Essendon have stunned Melbourne with a 45-point upset win to prevent a low point in the Bombers’ history.
Inspired by Archie Roberts, Essendon prevailed 17.11 (113) to 10.8 (68) at Adelaide Oval in Saturday’s Gather Round clash.
The triumph ends a 17-game winless stretch for the Bombers – another defeat and it would have been the longest losing streak in the club’s history.
But powered by Roberts (42 disposals, one goal), Darcy Parish (33 touches) and Zach Merrett (31, one goal), the Bombers produced a match-defining burst in the third term.
After trailing at halftime by six points, Essendon kicked 11 goals to two in the second half as Melbourne slipped to a second loss from five games.
Essendon’s Isaac Kako, Archer May, Nate Caddy, Tom Edwards and Xavier Duursma all kicked two goals.
In contrast, Melbourne’s Kozzy Pickett (two goals, 28 disposals) was his side’s only multiple scorer – and they lost Christian Salem to an ankle injury.
The Bombers held a 3.5 to 3.1 edge at the end of a first quarter highlighted by a classy goal from Melbourne’s Latrelle Pickett.
After big Bomber Ben McKay butchered a kick in his defensive half, Pickett swooped, took a bounce, then dribbled through a 40-metre snap from a tight angle.
Melbourne gained traction in the second stanza with five goals to three – when Brodie Mihoceck slotted a set shot in the 22nd minute, they were 19 points up.
But the Bombers hit back with two crucial late majors to reduce their halftime deficit to just six points.
Essendon then made a decisive move, cashing in on a midfield dominance to score a half-dozen goals in a slick third term, including three strikes in as many minutes late in the quarter.
Former skipper Merrett extended Essendon’s lead to 28 points eight minutes into the final quarter with a stunning snap from near the boundary line.
And within six minutes, May, Caddy and Duursma had all converted set shots to seal victory before 38,006 spectators.
