North's skills are atrocious.

Skills seem to be down across the league, actually. How do teams like North and Richmond play finals with talent like this?

God, that Melksham is an annoying turd!

God, that Melksham is an annoying turd!

He is brilliant at yelling at umps after being beaten to the pill.

God, that Melksham is an annoying turd!

[censored] of the highest order, and that arrogant goal makes me despise him even more.

In fact, I despise pretty much every Essendon player.

He is brilliant at yelling at umps after being beaten to the pill.

Roid rage... or something similar?

Roid rage... or something similar?

Unlikely, they're as clean as they come down at Windy Hill.

OMG NORTH YOU ARE INFURIATINGLY [censored]!

Why the hell does Essendon keep getting ridiculously flukey goals while North miss set shot after set shot!?

Scoreboard flattering the Bummers IMO.

Suck it Bummers.

And there's the game! Thank you Higgins/Ziebell you legends!!!

Hilarious to hear the total deflation in all the commentators. Nobody is talking and Bruce sounds flat.

lol Essendope

And there's the game! Thank you Higgins/Ziebell you legends!!!

Hilarious to hear the total deflation in all the commentators. Nobody is talking and Bruce sounds flat.

Doesn't he just blow their trumpet.

Thank goodness it looks as if whatever they took at half time has worn off.

I guess they will play the victim game.

OMG I hate that mob - they have ruined numerous Friday nights for me - I have always watched whatever games were on but just cannot.

Something I've seen a lot of in this game from both teams that doesn't feature in our play - tap ons and super quick handballs. They make such a big difference to the flow of the forward attack and unpredictable for the opposition - keep the ball moving when 'posession' isn't really required and allow the players on the outside of the contest to get more time with the ball as opposed to kicking forward under the hammer of a tackle from the opposition.

Gees James has a great tan this time of the year

it is a shame the bombers lost this. I really wanted them to win tonight. ............ IN A PIG'S EAR !!!!!!!!!!!!

on a brighter note for the bombers though James' hair still looks lovely !!!!!!

I only watched the first half but kept checking the scores. I watched the last 2 minutes and htought the bombers were going to steal it. I hate essendon but that free to petrie in the dying stages when daniher took that mark was not there. Petrie got a little nudge and totally exaggerated.

Anyway essendon should be only sitting on the 1 win. I mean hawthorn should have beaten them and the saints should have beaten them as well.

If you want a laugh head to bomberblitz

Something I've seen a lot of in this game from both teams that doesn't feature in our play - tap ons and super quick handballs. They make such a big difference to the flow of the forward attack and unpredictable for the opposition - keep the ball moving when 'posession' isn't really required and allow the players on the outside of the contest to get more time with the ball as opposed to kicking forward under the hammer of a tackle from the opposition.

Yep, noticed this too. Essendon are, annoyingly, very dangerous in the way they continually tap, scrap, knock and punch the ball forward. They have a desperation to keep the ball moving towards their forward line (where all their crumbers are roving) and prevent it from ever being static (which would allow easy possession for the opposition).

We do NOT do this, ever. In fact, we rarely show any desperation at all, perhaps except the final minute of last year's Essendon match. We've had it ingrained in our players to always maintain possession, which means chip kicks and handballs, even if it's to players under pressure. Is this working? Well, not against the best teams, that's for sure.

Yep, noticed this too. Essendon are, annoyingly, very dangerous in the way they continually tap, scrap, knock and punch the ball forward. They have a desperation to keep the ball moving towards their forward line (where all their crumbers are roving) and prevent it from ever being static (which would allow easy possession for the opposition).

We do NOT do this, ever. In fact, we rarely show any desperation at all, perhaps except the final minute of last year's Essendon match. We've had it ingrained in our players to always maintain possession, which means chip kicks and handballs, even if it's to players under pressure. Is this working? Well, not against the best teams, that's for sure.

Funnily enough EFC have been doing this most of the season too and playing static football. Tonight they went full out to move the ball on at all costs and they played the best footy they have since the first few games.

North played dumb and didn't do much to stop them.

hahaha @ essendon supporters accusing thomas of being a cheat....

pretty sure they never have the rights to accuse anyone of anything again

Yep, noticed this too. Essendon are, annoyingly, very dangerous in the way they continually tap, scrap, knock and punch the ball forward. They have a desperation to keep the ball moving towards their forward line (where all their crumbers are roving) and prevent it from ever being static (which would allow easy possession for the opposition).

We do NOT do this, ever. In fact, we rarely show any desperation at all, perhaps except the final minute of last year's Essendon match. We've had it ingrained in our players to always maintain possession, which means chip kicks and handballs, even if it's to players under pressure. Is this working? Well, not against the best teams, that's for sure.

Can blame our captain for most of that In stopages and congestion. Gets first touch often but his first instinct is to take and protect the ball and ride the tackle. Rarely a tap to advantage or quick disposal. One of the main reasons our midfield is mediocre leading with that example. Been saying that for a couple of years.

Leaving aside Anzac Day eve for obvious reasons, this was the first time this year we had a Friday night game that was close, exciting and a contest. I liked the fact that the lead changed; there was tension and excitement - all of those things we haven't had in those interminable beatings of other weeks, most of them involving Carlton.

And guess what club is featured in the next two weeks on Friday night? It's scandalous that the AFL should give these fixtures which, apart from anything else, are so commercially lucrative and then people complain that the poorer clubs that get no such benefits from their draw get "hand outs" from the AFL.

I hope there's a decent NRL game on for the next two Friday nights because I won't be wasting my time watching Mick's coming demise.

I think North are being underestimated as a finals contender and, say what you like about the Bombers, their officialdom, their delusional coach, their players who might or might not have been duped over the drugs saga, but their team always goes out on the field and gives its best effort.

Can blame our captain for most of that In stopages and congestion. Gets first touch often but his first instinct is to take and protect the ball and ride the tackle. Rarely a tap to advantage or quick disposal. One of the main reasons our midfield is mediocre leading with that example. Been saying that for a couple of years.

Jack Viney does the same. We have 'ball-getters' but we don't have 'ball-extractors' in our midfield (or around the stoppages)

Tyson when he is on song is ok at it but tends to just try and kick it out.

Until we have 'extractors' it will limit the work any of our 'outside' players as the ball doesn't get to them. Maybe one or more of Brayshaw, Petracca, ANB or Stretch can become an 'extractor'.

I think North are being underestimated as a finals contender and, say what you like about the Bombers, their officialdom, their delusional coach, their players who might or might not have been duped over the drugs saga, but their team always goes out on the field and gives its best effort.

For some reason that line conjured up the image of the 'Everyready' battery man who's power never runs out!! I wonder what is in the bomber's power-aid!!

... say what you like about the Bombers, their officialdom, their delusional coach, their players who might or might not have been duped over the drugs saga, but their team always goes out on the field and gives its best effort.

I reckon you're suffering from Footy Fan Short Memory Syndrome, WJ. It was only last week that they were staring down the barrel of a 100 point loss until Freo went home at 3/4 time. None of the Bummers fans I know agree that they put in their best effort that week.

I also thought North were vastly superior but failed to punish them on the scoreboard.