Essendon’s finals hopes are hanging by a thread as they prepare to clash with Ross Lyon’s St Kilda in a must-win match at Marvel Stadium.
The Saints (7-11, 96.6%) have been out of finals contention for a little while now, but will have no problems in ruining the September party for others to finish their 2024.
Meanwhile, the Bombers (10-1-7, 98.7%) are fighting for dear life to stay in top eight contention, as their room for error narrows by the round.
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Lyon made just one change from last week’s 12-goal win over West Coast, with Anthony Caminiti replacing the injured Liam Henry.
As for Brad Scott, he’s swung the axe on veteran ruck Todd Goldstein to leave Sam Draper as the solo ruck.
Jake Kelly and Matt Guelfi will join him on the sidelines this evening through injury, with Peter Wright and Dyson Heppell recalled after their omissions last week.
Midfielder Darcy Parish will also play his first game since Round 9, after recovering from his soft tissue injuries.
The match will start at 4:35pm AEST under the roof at Marvel Stadium.
ST KILDA v ESSENDON – LIVE UPDATES
There have been no late changes for Saturday evening’s clash, with Hugo Garcia (Saints) and Archie Perkins (Bombers) the respective substitutes.
After a couple of early misses, the Bombers stuck first blood through Xavier Duursma before Dylan Shiel added another to get off to the ideal start.
St Kilda responded with the next three goals though so wrestle back momentum its way and take a four-point lead at Marvel Stadium.
Mitch Owens kicked a fourth-straight Saints goal as alarm bells would be going off in the Bombers coaches box.
The Saints led by 16 points at the first break, 5.1 (31) to 2.3 (15).
The Bombers started clawing things back in the second term with the first three goals to regain the lead.
It included Zach Merrett kicking a miracle drop punt goal from the boundary line that swung back throug the big sticks in one of the highlights of the match.
“That is an absolute miracle!,” Fox Footy caller Anthony Hudson exclaimed. “Gob smacking goal from Zach Merrett.”
Demons legend Garry Lyon added: “The laws of physics were defied … if he meant it, he’s a genius.”
Cooper Sharman kicked an important steadying goal for the Saints late in the second term to push his side’s advantage back out to 10 points.
The Saints led by nine points at half-time, 7.2 (44) to 5.5 (35).
St Kilda picked up where they let off, kicking the first three goals of the third term including a brilliant finish from Anthony Caminiti from a tight angle.
“They’re hanging by a thread at the moment,” Hawthorn champion Jason Dunstall said of Essendon.
Jack Steele contributed two goals in a row to blow the Saints’ lead out to 32 pints, with Lyon bemoaning Essendon’s inability to stop St Kilda’s uncontested marking game.
“They’ve smacked them in the face again. The pressure from Essendon is non existent because they can’t get any heat on someone when they’re taking uncontested marks.
“What we showed at half-time is not addressed.”
The Saints got seriously hot in the third term amid a run of eight-straight goals, capped off by a dribble finish from Dan Butler.
The one-sided result prompted criticism from the footy world towards the Bombers with their finals spot at stake.
“If Brad Scott called last week gory, this has been a horror show of all new proportions for Bombers fans,” Fox Footy’s Sarah Jones said at three-quarter time.
“Forget finals, if you have a look at the run home, it’s actually hard to see them winning any games based on the form they’re showing at the moment.
“With so much to pay for today, there’s going to be a lot of seething Essendon fans here at Marvel Stadium.”
The Saints kicked the first two goals of the fourth term to further extend their lead to 50-plus points before Sam Draper responded with a much needed major to stem the flow of play.
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Source Agencies
