BOMBED by Whispering Jack

Melbourne has all but assured itself of a top two finish to the (second) 2022 AFLW season after crushing Essendon by 41 points on Sunday. It now holds a four point lead over third placed Adelaide along with a handy percentage advantage with one round remaining before the finals.

The Demons opened kicking with the advantage of the squally wind that often prevails at Casey Fields and for the third week in a row, they kept their opponents scoreless in the opening term.

Speedster Alyssa Bannan opened proceedings with the first goal and the dangerous Kate Hore added to the goal tally with the first of her three goals not long after.

The lead at the first break was just 14 points but Karen Paxman who was in dominant form, added to Essendon’s woes by kicking a goal against the wind early in the second quarter. The plucky Bombers showed some fight with a goal to Catherine Phillips and for a few minutes they seemed to have grabbed away the home team’s momentum.

Eden Zanker’s goal ruined the revival in mid term and the Demons went in at half time with a comfortable 17 point lead which they stretched to 38 points at the last break and the game was virtually all over. Both teams were goalless in the final term.

Melbourne dominated all over the ground with Lauren Pearce and Tayla Harris giving Paxman, Tyla Hanks, Eliza West and Olivia Purcell plenty of supply. Libby Birch and Tahlia Gillard were irrepressible and Shelley Heath was again excellent. Hore did the rest up forward.

Numerically, the Demons were well on top in the key statistics of disposals, uncontested possessions and inside 50s and they now look forward to the final game on Saturday against the lowly Eagles who can expect an inhospitable reception at Casey Fields.

MELBOURNE 2.2.14 4.2.26 7.5.47 7.8.50

ESSENDON 0.0.0 1.3.9 1.3.9 1.3.9

GOALS

MELBOURNE Hore 3 Bannan 2 Paxman Zanker

ESSENDON Phillips

BEST

MELBOURNE Paxman Hore Purcell Birch Gillard Heath

ESSENDON Prespakis Phillips Vogt Marshall Toogood Bannister

INJURIES

MELBOURNE Mithen (head)

ESSENDON Nil

REPORTS

MELBOURNE Nil

ESSENDON Nil

CROWD 1,518 at Casey Fields

ODDSPOT Not only did the Demons keep their opponents scoreless in the opening quarter for the third week in a row but, in each of those games the final score kicked against them was 1.3.9.