Essendon improved to 8-2-1 with a 74-86 win over Richmond in Dreamtime at the ‘G on Saturday night.
The Dons now sit outright second on the ladder after 11 games and will be more than a game clear inside the top four come the end of the round.
While the Dons are in good form and are setting themselves up well for a September assault, club great Matthew Lloyd thinks they must improve in one key area to win their first final since 2004.
Despite controlling much of the play in the area and around the ground on Saturday, the Dons were beaten at clearance 41-31 by a pretty depleted Richmond on-ball unit, as the Tigers stayed in the game by scoring from stoppage.
Lloyd thinks that the Dons have to tighten up around the midfield if they’re to finally break their finals drought.
“When the Bombers got belted by Port Adelaide, they were destroyed by Rozee Butters and Horne-Francis … an issue still is their stoppage work and their clearance,” Lloyd told Nine’s Sunday Footy Show.
“Richmond got a hold of them last night, but this is what saved the Bombers … Richmond beat them at clearance, but it was (the interceptors) Mason Redman, Ben McKay and Jordan Ridley who were too good.
“This was the issue for the Bombers … they got hurt and punished, Richmond kicked 4.9 (33) from stoppage and the Bombers only got one goal from stoppage.
“Richmond wouldn’t go away because they were so good at stoppage compared to the Bombers.
“If they want to go on and win a final or maybe even two finals, they’ve got to improve in that area.”
Lloyd’s co-host Kane Cornes agreed with his take but heaped praise onto Yiooken Trophy winner Jordan Ridley who helped the Dons stop Richmond from scoring more via stoppage.
In his first game back from a quad injury, the intercepting defender helped himself to a goal, 31 disposals and 12 marks.
“One of the reasons the Bombers got over the line was Jordan Ridley for his first game of the year,” Cornes said.
“He won the Yiooken Trophy for the best player on the ground last night.
“Eight intercept marks, but the thing that really stood out was his ball use and ability to pick out targets and split open Richmond’s defence.
“They didn’t have any answers for him … he had 31 touches and was involved in everything.
“He was enormous in his first game back.”
Essendon will hope to pick up their ninth win of the season when they face the Suns on the Gold Coast next Sunday.
