Daniher fires as Dons beat Lions
Joe Daniher kicks six as the Bombers run away with the game in the second half.
PT1M29S 620 349ESSENDON 5.2 9.5 16.9 21.10 (136) BRISBANE LIONS 5.3 8.6 10.6 12.6 (78)
Goals: Essendon: J Daniher 6 A Cooney 3 J Carlisle 3 B Goddard 2 B Stanton J Melksham J Merrett M Hibberd P Ambrose P Chapman T Colyer. Brisbane: J Green 3 R Lester 2 D Beams D Gardiner D Rich L Dawson L Taylor N Robertson S Martin.
Best: Essendon: Hurley, Daniher, Hibberd, Hooker, Z.Merrett, Howlett, Stanton. Brisbane Lions: Rockliff, Martin, Paparone, D.Beams.
Umpires: Brett Rosebury, David Harris, Jack Edwards.
Official Crowd: 36,857 at Etihad Stadium.
Joe Daniher spent his childhood watching Matthew Lloyd's left leg swinging like a pendulum, the precision of his action bringing goal after goal for Essendon. On Sunday he aped his hero and mentor to an extent that had hitherto only occupied his dreams.
Joe Daniher kicked a career-high six goals. Photo: Getty Images
James Hird reckons everyone in Melbourne has had an opinion on how Daniher can fast-track his football maturity, and credits him for listening only to Lloyd and working his backside off to get better in the sort of rush that is uncommon in young footballers of his size. His reward against Brisbane Lions was a career-best six goals, and a hint of how much better the Bombers look with slick ball use and a potent target.
"I was a kid growing up and watched Lloydy every week, maybe that's where a bit of it comes from," Daniher said of similarities in style. "For me it was about getting back to a relatively normal kicking routine.
"I feel like as a junior I was a pretty good kick of the footy. Just to have a set routine and have something that looks the same every time is really important."
Dustin Fletcher gets a handball away under pressure. Photo: Getty Images
Six of his eight shots at goal were just that, two blips after equallying his previous best of four not as critical as he thought. By then the Bombers had well and truly shaken off a Lions challenge that saw the lead change seven times in the first half, and were careering away to a win that in its various components could amount to a reignition of a stuttering campaign.
Twenty-one goals were shared among 11 goalkickers, while Lions coach Justin Leppitsch noted that 16 of them came from turnovers. Here was a function of the pressure that so pleased Hird; the Bombers scored 11 times from 14 third-quarter entries, Leppitsch deadpanning that Brisbane's young defenders "just got beaten, as simple as that".
Daniher spoke of training hard "to be th ebest footballer I can be right now", and praised the quality defenders at the club for their work with him on the track. On Sunday Essendon's back half was its launching pad, Cale Hooker and Michael Hurley ruling the air and Michael Hibberd especially and the increasingly impressive Zach Merrett getting back to kick-start attack after telling attack.
Paul Chapman speaks to Essendon doctor Bruce Reid. Photo: Getty Images
After the master class in guarding opponent and space that was Saturday night's grand final replay, this at times felt like a different sport altogether. The Lions had four goals in a flash at an average of seven possessions apiece; the Bombers were undeterred and determined to take the game on, Travis Colyer the helter skelter heartbeat of the early exchanges.
The Lions sought a similar spur from their runners but a five-man forward line amounted to a smorgasbord for Hooker, who cruised about the backline taking marks for fun. Hurley's strong early-season form continued at the expense of young Lion Liam Dawson.
Ben Howlett was in everything but Leppitsch's assessment that the Lions were belted at the bookends rang true of a game in which Essendon's midfield was overshadowed by the happenings at either end, with Adam Cooney underscoring his threat with three goals and Jake Carlisle doing likewise as the Bombers benefitted from some handy "ins".
Sloppy marking let Daniel Rich in on the half-time siren to cut the margin to less than a kick, but the one-way direction the game took thereafter was highlighted by the fourth of Essendon's seven third-quarter goals. Hurley marked superbly deep in defence and seconds later Carlisle dribbled through a goal that Paul Chapman, Brendon Goddard or Cooney could all have kicked. The Lions had stopped going with their opponent, whose ball movement accordingly began to display an air of class.
"Everyone talks about kicking as many goals as we can, but we're one of the best defensive teams in the competition," Daniher said of the catalyst for a bright showing. "If we can really focus on our defence our goals will come on the back of that."
