AFL Gather Round Super Saturday LIVE: Pressure keeps piling on Goodwin as baby Bombers keep Dees winless
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Gawn admits ‘flat’ Dees not taking their chances
Melbourne skipper Max Gawn says his club is “off”, “flat” and “not where they want to be” as they hit a 0-5 start to 2025.
“The game has changed a tiny bit but I still think dominating clearance matters,” Gawn told Fox Footy.
ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA – APRIL 12: Max Gawn of the Demons and teammates look dejected after the loss to Essendon.Credit: Getty Images
“In games we have lost clearance, we have lost and games we have won clearances we have won.
“All the talk this week was about tiding up our inside 50s.
“But you are not going to win games of footy when you roll out a first quarter like tonight. We are going to get thrown all the stats in the world about our inside 50 count this week but if we give a side 20 points and lay six tackles in the first quarter, in a game where we are 0-4 and playing in prime time, we are not going to catch that up.
“We are all pretty flat. 0-5 is not where we want to be but there is still a whole lot of season ahead. We are going to stay connected, roll on to Fremantle at the MCG and, hopefully, clean up a few things during the week.”
Gawn added the side had to take their opportunities to score as they continue to create them.
“We are just off at the moment,” Gawn said.
“Other sides have gone to work on us too many times now. With adversity comes a challenge and I’ve said that the last few times, we have shown glimpses. I’m really keen to get back to work this week.
“We have a lot of opportunity, all we can do is keep training our skills, our calmness and our leading patterns but, to be honest, we were off in our cleanness [with the footy] today. Essendon were clean with the ball and we weren’t.”
Draper backs Dons to keep winning, update on contract talks
Dons ruckman Sam Draper won’t put a ceiling on what his young side can do.
The young Bombers will continue to chase wins and Draper won’t have any talk about rebuilding or developing, he wants wins now.
Max Gawn of the Demons and Sam Draper of the Bombers compete.Credit: Getty Images
“We feel like we can cause some damage as a team,” Draper told Fox Footy.
“We are really young but we are really exciting and there is no ceiling on what we can do.”
Draper also said his manager would begin contract talks with the Dons.
“It’s in progress now and my manager will speak to the club in a few weeks and we will see what happens from that but I’m really happy with this win,” Draper told Fox Footy.
Full-time stats – Dees v Dons
Menzie, Merrett praise teamwork from Dons
Both Jye Menzie and Zach Merrett praised Essendon’s focus on team play as a key factor in their win over Melbourne tonight.
Menzie kicked a career-best four goals but said they all came from the work of his teammates.
Zach Merrett of the Bombers kicks the ball.Credit: Getty Images
“It felt good. It’s based off the team, they got me a lot of the goals. We did a lot of work as a team and it paid off in front of goals,” Menzie told Fox Footy.
“Tackle, pressure, run my patterns and play a typical half-forward role.”
Merrett, who had 37 disposals, said team defence remained a big area to improve for his side.
“All the boys are trying to buy in and get better at team defence and the last two weeks have been a good example of that,” Merrett told Fox Footy.
FT: Essendon 14.6 (90) d Melbourne 8.9 (57)
Essendon were too fast, too alert and too potent as they condemned Melbourne to another loss and scored a memorable win in front of more than 45,000 fans at Adelaide Oval.
The Dons are still a work in progress but they made the Demons look a team of the past by using the ball smartly, running hard for each other and backing young guns like Jye Menzie, Nate Caddy and Isaac Kako to play their games.
Menzie kicked his fourth goal on the siren just to make sure of the win.
Nate Caddy of the Bombers attempts a high mark over Sam Draper of the Bombers and Max Gawn of the Demons.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
Melbourne’s unwanted record
By Peter Ryan
Melbourne have started a season 0-5 for the first time since 2012 and 2021 premiership coach Simon Goodwin’s tenure as Melbourne coach has to be under pressure, despite being contracted until 2026. The team have managed just under 10 goals again, and their top score for the season is just 74.
Caddy gives the Dons some breathing room
Nate Caddy has been very assured for a second-year player tonight, at least in the big moments.
He has marked and kicked a second goal. That should lock in the win for the Dons.
Dons 84, Dees 57 with five mins to go.
Nate Caddy of the Bombers tries to peer into the soul of Clayton Oliver of the Demons.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
Sparrow keeps Dees in it
It looks too many goals in too few minutes but the Dees are still alive after Tom Sparrow roved the ball and kicked a goal.
Dons 77, Deees 57 with eight mins to go.
Hobbs kicks a clutch goal
Isaac Kako (left) and Ben Hobbs of the Bombers celebrate a goal.Credit: AFL Photos
Dons midfielder Ben Hobbs has marked inside 50 and gone back and kicked a clutch goal.
The former Horsham Demons star’s goal capped over more than a minute of tempo footy from Essendon, who controlled the ball and took uncontested marks.
He’s a good one, that Hobbs.
Dons 77, Dees 51 with nine mins left in the match.
Petracca involved in a heavy clash
By Peter Ryan
The Melbourne doctor is speaking to Christian Petracca after that heavy clash as he marked. We all know the injury Petracca suffered on King’s Birthday and the elbow in the back hurt. The Melbourne star is staying out there, though.
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