1. Who was on Jobe?
While the Eagles were intent on stopping Brent Stanton early - they employed Scott Selwood in a head-to-head match-up - there was less of a focus on Essendon captain Jobe Watson. He gathered 13 disposals and four clearances in the first quarter, and continued at a solid rate for the rest of the night. Watson finished with 35 disposals and 11 clearances. In his third season as Bombers captain, Watson again underlined his standing as one of the elite ball-winners in the competition.
2. The crowd
Essendon might have been a tenant at Etihad Stadium since it opened (when it was known as Colonial Stadium in 2000) but that hasn't always guaranteed sellout crowds for the Bombers at the venue. While the Docklands' capacity tops 54,000, only seven games involving the Bombers have drawn crowds above 50,000 in the venue's history. Saturday's clash between the Bombers and West Coast was billed as a near sellout but it didn't quite get there, with a final total of 43,260 flocking through the gates.
3. Ruck battle
With Eagle Nic Naitanui missing with a hamstring strain and Tom Bellchambers in good form for the Bombers, West Coast's ruck responsibility sat squarely with Dean Cox. And, as champions usually do, he delivered in spades. Cox had 21 disposals, took eight marks and had seven clearances. He also notched 32 hit-outs, which was three more than Bellchambers and Patrick Ryder combined. By the end of the game it was clear Cox had tired from the solo effort, but he continued to push himself to the point of exhaustion.
4. Scoring shots
A marked measure of Essendon's improvement in the opening seven rounds has been its ability to hit the scoreboard. Last season the Bombers averaged 26 scoring shots a game, which itself was up on 25 scoring shots on average in 2010. This season the Bombers have averaged 31 per game. As well as a forward line consisting of a number of options, the Bombers have benefited from quicker ball movement and a frenetic forward pressure.
5. Free kicks
In beating the Eagles, the Bombers did one thing that no other club has done this year. But they also almost did another: win the free kick count against West Coast. John Worsfold's side has been ahead in the frees every game so far this year, but against the Bombers were equal at the end, with 19 frees apiece. After a week of discussion about the Eagles' ability to duck tackles, there were few instances where the tactic came into play.
