NOW FOR THE TRICKY PART

Ah the classic Essendon post-bye wobble, never change.

Nothing says Dons footy like a mediocre and unconvincing victory over a cellar dweller like West Coast to really remind the faithful that despite early season successes - we ain’t that team yet.

God help us over the next three weeks!

There’s possibly never been a more underwhelming 30pt victory, and it’s difficult to imagine that the club will have garnered any new believers, despite having nine wins for the season so far.

It started frustrating against the Eagles, looked hopeful for a time, u-turned back into frustration and then flattered us with a probably unjust score line. At 9-4-1, the club is positioned third on the ladder. It’s been a month of challenging losses and frustrating victories, causing many to wonder … is this Bombers side the real deal?

The answer feels more complicated than it would seem, considering where the club currently resides in the standings. Because it’s not a simple yes - but it’s definitely not a no. Though as strange as it sounds, Sunday’s win over the Eagles might just have added more evidence for the No camp than the opposite. But having said that, it’s not all bad.

(Though, there was plenty of it.)

First of all, Sam Durham needs to be cloned a good four or five times! He racked up 29 disposals, two tackles and even a goal. He is the human embodiment of effort, literally willing the ball forward at times from the centre to force goals. When the rest of the side looked flat and slow, Durham always looked the opposite. He is arguably one of the greatest pick-ups of the Adrian Dodoro-era, and certainly the best of our mid-season selections.

Nate Caddy impressed against the Eagles with two goals, including a crowd pleasing snap for his first.

But Durham certainly wasn’t alone in the category of good performances, with Harry Jones working admirably in the air down the wing, along with Jye Caldwell bashing every pack he could find. The boy’s a star – plain and simple. Nate Caddy (who I insisted on calling Josh for a solid quarter and a half on Sunday - because I’m a moron) grew into the game with a welcome finesse and desire, slotting his first career goal and then his second, a set-shot following an impressive high mark.

But not to be outdone on the score sheet was Jake Stringer, who revived his form with a quietly brilliant 5.1 goals.

But now the ‘easy game’ is in the rear-view mirror, things turn quickly to another rough batch of games, beginning with one of Essendon’s perennial tormentors, the Geelong Cats.

In their last 6 matchups, the Dons have failed to beat the Cats once - with the club’s last victory over the hoops coming in 2018. The Bombers’ most recent loss was particularly painful, with a round 18 thrashing to the tune of 77pts, late in 2023 down at Kardinia Park. This particular public execution included 5.3 goals from Tom Hawkins. Though prior to that, things hadn’t exactly been positive or even close.

Since 2019, the Cats have beaten the Bombers by 32, 66, 41, 66, 28 and as pointed out already, 77pts in the last outing. This is nightmare fuel. Geelong hasn’t just beaten Essendon consistently, they’ve brutalised them! Often being the game many fans turn to each year as the moment the season practically came to an end, like mourners passing the coffin at a funeral.

But the Cats aren’t likely to lineup as they have in years gone by. Hawkins looks likely to be riding the sidelines for a moment with a foot complaint, which without sounding cruel, is genuinely thrilling for a Bombers fan to hear. Tom Hawkins has enjoyed 56 goals against Essendon in his 18 career matchups against the Dons, a rough average of 3.1 per game. Hawkins had his best day out against the Bombers early last year when he scored 8.1 goals. Despite his age, his expected absence is a huge win for the Dons.

Brownlow Medallist Patrick Dangerfield is touch and go depending on his appeal for his dangerous tackle of Sam Walsh in Geelong’s loss to Carlton. If these two remain unavailable for Saturday night (or even just one), it will be a welcome reprieve for Dons fans who have watched these modern legends repeatedly indulge in annihilating the Bombers every chance they’ve had.

The Cats have plagued the Dons for years … but is this the season things finally change?

But things aren’t necessarily like they were. Afterall, Geelong’s season has certainly taken a turn and the Cats definitely don’t look to be the same team that started the season so red-hot! So, it’s essential that the club take the chance in front of them, because this weekend’s game is pivotal for the Bombers finals aspirations. Pivotal for the four points required to remain in a good position in the eight – but perhaps even more importantly, to put some horrors to an end.

Geelong may be less than full strength on Saturday, but that will mean little to the fans who’ve watched their boys be smashed for so long by the hoops. A win against Geelong would signal a big problem for the Cats and where they hope to finish their season, but it would also signal a shift for the Dons.

A scalp long desired.

A monkey shaken off the back.

It would be four points against an opponent many early on had as a premiership contender, and a chance to consolidate a spot in the upper rungs of the ladder, as alien as that may seem. If the Bombers can claim a win at the G, the media may still scoff at the club’s potential - point derisively at the teams the club has beaten as proof of the Bombers illegitimacy. But that won’t matter at Tullamarine or in the hearts and minds of any of the faithful.

Essendon has had plenty of bogey teams in recent memory - being a crap football club will do that. But for many, Geelong has been that thorn in the side. That one non-traditional rival that most fans would absolutely love to give a belting. A win over the Catters would do a lot for not just the players and coaches, but the fans.

Hope.

Confidence.

The club has recovered from those disappointing pre-bye losses and is back on the winners’ list. But the next stretch of games will no doubt shape the Bombers’ season. Players have returned and the team is looking almost near-full strength. Everyone has gotten the cobwebs off and should be better for the run against West Coast.

The injury list is shrinking, and few excuses remain.

It’s now time to claim a few scalps.

So why not start with the Cats on Saturday night?

Go Planes.