Hinkley set to coach Devils, Caddy taken to hospital as Dons end drought

I’ve got to say Drew, as an Essendon man myself, that feels bloody good.

It’s got to feel incredible for the kids involved as well. Winning doesn’t cure all, but it does cure a lot

Thank you for spending your Sunday and your weekend with us once again!

Another massive weekend of footy wrapping up with the big news of Ken Hinkley being set to be unveiled as the inaugural coach of the Tasmanian Devils tomorrow morning.

We’ll be back again next weekend for all the live action from round 20 which kicks off with a Thursday night blockbuster between Adelaide and Collingwood at the Adelaide Oval.

See you then!

THURSDAY

Geelong 15.12 (102) defeated St Kilda 11.9 (75) @ Kardinia Park

FRIDAY

Adelaide 13.9 (87) defeated Sydney 10.11 (71) @ SCG

SATURDAY

Fremantle 15.13 (103) defeated Port Adelaide 11.9 (75) @ Adelaide Oval

Melbourne 13.14 (92) defeated North Melbourne 11.10 (76) @ Docklands Stadium

Collingwood 14.6 (90) defeated Carlton 10.9 (69) @ MCG

Brisbane Lions 13.15 (93) defeated West Coast 10.9 (69) @ Perth Stadium

SUNDAY

Hawthorn 18.14 (122) defeated Richmond 6.16 (52) @ MCG

Western Bulldogs 11.11 (77) defeated Gold Coast 9.14 (68) @ Carrara Stadium

Essendon 10.7 (67) defeated GWS Giants 8.16 (64) @ Docklands Stadium

THE BOMBERS HOLD ON!!!

Archer Day-Wicks misses a set shot from the boundary after the siren but the Bombers could not care less!

Essendon ends a 12-game losing shift with a major upset win over the GWS Giants.

What a drought it has been for the Bombers fans in Melbourne, this is their first win in Melbourne since the Dreamtime clash last May against Richmond.

The pressure was evident early. The Dons have been guilty of not bringing it in first quarters, but the heat was in this one straight from the first bounce.

A well-deserved first win for Dean Solomon as the interim coach.

Zach Merrett, much maligned for a poor performance last week, leads the way with 35 disposals and three clearances, while Sam Durham added 25 touches and seven clearances.

A word as well to a crop of Essendon youngsters who really impressed out there.

Dyson Sharp finishes with 23 touches, six clearances and a goal, Jacob Farrow with 20 touches and two goals, Sullivan Robey with 17 touches, four clearances and a goal and Nick Bryan with 17 touches, 31 hitouts, eight clearances and two goals.

The small forward duo of Isaac Kako and Hussein El-Achkar brought incredible pressure as well, combining for 13 tackles.

More of that, say the Dons fans!

Kyle Langford lines up 35m out on a slight angle as the clock ticks under 60 seconds.

This will win it if he kicks it.

Bombers trying to hold onto possession here for the last few minutes after Sullivan Robey chopped off an attempted attack.

Another free kick, another goal!

This time it’s Peter Wright who wins a free kick inside 50, and he goes back and drills the set shot from 45m out on a tough angle!

Connor Idun pushing Wright under the ball in a marking contest, it’s fair to say that one was there.

Goal for goal here as we go down the stretch.

Dons by four with 4:38 remaining.

Oh no Archie Roberts what have you done!

Roberts gets goaded into a punch from Clayton Oliver and gives up a 50m penalty, bringing Jack Ough to within scoring range.

Ough calmly slots the set shot from directly in front.

Giants lead with five minutes remaining!

THE BOMBERS ARE BACK IN FRONT!

Huss El-Achkar is outnumbered two to one but lays incredible pressure with a pair of tackles and the ball comes out to Sullivan Robey, who snaps home from close range!

Dons lead with six minutes remaining.

This is some finish from a big man!

Callum Brown comes across a ground ball and picks it up in one smooth motion and then snaps truly on his non-preferred left boot.

GWS up by three points with 8:22 left on the clock.

Oh my goodness, the Giants are shooting themselves in the foot!

Riley Hamilton sprays a set shot from directly in front of goal and they’re now 4.12 on set shots for the night.

Bombers clinging to a three-point lead with 10 minutes left on the clock.

Ryan Angwin strikes on a left-footed snap in heavy traffic!

More repeat inside 50 entries for the Giants and the pressure eventually pays off.

The Giants have kicked four of the last five goals in this one.

Still plenty of time left though!

Jake Stringer sprays another set shot wide and he’s now kicked 0.7 for the evening!

Bronx cheers from Essendon’s fans who are revelling in all of this, no doubt.

Speaking of young Bombers having breakouts, I think Jacob Farrow is having a breakout as well!

He takes a great contested mark in the forward line and then coolly slots the set shot from 40m out on a 45 degree angle.

Farrow’s now got 18 touches and two clearances to go along with two goals.

An absolutely fascinating contest in store here as we head into the final quarter at Docklands.

The Bombers lead by six points, but it was a topsy turvy quarter.

Essendon came out of the gates kicking the first four straight goals of the quarter, before the Giants bit back with the last three.

Bombers big man Nick Bryan is having a coming out party of sorts today. He’s got 15 disposals, six clearances and has two goals to go along with 27 hitouts.

Zach Merrett is the leading ball-winner on the ground with 26 disposals, while Sam Durham has 18 touches and seven clearances.

Finn Callaghan is the high man for the Giants with 19 disposals.

Essendon leads the inside 50 count 36-34 and the clearance count 37-16.

Jake Stringer, still hunting his first goal of the night, has kicked 0.6.

The Giants are making their move before the three-quarter time siren!

Harry Rowston nails a set shot from 45m out directly in front and Essendon’s lead, which was once 26 points is now down to just six.

There’s a big final minute coming up to end this quarter.

The Giants aren’t going quietly into the night here!

They’ve gotten momentum back on their side and they’re putting Essendon’s back six under intense pressure with inside 50 entry after inside 50 entry.

Max Gruzewski nails his first goal of the night after snapping truly from a tight angle in a set shot.

The ball has been in GWS’s forward half for 84 per cent of the last 10 minutes.

The Western Bulldogs have heaped more pressure on Gold Coast with a nine-point win over the Suns at People First Stadium.

A five-goals-to-none third quarter was the game-breaker after an arm wrestle of a first half in blustery conditions as the Bulldogs ran out 11.11 (77) to 9.14 (68) winners.

The defeat extends Gold Coast’s losing run to eight matches and leaves their outside hopes of a top-10 finish seemingly extinguished.

Victory lifted the Bulldogs to seventh on the ladder.

In a team shorn of Tom Liberatore (soreness) and Riley Garcia (hamstring tightness) and missing Bailey Dale for the first time since 2020, superstar Marcus Bontempelli was a stand-out.

The Bulldogs’ captain ended the game with three goals, 23 disposals, four tackles and five clearances.

Matthew Kennedy was the other multiple goalkicker for the visitors, with three, while Bailey Humphrey was busy with 29 disposals and 765 metres gained.

For the Suns, Christian Petracca and Leo Lombard kicked two goals each while Touk Miller (39 disposals, five tackles, nine clearances) and Matt Rowell (26 disposals, 11 tackles and eight clearances) were strong in a beaten team.

Suns spearhead Ben King had a tough day, kicking 1.4 and failing to haul in a late mark that could have set up a grandstand finish.

Kicking with the wind in the opening term, Bontempelli’s two goals for the quarter ensured the visitors were up by a goal at the first break.

AAP