A Richmond procession has ended Essendon’s season on Saturday night at the MCG - 21.15 (141) to 11.9 (75) - with focus now turning to the clouded future of coach Ben Rutten.
The Tigers were barely troubled by Essendon for most of the night, with the only genuine concern a potential injury to Tom Lynch, with the spearhead subbed off in the final term with groin soreness.
It marks an end to the career of Michael Hurley - who announced his retirement during the week - while Richmond will now prepare for an elimination final in a fortnight.
There were no late changes for either side. Jye Menzie (Essendon) and Jason Castagna (Richmond) were the medical substitutes.
Speaking to channel seven pre-game, Rutten was asked directly if he could see himself coaching the Bombers in 2023 as per his contract.
“Absolutely,” he said.
“I really believe in the playing group we’ve got at the football club and what we’re building.
“I’d love to be able to see it through and that’s certainly my intention at this stage.”
Noah Cumberland got the Tigers off to a solid start with a major, but Essendon replied instantly with a running goal from Jake Stringer from 50 metres out.
Cumberland crumbed a pack shortly after to make it three goals in the space of two minutes to start the match.
The Bombers missed a couple of chances in front of goal before Richmond scored via Dion Prestia to make it three goals to one.
Massimo D’Ambrosio’s razor-sharp left boot helped get the Bombers their second goal as they continued to hold their own against their more polished opponents.
Maurice Rioli Jnr added another goal to Richmond’s tally, but D’Ambrosio received a free kick for high contact at the other end and converted for a goal.
Essendon trailled by 19 points at quarter-time but burst out of the blocks in the second term, with Darcy Parish and Peter Wright kicking truly.
Things took a sour turn when Stringer copped an errant knee to the back of the head from Marlion Pickett.
Stringer had to be helped from the ground by trainers and was taken straight into the changerooms, with the Bombers’ sub warming up.
Essendon’s fortunes began to take a turn for the worse as Richmond kicked back-to-back goals via Jack Riewoldt and Shane Edwards.
A moment of good fortune came as sub Menzie was given a 50 metre penalty to bring him 10 metres out from goal, which led to his first kick also being his first AFL goal.
It was matched by a major to Cumberland and then another to Edwards.
Wright kicked truly for his second goal to keep the Bombers in it at half-time, with the margin remaining 19 points.
Shai Bolton took the game on early in the third term and launched through a goal, which was helped through by a Jack Riewoldt shepherd near the goal line.
Tom Lynch began to fire and threatened to take command of the match, kicking two goals and a behind in a four-minute passage.
His third goal shortly after made the margin 56 points.
Lynch kicked the first two goals of the final quarter but was then subbed out of the game with groin soreness in a worrying sign given his all-conquering form in the backend of the season.
A rare highlight came for the Bombers in the final term, with Michael Hurley kicking a goal to cap an inspiring AFL comeback with what would prove his last possession.
Richmond won, but what now for Tom Lynch?
Yet again the Tigers stormed over the top of their opponents and were spearheaded by Tom Lynch, but the star forward finished on the bench, subbed out with groin soreness in the final term.
He had kicked five goals in the second half alone, going with an eight-goal haul last week and four goals in each of the two rounds before it.
Lynch is arguably the most in-form forward in the competition and the Tigers simply must have him in their side if they’re to go deep in September.
They’ll be sweating on scan results tomorrow, but the pre-finals bye now looks set to be a godsend for a second key forward, after it already proved just that for Jeremy Cameron.
He’s kicked 60 goals from 18 games and is primed to storm into September.
Elsewhere, there are plenty of positives. Noah Cumberland is key among them.
“When you find a player like this during a season, that‘s when you can really elevate,” Nathan Buckley told Fox Footy.
“We’ve gone from the old Richmond to the new Richmond throughout 2022 and Cumberland is one of those players who has come in and played an important role.
“(Jack) Ross has played one of his career-best halves. Cumberland keeps getting it done. His workrate, his pressure on the opposition and he just loves the moment, he seems to be a young kid that thrives with the big moments.”
If this does prove to be Ben Rutten‘s last game in charge at Essendon, it was one that perhaps summed up the way this side has played under him in his tenure.
Like so many of their games, Essendon could at times score heavily, but at other times were scored against far too easily.
Transition for the opposition was far too easy and ultimately, against the top sides, a blowout ensues.
“Unfortunately for Essendon, the same trend continues,” Jonathan Brown told Fox Footy.
“They‘re exciting to watch, but teams score a lot against them because the ball bounces from end to end.
“It‘s going to be a good game because there’s lots of ball movement, but you do that against Richmond at your own peril.”
There‘s a lot to work on for Essendon this off-season, with as much of it off-field as on.
Essendon great Jobe Watson became the latest ex-player to tee off at the side‘s handling of Ben Rutten this week and the chorus will only continue to grow the longer this goes on at Tullamarine.
If Saturday night was proof of anything, however, it‘s that something needs to change for the side to improve in 2023 and beyond.
After an encouraging season last year, Jake Stringer was much like the Bombers in 2022 - unable to get going and reach the heights many expected.
His season ends with 25 goals from 15 games after last year saw him boot 41 from 19.
Injury has troubled Stringer at times throughout the season and it reared its head again on Saturday, with a nasty knee from Marlion Pickett leaving him groggy and requiring assistance from trainers to come from the ground.
He was eventually subbed out.
“That is as solid a hit (as you‘ll see),” Nathan Buckley said on Fox Footy.
“Once again, this probably shows to me the folly of trying to protect the head. We’ve made decisions around laws, but you are going to have incidental contact. That is as hard a head knock as you will see on the field. He was no good.
“He really struggled to get his senses around him and we hope he’s in better shape.”
