ESSENDON match-winner Jake Stringer produced another scintillating performance as the Bombers kept their AFL finals hopes alive with a 68-point thrashing of Gold Coast in Geelong.
Stringer started in the centre square and pushed forward to provide a scoring threat in his Dustin Martin-style role, kicking five goals in the 14.14 (98) to 4.6 (30) win at GMHBA Stadium on Sunday.
Essendon must still rely on other results to go their way to make the finals and they take on traditional rivals Collingwood in round 23.
After not playing in Geelong for 28 years, Essendon ventured to the Kardinia Park venue for a second time in six weeks and this time produced their first win there since 1990.
In a lively first-half showing, Stringer kicked three goals and missed two further shots altogether to play a key role in the Bombers building a big lead.
They slammed on five consecutive majors into a stiff breeze in the second term to take a stranglehold on the contest, holding a 34-point advantage at the main break.
Stringer marked strongly and added the opening goal of the second half with 90 seconds of the restart to continue the onslaught.
The enigmatic star finished with 19 disposals, 12 contested possessions, 11 score involvements and four clearances, including three out of the centre square.
Gun midfielders Darcy Parish (35 disposals) and Zach Merrett (32) found plenty of the ball and Andy McGrath got through his first match since round 12, having been sidelined by a serious knee injury.
Cult hero Sam Draper impressed again in the ruck opposed to Zac Smith but Bombers forward Peter Wright was quiet against his old side a week after kicking a career-high seven goals against the Bulldogs.
Gold Coast’s prolific midfielder Touk Miller (30 disposals) continued his fine season and young star Noah Anderson (26) was busy.
The Suns conceded the opening two goals of the game before hitting back with majors to Joel Jeffrey and Josh Corbett that helped level the scores at quarter time.
But they managed just one goal to Essendon’s six in the second term and added only one major after halftime.
(C) AAP 2021
ESSENDON 2.2 8.8 12.12 14.14 (98)
GOLD COAST 2.2 3.4 3.6 4.6 (30)
Goals: Essendon: J Stringer 5 A Waterman 2 M Guelfi 2 A Perkins D Clarke D Smith N Hind S Durham. Gold Coast: B Fiorini J Corbett J Jeffrey J Townsend.
Umpires: Simon Meredith, Robert O’Gorman, Jamie Broadbent.
Venue: GMHBA Stadium.
