But unfortunately for Kevin Sheedy his side could not maintain the attack on the ball after half-time when there was even more space opening up for the likes of Stewart Crameri and Alwyn Davey to run into.

Sheedy may have been dealt an 11-goal loss in his first match against the club he coached for 27 seasons, but it was a result with positives.

Jeremy Cameron continued his strong season with three goals and a couple of spectacular efforts, while fellow young guns Treloar (25 disposals, six tackles) and Shiel (21 disposals, six tackles) were also among the Giants' best.

The biggest disappointment for the new club came off the field - an underwhelming crowd of 11,887.

The Bombers booted 5.7 in the third term to take control of the contest and slotted another five goals in the final quarter.

Crameri, Davey and Tom Bellchambers all kicked three goals, with Angus Monfries kicking two and Ben Howlett, who was slated to start as the substitute until the last minute scratching of Kyle Hardingham (calf), had 27 disposals while David Zaharakis had a game-best 32.

Bombers: 18.11 (119) - T Bellchambers 3, S Crameri 3, A Davey 3, P Ryder 2, A Monfries 2, J Watson, D Zaharakis, T Colyer, J Melksham, M Hurley.

Giants: 7.11 (53) - J Cameron 3, J Giles, J McDonald, D Shiel, A Treloar.

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, homebush-2140, nsw, australia, essendon-3040, vic

First posted May 26, 2012 22:40:19

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Ryder re-commits to Bombers

Updated May 30, 2012 22:15:26

Essendon has pulled off a signing coup by securing the services of star ruckman Paddy Ryder for a further four seasons.

The 24-year-old will be a Bomber until the end of the 2016 season, ending speculation that he could return to his native Western Australia.

"I love this place and everyone that's involved in this footy club, I've also got great mates here and coaches that I really look up to," Ryder said in a statement on the club website.

"I'm a big family man and it has always been on my mind about going home and being closer to my family but I've made the right decision for my family in Melbourne, my partner and also because I know the Essendon Football Club is the place for me to get the best out of myself."

Coach James Hird said that Ryder's influence for Essendon is felt both on and off the pitch.

"We're very excited that Patrick has decided to stay with Essendon for another four years and hopefully help us have some success at this great club," he said.

"It's not just his form on the field but also what he does off the field that's impressive. He's a really important part of our team and our culture.

"Most importantly, it's exciting to have re-signed so many of our core group with David Zaharakis, Michael Hurley, Jake Melksham and now Paddy Ryder all committing to the club in long term deals recently."

The Bombers drafted 126-game Ryder seventh overall in 2005.

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, essendon-3040, vic, australia

First posted May 30, 2012 22:15:26

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Bombers hold off Tigers fight-back

Updated May 20, 2012 09:01:48

Competition pacesetters Essendon survived a scare from Richmond, losing the lead in the last quarter before finishing strongly to win their round-eight clash by 19 points on Saturday night.

A massive crowd of 80,900 packed into the MCG to watch the eighth annual Dreamtime game, which is the highlight of the AFL's indigenous-themed round.

After blowing a 42-point lead, the Bombers kicked the last three goals of the game to win 19.13 (127) to 15.19 (109).

Essendon's win-loss ratio now stands at 7-1 while for the Tigers (3-5) this was one that got away.

Patrick Ryder kicked four goals for the Bombers while midfielder Jobe Watson was prominent.

Richmond sent half-back Brett Deledio into a midfield role and he was awarded the medal for best-afield after gathering a game-high 35 possessions, 10 tackles and seven inside-50s.

Trent Cotchin and Shane Edwards booted three goals each for the Tigers and onballer Shaun Grigg was another strong contributor.

Cale Hooker held Richmond full-forward Jack Riewoldt to one goal while at the other end Essendon's key forward Michael Hurley failed to score a goal but played a creative role at half-forward in his first game back from a hamstring injury.

Essendon had booted six goals in the opening term including three to Ryder and six more in the second quarter to hold a 35-point advantage at halftime, 12.7 (79) to 6.8 (44).

Richmond defender Dylan Grimes suffered a hamstring injury and was substituted off in the second term for Brandon Ellis.

Ryder's fourth goal early in the second half gave Essendon a 42-point advantage before Richmond gained some momentum with a 5.8 third term to Essendon's 4.2 on the back of a 19-9 advantage in the inside-50 entries in the third quarter.

Essendon also had to reshuffle their defence as Dustin Fletcher was troubled by a groin injury and was substituted off for Nathan Lovett-Murray.

The Tigers' surge came through an improved performance in midfield, although a goal to Ben Howlett in the last minute of the term gave the Bombers a 23-point break at three-quarter time.

Richmond scored the first four goals of the final term to snatch the lead in the 12th minute.

But two quick goals to Lovett-Murray and Angus Monfries put the Bombers ahead by 10 points and Alwyn Davey booted his second to seal the result for the Bombers.

The Tigers dominated the inside-50 count 66-48 and had more scoring shots but suffered through several near misses in the second half.

Essendon play Greater Western Sydney in Blacktown next Saturday. Richmond face Hawthorn at the MCG next Saturday.

Essendon: 19.14 (128) - Ryder 4, Monfries 3, Stanton 3, Davey 2, Jetta 2, Watson 2, Howlett, Crameri, Lovett-Murray

Richmond: 15.19 (109) - Cotchin 3, Edwards 3, Grigg 2, Martin 2, Deledio, Miller, Jackson, Nahas, Riewoldt

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, essendon-3040

First posted May 19, 2012 22:38:19

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