Essendon coach John Worsfold says there is plenty of scope for improvement even though the Bombers wore down Collingwood in the second half on their way to a three-goal Anzac Day victory.
The Bombers coach was left lamenting repeat inside 50s for the Magpies. Collingwood dominated the entries into their forward arc – 66 to 43 - but it was Essendon's better-functioning forward line that became the difference.
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Essendon break Anzac game drought
Jo Daniher delivered one of his finest games to win the Anzac Day medal, as Essendon held on by 18 points against Collingwood.
Joe Daniher won the Anzac Day Medal despite his inaccurate return of 3.4 and one out on the full, while Orazio Fantasia, Cale Hooker and Josh Green were all multiple goal-kickers.
"Some really good stuff but massive areas for improvement still," Worsfold said after Essendon's 15.10 (100) to 11.16 (82) win before a bumper crowd of 87,685 at the MCG.
"(It was) frustrating at times. You think you're out and going forward and someone tries to bounce the ball and it doesn't quite come back up to them. The next thing it's back inside their forward line.
"We're still coughing up too many opportunities to get the ball forward in our front half or in our 50 and it's going back inside their 50.
"It's still a big area of improvement for us. We understand that. We've already addressed that as a group."
Essendon had a rethink at half-time after the Magpies dominated the second quarter to narrow the margin to just three points. Again, inaccuracy had hurt Collingwood as their return of 4.7 wasn't enough to give them the lead at the main break.
But Worsfold said his team simply focused on what they needed to get right in the second half.
![Ben McNiece and Aaron Francis lead the Bombers victory song.](/web/20170428221743im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/v/s/b/8/k/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gvsay2.png/1493122773113.jpg)
"The second half was another 60 minutes of opportunities to be in contests and take the game on," Worsfold said.
The winning coach was again at pains to clarity his comments from last week about the Bombers seemingly "hitting the wall"Â after their morale-sapping loss to in-form Adelaide.
![Triumph and relief. Jobe Watson](/web/20170428221743im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/v/s/b/8/e/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gvsay2.png/1493122773113.jpg)
Worsfold said he had been taken out of context in media reports when he was only referring to two older players in the team, and not the whole squad.
"It's funny that I specifically mentioned two players and that means the team. It got taken out of context. I think you're aware of that," he said.
Worsfold said he had even addressed the issue with the players and they were happy with his explanation.
"They sort of asked me the question – 'what do you mean by we've all hit the wall?'.
"I hadn't really seen the headlines. I said 'it's not what I said. I'll tell you what I said. I don't know how it's been interpreted. You interpret it how you want. I'll give you the context', and they were comfortable with that."
Worsfold said his players were unable to 'slow down' the Crows last week.
"We're not going to be the only team that Adelaide towel up over there.
"Our fitness is not as issue. It's a management thing, like (it is) with all players ... we've got a couple of older players that didn't play footy last year."
It was something of a break-out game for Daniher, the lanky Essendon forward earning best-on-ground honours for his eye-catching play. His goals included a remarkable effort from the centre square when he let fly with a low, driving kick that skidded through and gave the Bombers a big lift in the third quarter. He also notched a final goal in the last term that effectively sealed Essendon's win – their first Anzac Day triumph in four years.
But Daniher was taking the medal in his stride after the match.
"It is a special day on the calendar and it's something that you look forward to," Daniher said.
"It's always a good feeling playing on the MCG and doing what I wanted to do as a kid.
"I always dreamt of playing for the Essendon Football Club. To get the opportunity every week is something I'm not taking for granted."
Essendon face an injury-hit Melbourne at Etihad Stadium on Sunday before a potentially daunting road trip against resurgent Fremantle at Domain Stadium.
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