Essendon coach Brad Scott cut a frustrated figure after his side\u2019s Anzac Day capitulation, torn between the party line and his true assessment of the loss.<\/p>\n
The Bombers conceded 15 goals in the second half including nine in a powerless final quarter.<\/p>\n
Collingwood champion Scott Pendlebury was at the centre of Essendon\u2019s headaches in a career-best performance at age 38.<\/p>\n
Scott felt the Bombers were overawed by the occasion, saying they were at times crumbling to pressure that wasn\u2019t there.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were in it to half time but we weren\u2019t playing well either, so there was a real sense that the game was going to break open in the second half,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just didn\u2019t handle the occasion well at all, even though our pressure and everything was OK early.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s incredibly frustrating because we came for a really important day, a big occasion and opportunity to play in games like that where outside of finals you don\u2019t get a bigger game, bigger crowds, bigger stage, which creates big moments.<\/p>\n
\u201cRepeatedly we weren\u2019t able to handle those moments, so we weren\u2019t able to handle the occasion, we weren\u2019t about to handle Collingwood\u2019s pressure.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven worse, we weren\u2019t able to stand up under perceived pressure which wasn\u2019t even there.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Bombers were a stark contrast to the Magpies in experience but Scott \u2013 albeit tentatively \u2013 didn\u2019t want to attribute that to the cause of defeat.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a hard one for me in a press conference, you feel like saying, \u2018Well do you want what I really think, or what I think the party line should be?\u2019\u201d Scott said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are facts that are really obvious, Scott Pendlebury alone has played more games than three-quarters of our team combined.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I was looking forward to the occasion to see inexperienced players under pressure.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not at the feet of our inexperienced players because the inability to absorb the pressure and stand up, show some composure was right across the board.\u201d<\/p>\n
Scott was willing to attribute one aspect of the loss \u2014 and the performances of Pendlebury and Nick Daicos \u2014 to the centre bounce.<\/p>\n
He said the Bombers were \u201cabsolutely obliterated out of centre bounce\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think I would put it down first of all to that they\u2019re very good players,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you look at clearance, it\u2019s a pretty even clearance day, but we just got absolutely obliterated out of centre bounce.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe last quarter margin is almost entirely attributed to centre bounce territory and you lose contest forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe times we did get it forward we were able to score, really after halftime, so centre bounce was a massive problem for us.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut then, to answer your question about Pendlebury and Daicos, yep, what often happens is plan A wasn\u2019t working, we had to change that, plan B wasn\u2019t working, we had to change that.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe dominoes started to fall and other players fell out.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Bombers face no reprieve after the difficult loss, welcoming reigning premier Brisbane Lions to Marvel Stadium next Saturday.<\/p>\n