Praise for Bombers as finals loom

ESSENDON had their best win of the season and kept themselves alive in the finals race on Sunday, knocking off the top-of-the-table Western Bulldogs.

The performance impressed Garry Lyon and Tim Watson, particularly the on-ball unit.

The Bombers won the clearances 47-31 and gave their forwards the advantage across the afternoon.

“Their centre square work, and this was two midfields that just went at it, their clearance work was really significant in the end,” Lyon told SEN Breakfast.

“Two weeks ago it was said that making finals wasn’t that important and that they might have gotten there too early, I think it’s very important.”

Club great Watson is excited by what the Bombers are building, but understands coach Ben Rutten’s reluctance to mention finals.

“It’s very important to them as a group of players,” Watson said.

“Ben Rutten talks about improvement. That’s what he’s aiming to do. He said it post-game again yesterday and he just wants them to be more consistent across four quarters of football and everything looks after itself.

“It’s boring to say, but that’s exactly what he thinks about where his team is at.

“Yesterday they got great field position because of their centre bounce work and then they kicked incredibly accurately.

“After quarter-time they upped the pressure around the ball and they are a very fast side. They’ve got great speed around the ground.”

The Bombers swung Aaron Francis forward on the weekend and he looked at home playing essentially as a centre half-forward.

He kicked two goals and took seven marks, while Peter Wright did the damage with a bag of seven.

The Bombers in all likelihood will need to win both of their remaining fixtures to play finals.

They take on Gold Coast this weekend at a venue to be determined, probably in Victoria, before playing Collingwood at the MCG.

– NIC NEGREPONTIS/ SEN