ESSENDON Â Â Â 4.2 Â 6.8 Â 8.11 Â 12.18 (90)
GOLD COAST Â 3.1 Â 6.1 Â 8.1 Â 9.3 (57)
GOALS - Essendon: Hooker 2,  Begley 2,  Stewart 2,  McDonald-Tipungwuti, McKenna,  Heppell,  Parish,  Daniher, Green. Gold Coast:  Ainsworth 3,  MacPherson,  Swallow, Martin, Schoenfeld, Hallahan, Wright.Â
BEST – Gold Coast: Hall May McKenzie Hanley Saad Hallahan. Essendon: Zaharakis Goddard Heppell Baguley Bellchambers Hooker.
UMPIRESÂ Stevic, Foot, O'Gorman.
CROWDÂ 16,817 at Metricon Stadium.
For the first time since 2014 – since, well, the proverbial hit the fan – Essendon are back in the eight. And if they're good enough, they should stay there, hosting Fremantle at Etihad next week, although they'll need to stay in front of West Coast on percentage.
More AFL Real Footy Videos
- Video duration
- 01:30
Essendon into top eight
Essendon into top eight
The Essendon Bombers outlast the Gold Coast Suns, winning 90-57 to boost their chances of playing in the finals.
Up Next
Murphy kicks goal in final match
- Video duration
- 00:26
- Video duration
- 00:26
Murphy kicks goal in final match
Murphy kicks goal in final match
Bob Murphy's Western Bulldogs lose to Hawthorn and he farewells his football career with fellow Bulldog Matthew Boyd and former Hawks captain Luke Hodge.
Up Next
Hodge ends stellar career on a high
- Video duration
- 01:30
- Video duration
- 01:30
Hodge ends stellar career on a high
Hodge ends stellar career on a high
In the farewell match for Luke Hodge and Bob Murphy the Hawks just held off the Bulldogs in the final quarter to win it by 9 points.
Up Next
Preview: Geelong v GWS battle for second
- Video duration
- 00:50
- Video duration
- 00:50
Preview: Geelong v GWS battle for second
Preview: Geelong v GWS battle for second
The Cats and Giants fight for a second spot home final in the last round of the season.
Up Next
Hardwick: Martin is entitled to explore free agency
- Video duration
- 00:34
- Video duration
- 00:34
Hardwick: Martin is entitled to explore ...
Hardwick: Martin is entitled to explore free agency
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick believes players need to test free agency, even his star Dustin Martin.
Up Next
Scott excited to have Hawkins back
- Video duration
- 00:53
- Video duration
- 00:53
Scott excited to have Hawkins back
Scott excited to have Hawkins back
Chris Scott believes the opportunities taken from Tom Hawkins suspension has created flexibility with his return.
Up Next
Davis opens up amidst criticism
- Video duration
- 00:48
- Video duration
- 00:48
Davis opens up amidst criticism
Davis opens up amidst criticism
The Giants co-captain isn't happy about comments made in the wake of a striking incident where Davis was the victim.
Up Next
FootyFix: Dees look to hurdle Pies into September
- Video duration
- 04:40
- Video duration
- 04:40
FootyFix: Dees look to hurdle Pies into ...
FootyFix: Dees look to hurdle Pies into September
Sam McClure previews all the footy action ahead of round 23 in the AFL.
Essendon into top eight
The Essendon Bombers outlast the Gold Coast Suns, winning 90-57 to boost their chances of playing in the finals.
They'd deserve it, too. It's some achievement for John Worsfold and his team, coming from the club's lowest ebb. But they had to fight hard for it, wasting their chances against a determined Gold Coast Suns at Metricon Stadium, who fought them almost every inch of the way.
That would have given former Bombers defender Dean Solomon, in the Suns' coaching box for one more week at least, some reason to smile. With Gary Ablett in the stands – possibly for good – along with co-captain Tom Lynch, the Suns never really stood a chance, but at least they're finishing the season with some character.
The Bombers were brilliantly served by David Zaharakis, who had a game-high 38 possessions to be comfortably best afield, with Brendan Goddard also in vintage touch with 14 marks on top of 25 disposals. Dyson Heppell's contribution was important, too, rising to the occasion when his team needed him.
Then there was Josh Begley, who's been an emergency eight times this year after being drafted at No 31 last year. Begley had a first quarter that might have made Bombers fans wonder why he hadn't been promoted earlier, with two goals and two assists from his first five kicks. He faded thereafter, but promised bigger things.
On the end of two of his passes, both beautifully weighted, was James Stewart, who kicked the Bombers' other two goals of the first quarter. For the Suns, Peter Wright roosted home a huge bomb from 60 metres, Ben Ainsworth crept out the back to accept from Aaron Hall, and Jack Martin kept them in it with a goal after the siren.
Hall was busy, with two creative handballs helping set up Wright's goal, breaking the lines again to set up Ainsworth, and in the second quarter – after the Bombers burned themselves with four consecutive behinds – he put the ball inside 50 again for David Swallow to take advantage.
Equally busy was Trent McKenzie in the backline. The "Cannon", as he's known, hasn't shown too many tricks beyond his booming left-foot kick in his seven years at the Suns, but on this occasion he was seriously involved, and he used that kick to the Suns' advantage from the backline.
Both players, along with Swallow, were crucial to the Suns hitting back in the second quarter with four goals to two. Darcy Macpherson put them in front briefly, on the end of a chain started by a brilliant McKenzie kick to Martin, before Josh Green and Conor McKenna, after a four-bounce run, retrieved the Bombers' lead at half time.
But it was slight, just seven points, and the under-strength, battered Suns – most of them strapped up like mummies – were making a better than expected fist of a game in which they had little but pride to play for. The Bombers, with so much more at stake, needed to make a statement.
Heppell provided it with a genuine captain's goal on the run to lift his team, then Jayden Laverde found Cale Hooker dead in front to extend the margin to a game-high 20 points. But the Suns weren't about to set. Ben Ainsworth – a pure football talent with confidence to spare – kicked the last two goals of the quarter.
That made it 10 points at the last change. To that point, the Bombers had 8.11 on the board to the Suns' 9.1; they'd doubled the Suns' inside 50 count; clearances were 28–17; and Joey Daniher had been held goalless by Steven May. Ditto Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, blanketed by Adam Saad, who defends as hard as he runs.
But it was McDonald-Tipungwuti who found Hooker early in the last quarter, then Daniher got on the board when May gave away a free kick, and McDonald-Tipungwuti who applied some icing with five minutes to go. The final margin was 33 points – comfortable enough – but the Suns can at least hold their heads up.