Same old Essendon? Did Dees prove Bombers aren't the real deal in 2024?

Essendon failed to capitalise on their big Round 17 win over Collingwood after going down to Melbourne 84-67 in Saturday night’s Round 18 clash at the MCG.

The Dees were pretty emphatic in their victory despite the margin being only 14 points in the end given they led by 41 points at the 15-minute mark of the last term.

The win was set up for Melbourne in the centre as they won clearances 44-32 despite being without Max Gawn and AFL Media’s Riley Beveridge asked Kane Cornes on The Round So Far whether the Dons can be a September threat still given they’ve lost four of their last six.

Due to their inconsistency, Cornes doesn’t think that the Dons are a genuine premiership threat despite them sitting fifth on the ladder.

He also doesn’t think the Dons are that strong of a side when Zach Merrett isn’t dominant given he was held somewhat by tagger Alex Neal-Bullen on Saturday night.

Beveridge: “What do you make of the Bombers?

“They beat the Pies last week and everyone said, ‘This is the win they needed to have, this is the win that proves they’re a real finals contender’, and, ‘They can do some real damage in September’.

“But as we’ve seen so often from Essendon in the past, they follow it with a really limp performance, and they’ve only won two of their last six games now.

“Can they be a threat in September still?”

Cornes: “I wouldn’t have thought so, I never had them as a genuine premiership threat.

“I’ve always said for them, win a final from where they’ve been is a pass mark.

“That’s about where they sit. If you don’t allow Zach Merrett to do as he pleases, which was great coaching from Melbourne sending Alex Neal-Bullen to him … he wasn’t as effective.

“Take him away and they’re getting nothing from Peter Wright and they got nothing from Jake Stringer in this game.

“Yes, it was tricky conditions, but probably the consistency from some of their players (is an issue).

“Ben McKay … I thought some of his effort and intensity was really poor and Jordan Ridley was probably the same.

“They just didn’t have enough winners and Melbourne came with a determined mindset to win contest, win clearance and they set the game up beautifully.

“It was an emphatic performance.”

The Dons will hope to bounce back next Friday when they face the Crows at the Adelaide Oval.

The Dees, who now sit sixth, will hope to pick up another win when they meet the Dockers at Optus Stadium next Sunday.