Jobe Watson celebrates his last-quarter goal Picture: Sarah Reed Source: HWT Image Library
THERE were two main points of interest for Essendon fans going into the season opener against the Crows in Adelaide. Would the players come out firing after a summer of controversy, and how would boom recruit Brendon Goddard perform?
In the end, both these factors had no bearing on the game.
The Bombers had a crack early, but were outplayed and barely managed to get the football inside their forward 50 in the first quarter.
Likewise Goddard - who along with mature recruit Nick Kommer was the only member of the starting 22 not embroiled in the 2012 supplements scandal - struggled to have an impact in the first term.
Live HQ: Adelaide v Essendon
Starting on a wing against Crows young gun Rory Sloane and pushing forward, the former Saint managed just three ineffectual possessions in the first 30 minutes.
The Crows had the first six scoring shots of the match. Essendon's first score did not come until the 19th minute, when Michael Hurley gathered on the boundary and kicked a point; its first goal came from a Brent Stanton snap in the shadow of quarter time.
AFL - Adelaide Crows v Essendon at AAMI Stadium - Round 1 - Brenton Sanderson at quarter time Picture: Sarah Reed Source: HWT Image Library
At the first break, with the Dons trailing 22-9, the one shining light was Dyson Heppell, who had racked up 10 disposals including the Dons' first of the match.
In the lead-up to the game, however, coach James Hird had put another issue on the agenda that was ultimately more significant. Speaking to the playing group during the week he had bluntly spelled out that resilience was the one element that had been missing from this group. Would the summer of controversy bond this group, he wondered, and help them find that resilience.
In the second quarter the Bombers found just that, bouncing back by lifting their work rate and laying countless tackles. They slammed on two goals within a minute, and managed six of the seven majors scored in that term.
Leading the way were Brownlow Medallist Jobe Watson, Courtenay Dempsey, Ben Howlett and 366-gamer Dustin Fletcher.
AFL - Adelaide Crows v Essendon at AAMI Stadium - Round 1 - Essendon united Picture: Sarah Reed Source: HWT Image Library
Essendon began to dominate in the third quarter as the game opened up, getting out to a 27-point lead midway through the term.
Tom Bellchambers had the chance to put them 32 points up when a Michael Hurley tap on found him unattended 15 metres out from goal. But he hurried his shot, dribbling it wide.
Alwyn Davey was in everything, tackling, smothering and steering through three goals for the quarter, while Paddy Ryder was influential in the ruck.
There remained a suspicion the Crows would get on a run, find some momentum and storm home. But the Bombers responded to Hird's call and showed resilience.
After quarter time Essendon took the game on and was rewarded. The Dons ran and spread and attacked and created. Yet two of their players who could take much credit for the win were negators: Jake Carlisle shut out the Crows' key forward Taylor Walker, while Heath Hocking stopped the explosive Patrick Dangerfield from igniting Adelaide.
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