Whatever hell the AFL has in store for Essendon, coach James Hird hopes it might somehow help his players concentrate on football again.
Sunday’s 53-point loss to West Coast at Etihad Stadium showed the strain of their supplements scandal has cracked the team.
The Bombers did not run enough, they made too many fundamental errors and their attack misfired. By the end of the game, they looked lost.
West Coast were outstanding, breaking clear in the final term to win 18.12 (120) to 9.13 (67).
It was the Eagles’ first win this season against a top-eight side.
They could still make the finals, especially if the Bombers lose their premiership points.
By contrast, this was Essendon’s third heavy loss in a row and comes amid speculation that the AFL will announce massive punishments for the club on Monday or Tuesday.
Regardless of what those sanctions are, and whether the Bombers decide to fight them, Hird thinks they might prove a circuit breaker for his players.
“I think you just get back to football,” Hird said.
“It’s been six months of speculation – if there are some facts that we have to deal with this week then that’s really good.
“I think it might even make it easier if there’s some facts we can deal with, rather than the speculation that’s been out there for six months about what may happen or may not happen.”
Despite their alarming drop-off in form – they have plummeted out of the top four to seventh spot – Hird continues to praise his players for this season.
Should they keep their premiership points, Essendon still have 13 wins and cannot miss the finals.
“It’s been the toughest year that any group of footballers could imagine and the toughest year any group of footballers have had to deal with, and they’ve been terrific,” Hird said.
“We’ve had an ordinary three weeks but we can turn that around.”
Essendon now have six days – and it could be the biggest week in AFL history – to regroup for Saturday’s match against fierce rivals North Melbourne.
Asked if they were up for the fight, Hird said: “definitely, we are up for the fight for a long time”.
After an error-riddled first half, West Coast steadily took control and belted Essendon in the final term.
Matt Priddis was best afield and Mark LeCras recovered from a ribs injury in the second term to kick five second-half goals.
In further bad news for the Bombers, veteran Dustin Fletcher was booked for rough conduct after a collision with Jamie Cripps during the last term.
Fletcher is due to set the club games record of 379 next week.
“We certainly hope he’s able to play next week and that he won’t cop a suspension for that,” Hird said.
Jason Winderlich also suffered a hamstring injury and was subbed off in the second term.