Last time these sides met in round 11, Essendon charged from five goals down to steal a thrilling five-point win over the Blues. That time Jake Carlisle and Dyson Heppell were the heroes. This time the Blues got away to be leading by 20 points in the third quarter. They even held a 17-point break at the final change. But the Bombers didn't give up and when Patrick Ryder kicked a goal 15 minutes in to the fourth term, the Bombers took a one-point lead. Bryce Gibbs had his chance to sway it back the Blues' way but missed his shot, before David Zaharakis kicked the match-winning goal to see his side get up by six points. The Bombers did it again.
2. Hird is the word
All eyes were fixed on under-siege Essendon coach James Hird after the most dramatic week of his career in football. Only days after Hird accused the AFL of waging an agenda against him, he led the Bombers on the big stage. And he coached quite well, too, with one move – isolating Jobe Watson with Bryce Gibbs deep in Essendon's attack – working to effect. Before the game, Bombers chairman Paul Little said he wanted Hird to have his chance to tell his side of the story in the club's 2012 supplements program. "James is remorseful and he's looking for an opportunity to actually express that, and at this point in time it's not going to be a five-second message out the front of his house," Little told Channel Seven.
3. Menzel making his march
Many clubs ranked Troy Menzel in the top-three most talented players of last year's NAB AFL Draft. But not many would necessarily have taken him with a top-three pick. His history of knee injuries put some off, particularly with such an early choice. He slipped through to Carlton at pick 11, and the Blues recruiting team knew they had a bargain. Menzel continued his impressive start with the Blues against the Bombers, kicking two goals from 11 possessions and five marks. Most of all, though, he added something different to Carlton's forward line.
4. Jobe jeered and cheered
It has become the norm at Essendon games over the last two months for opposition crowds to boo Bombers skipper Jobe Watson. Carlton's army of supporters continued the trend, most clearly in the first quarter, when Watson was lining up for goal. But their boos were quickly drowned out by cheers from the Essendon supporters at the MCG, particularly when Watson's shot sailed through for a goal. On Essendon's Twitter account, Watson's injured teammate Jason Winderlich hit out at the treatment of the Brownlow medallist. "I think it's a disgrace that they are booing Jobe," Winderlich wrote, before adding: "Keep booing cause it makes him play better!" Watson finished with 27 disposals and was perhaps the best player on the ground.
5. A long time coming
Nick Duigan made a surprise reappearance in Carlton's line-up after Andrew Walker and Matthew Kreuzer were late withdrawals, coming into the side for his first game since round one. The defender has been a clear victim of the new Mick Malthouse regime – in his first two seasons under former coach Brett Ratten, Duigan played 38 games. But he has been left to ply his trade at VFL level all season. Duigan almost made the perfect start when his first-quarter snap at goal hit the post, and he finished with 13 disposals.
Twitter: @AFL_CalTwomey
