Just watched the last 1/4 against the Bummers on AFL website and the standout moment in the game for me on the night and on replay was the buildup to the Deluca goal that put us 10 points up.
Fletcher kicke the ball out of D50 to lucas who passed to Cartledge on Southern Stand wing. He lplayed on and was confronted by a ferocious tackle from Barney, passed back to Lucas By this stage Fevola Waite Norman Davies and Whitnall had joined the chase and the pressure on the Bummers was relentlless. An errant handball back and Fevola charged into the contest knocking over a Carlton player also . dived on the ball and passed in back rugby scrum style. Davies got the ball got pushed in the back , took a handball from the free to Stevens who set up DeLuca. Magnificent pressure football that is what wins these sort of close games.

On the other side of the ledger. i remember on the night after the Betts goal put us in front for the first time. We had the bummers by the scruff of the neck. The Barney-Kouta combo was a slethal as lillee-Marsh ever was. At the next centre bounce the Bummers forced a second bounce. Instead of going for the jugular , Barney drifted down to defence to be the loose man and Prenda took the tap. Bummers took the ball down and the Johnson snap put them back in front. Next bounce same story. this time the bummers went forward and Barney marked at the 50. I would have thought Prenda could have gone back if thats what Pagan wanted. When Barney leaves the ruck contest we struggle. Hes more value in the ruck then floating at half back even in the absence of Livo and T-Bird

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T E A M

Another pivotal moment was that play-on call on Lucas with 2 minutes to go. Admittedly they got the goal about 30 seconds after that with the clearence, but it was an iffy call - according to my mother, who has now confirmed that she is a typical Essendon* supporter, saying if this didn't happen, if this didn't happen...

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Cer 'ch 'n alluog Blues

Have to agree - this was a tremendous piece of play and I reckoned we gained 30 to 40 metres from it without a possession. It was the type of stuff Hawthorn used to do in the late 80's and very similar to a piece of play in the 88 Grand Final against Melbourne where the Hawks moved the ball almost Rugby style from a centre bounce with pressure and tackling into their forward 50.

Awesome stuff from our boys and shows the committment that they have - Fevola's involvement in this play I think is what Pagan was referring to about Fevola taking the next step.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill