Updated ,first published
Scott doesn’t see the funny side in Giants’ banner sledge
Russell Bennett
Bombers coach Brad Scott has taken aim at the Giants, labelling the fledgling club “desperate for some relevance” after their cheeky banner dig at Essendon’s infamous finals win drought.
In a reference to the Brisbane Lions’ “whiteboard gate”, in which that club’s intelligence on every Bombers player was leaked on social media in the sunshine state last week, the Giants’ banner on Saturday had nothing under Essendon’s “strengths”, and 7916 days under “weaknesses”.
That number directly referred to the Bombers’ last finals victory, back in early September 2004.
Essendon led for much of Saturday’s game at Engie Stadium before the experienced Giants overran them in the closing stages to win by 14 points, 16.7 (103) to 13.11 (89). The result left the Bombers 17th on the ladder with just one win from their opening nine games of the season.
But it was Scott’s post-game comments on the Giants’ banner, rather than his critique of the match itself, that was particularly eyebrow-raising.
“I did catch it [the banner] out of the corner of my eye,” Scott admitted.
“The Giants are pretty desperate for some relevance in the competition and to try and build their fan base, and I’m just such a strong proponent of building our game in the northern states – in western Sydney and on the Gold Coast.
“I think that’s really important for the AFL, and I’m reluctant to comment on other clubs but they make their decisions. We’ll make ours.”
Scott was clearly proud of his young charges’ effort, but he also understands the continued frustration of the Bombers’ success-starved fan base.
“We’re impatient like all of our fans are, but we want to make sure that we’re building a solid foundation,” Bombers coach Brad Scott said.
“If you don’t win, be really disappointed and frustrated, but it’s when you can’t see the future and you can’t see the hope that you lose faith.
“It was never [going to be] any quick fixes, that we were going to come in and just snap our fingers and get it done.
“As a coach, you don’t expect 18-year-olds to be the backbone of your side, but very quickly they are becoming that.
“When Dyson Sharp [shoulder] got injured, it was a bit of a turning point in the game for us. I can’t recall in my time in footy where you could say that about an 18-year-old playing hist third or fourth [fifth] game.”
Archie Roberts finished with a game-high 42 disposals for the Bombers, Peter Wright and Archer May kicked three goals apiece, and 100-game hard nut Sam Durham had eight clearances, but it was two former Bombers who had a night to remember. Jake Stringer kicked three goals of his own, while Jayden Laverde had 11 intercept possessions in his first match against the red and black.
Lachie Whitfield, Finn Callaghan and childhood Bombers fan Toby Greene were all particularly impactful for the home side.
Scott said he wasn’t sure if Sharp’s shoulder was OK, “if it’s a four to six-week thing”, “or it’s a surgical thing”.
Dogs star opens up on the potential of Butters heading to the Kennel
Steve Barrett
Exclusive: Emerging Western Bulldogs star Joel Freijah says it would be an “honour” to play with Zak Butters, should the Port Adelaide superstar opt to make the move to Whitten Oval next year.
Butters is on track to waltz to his fourth straight John Cahill Medal – awarded to the Power’s best and fairest – which would see him draw level with Warren Tredrea and Kane Cornes atop that leaderboard.
But it may be his last.
Butters will be the AFL’s most sought-after restricted free agent at the end of this season and has been strongly linked to a move to the Bulldogs, the club he supported as a kid.
“We’ll see what happens, whether he stays or comes,” Freijah told this masthead in the rooms after the Dogs’ titanic two-point win over the Power at Adelaide Oval on Friday night.
“He’s a great fella, Zakky, and a great player as well.
“It would be an honour to play with him.”
Butters, Port’s acting captain in the absence of injured skipper Connor Rozee, was the Power’s best in their narrow defeat.
He bumped Freijah midway through the fourth quarter, but the action was not deemed reportable by the MRO. It helped that the Bulldog got straight back up and played on.
Freijah, who is originally from Horsham before he boarded at Ballarat, has crossed paths with Butters, a fellow Vic Country product, often.
“I was in Ballarat, and he’s a Darley boy, so I’ve come across him a few times, and we’ve obviously played against each other,” said Freijah, who had game-highs of seven clearances and three goal assists.
“Zak’s a ruthless competitor.
“It’s great playing against guys like that.”
As brilliant as Butters was, he was probably just shaded on Friday night by Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli for best-on-ground honours.
“It’s an honour to play with him every week,” Freijah said of his inspirational skipper, who entered the clash under an injury cloud and has clearly been playing sore.
“He’s a great mentor, and he’s helped me out a lot with my game and my confidence.
“It’s awesome to be playing with Bonty, and he was enormous for us as usual.”
