Adelaide: Essendon’s midfield didn’t get obliterated by Port Adelaide because of any tactical breakdown. Brad Scott did not believe that the Bombers wanted for effort, either.

“It’s a good wake-up call for our guys, [but] it’s been a strength to our game,” said the Essendon coach after the 69-point loss at Adelaide Oval, harking back to the first three rounds, when the Dons’ midfielders, propelled by the metronomic consistency of their skipper, Zach Merrett, outran the Saints, beat up on the fledgling Hawks and went toe to toe against the Swans for three quarters.

Port Adelaide captain Connor Rozee torched the Bombers on Friday night.Credit: AFL Photos

Scott couldn’t say it, but the carnage of Friday night’s midfield massacre was primarily due to Port Adelaide’s vastly superior top end of talent in the midfield.

“Port right now are where we want to be,” said Scott.

To properly review an underwhelming performance, Scott could do worse than invite Essendon’s recruiting department into the room and pose the question of where they might locate players of the calibre of Connor Rozee, Jason Horne-Francis and Zak Butters; Essendon, unfortunately, haven’t recruited anyone with that combination of acceleration and class for a long time.

Despite Merrett’s professional excellence and the extractive talents of Darcy Parish, Port Adelaide’s midfield trio represented a giant step up in class – from midweek welter to group 1 thoroughbreds – compared to St Kilda and Hawthorn.

In fairness, there isn’t a team in the competition with three young mids as formidable as Port’s.

Rozee and Horne-Francis were embarrassingly dominant, Butters merely classy and serviceable. The upshot was that Essendon were smashed 19-6 in centre bounces and Port scored heavily from the lopsided forward entries that ensued.

QOSHE - Port’s talent embarrassed Essendon; the Bombers should invite their recruiters to the post-mortem - Jake Niall
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Port’s talent embarrassed Essendon; the Bombers should invite their recruiters to the post-mortem

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06.04.2024

Adelaide: Essendon’s midfield didn’t get obliterated by Port Adelaide because of any tactical breakdown. Brad Scott did not believe that the Bombers wanted for effort, either.

“It’s a good wake-up call for our guys, [but] it’s been a strength to our game,” said the Essendon coach after the 69-point loss at Adelaide Oval, harking back to the first three rounds, when the Dons’ midfielders, propelled by the metronomic consistency of their........

© The Sydney Morning Herald


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