Ryder guides Bombers to win over Port

Ruckman Patrick Ryder produced a heroic performance to lead injury-hit Essendon to a 25-point win in their AFL round-two clash at Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

Port took the fight up to the home side, trailing by just two points at three-quarter time before fading in the last term as the Bombers won 16.15 (111) to 13.8 (86) in front of a delighted crowd of 34,118.

Ryder had 46 hitouts in a dominant display after his ruck partner David Hille limped off in the first term with a calf injury, while small forward Leroy Jetta booted four goals for the Bombers.

Port’s key forwards Jay Schulz (four goals) and Justin Westhoff (three goals) were prominent for the visitors while Kane Cornes had 27 possessions.

Bombers coach James Hird said he was rapt to have a second win on the board, after Essendon kicked five goals to Port’s one in the final term.

Brent Stanton and Jobe Watson were busy in midfield for Essendon.

Hird praised the resilience of his side against a much-improved Port, who were 16th last year and upset St Kilda last week.

But Hird warned Essendon’s goalkicking had to improve after the Bombers tallied 1.7 in the third term to lead by just two points at three-quarter time.

“If we had kicked straighter then the game might have been dead earlier,” Hird said.

“But really with the injuries we had, I still consider it a really good effort by our players.

“The criticism of Essendon has been the resilience and the ability to fight.

“The way our players fought the game out was a great effort.”

Essendon’s Nathan Lovett-Murray played on despite hurting his hamstring early in the second half and David Myers departed with a hamstring injury in the last quarter.

Hird said he had told Ryder at quarter-time that he would have to shoulder the ruck burden for most of the last three quarters and the 24-year-old West Australian had embraced the responsibility.

“It’s great to see him dominate as he did,” Hird said.

Hird said ruckman Tom Bellchambers would be recalled to the side next week while Heath Hocking (concussion) and Cale Hooker (ankle) were also set to return.

The Bombers coach said Hille, Myers and Lovett-Murray were all expected to miss Essendon’s upcoming matches against Gold Coast, Carlton and Collingwood.

Coach Matthew Primus said he hoped to regain key forward John Butcher (hamstring tendinitis) for Port’s clash with Sydney at AAMI Stadium next Saturday.

Small forward Chad Wingard will be assessed following a knock to the eye which caused him to be subbed out at halftime with blurred vision.

“In the end we had a chance to win the game so that is very pleasing,” Primus said.

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