TIM Watson was impressed by Essendon\u2019s collective pressing in their encouraging AAMI Community Series outing against Geelong at GMHBA Stadium.<\/p>\n
The Bombers dominated the inside 50 count but went down by seven points on Saturday night due to some inaccurate goalkicking.<\/p>\n
Veteran bookend Cale Hooker kicked four goals while recruits Peter Wright and Nick Hind also performed well.<\/p>\n
But it was Essendon\u2019s work without the ball that caught Watson\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe players were pushing up high and quickly to put pressure on the opposition,\u201d the Bombers great told SEN Breakfast.<\/p>\n
\u201cRichmond do this better than anybody, they lose the ball, and then they win it back really quickly, and Essendon were showing signs of getting onto the Geelong team quickly after they had lost possession of the ball.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat requires everybody to be on the same page because you have to leave your man at some point and you\u2019ve got to have the confidence to do that and know that somebody is going to push in behind you and fill that space.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor me, that means they\u2019ve done a lot of work on that style of football that they haven\u2019t been particularly good at.\u201d<\/p>\n
Former Bomber Adam Cooney liked the \u201cbold\u201d ball movement from Ben Rutten’s side in the narrow loss to the Cats.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was really impressed. They should have won that game by four or five goals,\u201d Cooney told SEN\u2019s Dwayne\u2019s World.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey had a mountain of opportunities inside 50 \u2013 at one stage they were +20 inside 50s \u2013 it was just that last kick going in.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think Bombers supporters should be really excited.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know it\u2019s only a small sample size, but coming up against a good team in Geelong, I thought the way they moved the footy was pretty bold.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey actually cut up the Cats through the middle of the ground at times.\u201d<\/p>\n
Essendon face rivals Hawthorn in Round 1 of the AFL home and away season at Marvel Stadium on 20 March.<\/p>\n
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