Inspirational skipper Michael Voss reflected the courage of the Lions as he worked himself into the ground under heavy physical pressure, but could not produce a knockout blow in a slugging contest that went down to the wire.
Without their three fastest players in Jason Akermanis, Nigel Lappin and Chris Johnson, and with experienced defender Chris Scott sidelined in the first term, the situation got a whole lot worse when key defender Justin Leppitsch injured his shoulder midway through the third term.
Leppitsch landed on the shoulder after making a desperate attempt to touch a Mark Johnson shot at goal, which put the Bombers up by 13 points at that stage. Essendon appeared to have all the run and the manpower at that stage, and many were waiting for the Bombers to blow away the Lions.
Yet the visitors hung in there like the prizefighters they are, whittling the margin back to four points at the last change, and hitting the front in the opening 30 seconds of the final term when Luke Power snapped his second brilliant goal for the night.
Power was an outstanding contributor, but was unable to secure a win in his 100th game as the Bombers responded with two quick goals and then hung on desperately as the Lions kept on pressing at them.
There was a strong irony in the Lions’ season suddenly looking vulnerable after the loss to Essendon, which has seen them drop to fourth and fifth tomorrow if Adelaide beat Fremantle. For the Bombers were the last ‘super team’ before the Lions, their fall from power beginning largely due to a spate of injuries.
Bombers coach Kevin Sheedy alluded to just that after the game.
“The Lions have hardly had anyone out over the last two years, so we’ll take it,” Sheedy said of the 14-10-94 to 12-14-86 victory. “We know what it’s like when you have players out.”
The Essendon victory was built around a quality 31-possession performance from skipper James Hird, a strong effort at centre-half-back by Scott Lucas, the skill and run of Adam Ramanauskas, and an ability to create space in the corridor at key times of the game.
Lucas took several match-saving marks in the last term, while centre-half-forward Mark Bolton kicked the key goal in a 21-possession effort in time-on of the last quarter to put the Bombers 14 points up.
The Bombers won the first quarter by eight points courtesy of a dominance around the packs. The Lions assumed control at ground level in the second and led themselves by eight points at halftime, before the second half arm wrestle saw more swings in momentum.
Voss was outstanding when the game appeared to be slipping away in the third term, taking a strong defensive mark and setting in motion a chain that saw Aaron Shattock goal at the other end.
He then produced a miracle handball from the middle of a pack with two Bombers hanging off him for Alastair Lynch to soccer a goal. And he also effected a centre break and then ran forward to receive a kick back from Jonathan Brown, only to miss the goal from 35m. The kick was testament to the fact that he does not have the same power in his right leg since knee surgery last month, and the handicap puts his heroics of the last two weeks in an even greater light.
Ruckman Jamie Charman did some good things in both the third and fourth terms as David Hille tired from tackling both Charman and Clark Keating, who enjoyed a particularly good second term.
The Lions also had a good focal point in Alastair Lynch, who finished with four goals after a frustrating first term with free kicks going against him. At the other end of the ground, Matthew Lloyd was beaten in most one-on-one contests by Mal Michael, but still managed to kick five goals.
His jump over a stationary Michael when the ball almost fell into Lloyd’s arms allowed the Bomber to put his side back into the contest at the two minute mark of the final term. But Michael enjoyed the better of the contest at all other times and some of his bodywork saved his side often.
Damian Cupido came back into the Essendon side after being named as an emergency for Steven Alessio, while Ash McGrath did likewise for Lappin, who didn’t even board the plane for Melbourne.
McGrath did a top job in the first half on Cupido as Scott’s replacement, but he too succumbed to injury and returned last in the game with his hamstring heavily bandaged.
Power opened superbly to mark the 100-game milestone, collecting nine gutsy possessions in the first quarter in a game of see-sawing momentum.
Essendon were on the board within 60 seconds when Lloyd snapped a fortuitous goal after opponent Michael had put his body on the line in a marking contest. Typical of the first half, the Lions hit straight back after Charman made a strong centre break and Brad Scott ran inside 50 to goal.
Scott was on top of direct opponent Hird in the opening half of the term, while Martin Pike was strong at half-back and Daniel Bradshaw lively at half-forward. When Pike fed Bradshaw and the forward went long to the square for a flying Voss to mark and goal, the Lions led 3-2 to 1-2 at the 15 minute mark.
