Sports broadcaster Mark Fine has slammed the Bombers after they were smashed by 69-points on Friday night against Port Adelaide.
Brad Scott’s Essendon barely gave a yelp for the whole night and lowered their colours after an impressive win over St Kilda last week.
The Bombers were bullied in the midfield with Connor Rozee, Jason Horne-Francis and Zak Butters running rings around the likes of Darcy Parish, Jye Caldwell, Archie Perkins and Zach Merrett.
Scott and Ben McKay put the 'Essendon edge' on the record ahead of Round 1 and 2 and it’s come back to bite them just three weeks on, with the Bombers looking uncompetitive during Gather round.
“When someone goes after our bloke, we go back after them in a controlled way,” McKay said ahead of their Round 2 clash against Sydney.
It’s fair to say they didn’t have the ‘edge’ last night and Fine didn’t hold back with his assessment post-game.
“Here’s what I’ve got to tell you, I knew the Essendon edge was bulls--t,” Fine told SEN's Finey's Final Siren.
“I knew it was going to come a cropper and it did, where was the Essendon edge?
“I tell you what, it’s hard to be tough when you don’t put yourself out of first gear as Essendon didn’t in the last three quarters of that game against Port Adelaide on Friday night.
“It’s hard to impose yourself physically on your opponent when they’re running rings around you, the Essendon edge was as blunt as a cheap steak knife.”
Essendon will back in the spotlight with a Round 5 Friday night clash against the Western Bulldogs next up.
The Bombers have one of their last ten clashes with the Bulldogs.