But then Adam Ramanauskas work his way on top of Robbie Copeland, who had started solidly, and Hird came into the game. Just as importantly for the Bombers, Lynch was not paid a mark after what appeared a fair mark, and the resultant free kick to Dustin Fletcher saw Essendon take the ball to the other end and goal.
While Michael won four one-on-one contests with Lloyd in the opening term, a miskick hit the leading Lloyd on the chest and his second gave the Bombers the lead.
The Lions began to look unbalanced when Jonathan Brown and Chris Scott both left the field for attention, while Keating was only on for minutes before going again with a head gash.
A Danny Jacobs goal on the siren gave the Bombers an eight-point lead, which they extended to 14 in the opening minutes of the second term.
The Lions benched Brownlow Medallist Simon Black at the start of the second term after he was heavily tagged by Damien Peverill in the first, while Brad Scott soon joined him and went straight into the rooms, although he did return.
Aaron Shattock, who started the game at half-forward, went onto the ball and gave his side an immediate lift. With the crowd roaring behind the Dons and apparently with the momentum, inspirational Lions skipper Voss stood tall and with Shattock brought the Lions right back into the game.
Keating started the quarter and also gave the Lions a physical presence both at the bounces and around the ground. Two fierce tackles to prevent Essendon breakaways were a feature, while he also provided a marking target.
Bradshaw went into defence at the start of the second term and Lynch began to find space by leading, and he had three shots at goal for the term for 2-1.
The game was played at a cracking pace for most of the second term, with both sides pushing hard to get players behind the ball, and the game behind played mostly between the half-back lines.
Shaun Hart replaced Copeland on Ramanauskas at the start of the term and while he was outmarked on two occasions, he blunted the impact of the Dons star. And Tim Notting also came off the bench to give his side enormous run, despite having just the one reserves game back after seven weeks out with a fractured elbow.
The Lions went from being beaten at ground level to assuming some control of the clearances, with Shattock and Voss showing the way. Michael and Leppitsch worked their way on top in the key defensive positions, and Marcus Ashcroft and McGrath did the job on the Essendon small forwards.
McGrath picked straight up where Chris Scott left off, ensuring Cupido rarely saw the ball in the opening half.
In the end, the Lions enjoyed eight shots to two for the term, adding 4-4 to 2-0 to grab and a narrow 7-6 to 6-4 lead at the main break.
A fire in the city saw a pall of blue smoke creep inside and hang in the stadium for the second term, requiring the roof to be opened at halftime.
The Lions now have to fight their way out of the haze that has enulged them in recent times, which has seen them drop four of their last six games. It should be pointed out that three of those four losses have been by around a goal, which has made a big difference to ladder placings.
The Bombers’ win was their first over the Lions in the last six starts, and their demeanour afterwards suggested they were clearly relieved to have won, rather than elated.
The Bombers have evened their season record at 8-8 and with a relatively easy run to September, now appear on course for a finals place.
The Lions face top side Port Adelaide in another difficult encounter at the Gabba, although they do have their next two games in Brisbane.
Scores:
Essendon, 4-4, 6-4, 11-8, 14-10-94
Brisbane Lions, 3-2, 7-6, 10-10, 12-14-86
Goals, Bombers: Lloyd 5, Bolton 2, M Johnson, J Johnson, Ramanauskas, Welsh, Hille, Jacobs, Misiti. Lions: Lynch 4, Power 2, Voss, McRae, B Scott, Brown, Shattock, Bradshaw.
Possession, Bombers: Hird 31, Lucas 23, Mark Johnson 23, Peverill 23, Ramanauskas 22, Solomon 22, Bolton 22, Misiti 19, Hille 17, J Johnson 15. Lions: Voss 24, B Scott 23, Power 22, Shattock 19, Pike 19, Black 18, Charman 14, Copeland 14, Hart 14.
Best, Bombers: Lucas, Hird, Ramanauskas, Bolton, Peverill, Solomon, Hille, M Johnson. Lions: Voss, Power, Shattock, B Scott, Pike, Charman, Lynch.
