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Georgiades stars as Port Adelaide hand Essendon wooden spoon in worst season
Port Adelaide defeated Essendon by 10 points at Marvel Stadium, with Mitch Georgiades kicking five goals. The loss secured the wooden spoon for Essendon, who finished with a 2-21 record, their worst in club history. Nate Caddy's career-best six goals were not enough to avoid the defeat.
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Essendon's worst season ends with wooden spoon
Essendon's calamitous campaign ended with a 10-point defeat to Port Adelaide, leaving the Bombers with the wooden spoon and a 2-21 record for the season — their worst in the club's long history. The loss at Marvel Stadium on Sunday confirmed Essendon's position at the bottom of the ladder, a result that interim coach Dean Solomon will hand over to a new full-time appointment in the coming days.
The defeat, 9 (105) to 11 (95), was sealed in the final minutes when Port Adelaide scored two late goals after Essendon's Zach Merrett thought he had won the match with a set shot conversion with two minutes remaining. Merrett, who tallied a game-high 32 disposals and a goal, was at the centre of trade speculation after being denied a move to Hawthorn last year.
Emerging forward Nate Caddy shone in attack with a career-best six goals, but it was not enough to lift the Bombers. Angus Clarke contributed three goals, with Peter Wright, Isaac Kako and Will Perkins also scoring for Essendon. Wright suffered a knee injury during the match.
The result was worse than even the 2016 'top-ups' season, which produced three wins. The Bombers also won only two games in the 1933 VFL campaign, though that was in a shorter 18-round home-and-away season.
Georgiades leads Power's charge
Mitch Georgiades was the star for Port Adelaide, kicking five goals including the opening goal of the match. The Power's stand-in captain led his side to a 22-point lead before halftime, but the Bombers fought back in the third quarter, hitting the front when Clarke converted close to goal.
Port Adelaide's Mitch Zadow and Jack Whitlock added two important goals each in the second half, while Jase Burgoyne (30 disposals, two goals) and veteran Ollie Wines (27 disposals, one goal) were also key contributors in a tight game. Ivan Sweet, Moraes, Bamert and Anastasopoulos also scored for the Power.
Port Adelaide finished 15th with a 7-16 record in Josh Carr's first season as coach, having replaced Ken Hinkley. Carr conceded that Zak Butters re-signing with the club is unlikely, with the midfielder widely expected to return to Victoria next season. Butters has not formally told Carr of his decision.
Merrett's future and Solomon's hopes
Dean Solomon said the club is on the right path and that patience is needed, while expressing hope that Zach Merrett stays at Essendon. Solomon has not discussed Merrett's future with him during the season.
Merrett's 32 disposals were a game-high, and he was one of several Essendon players to reach significant disposal counts, with Will Setterfield also recording 32 and Archie Roberts and Andrew McGrath 27 and 25 respectively. McGrath played his 200th game for the club in this match.
Port Adelaide's best players included Esava Ratugolea, Jase Burgoyne and Miles Bergman, according to the match report.
How this outlet told it
A framing line is our reading of that outlet's own text — an interpretation, not a quotation and not a fact we assert. Check it against what the outlet published.
Framing: Emphasizes Essendon's wooden spoon and the loss, focusing on the team's failure rather than individual performance or future implications. — Neutral reporting with a focus on the result and its significance for Essendon.
Facts Included:
Essendon lost to Port Adelaide 16.9 (105) to 14.11 (95) at Marvel Stadium
Essendon finished with 2-21 record, clinching the wooden spoon
Nate Caddy kicked a career-best six goals
Dean Solomon was interim coach and will hand over to a new full-time appointment
Zach Merrett tallied 32 disposals and a goal, amid trade speculation
Port Adelaide's Mitch Georgiades kicked five goals
Other Port goals: Zadow 2, Whitlock 2, Burgoyne 2, Wines, Sweet, Moraes, Bamert, Anastasopoulos
Essendon goals: Caddy 6, Clarke 3, Wright, Merrett, Kako
Injury: Wright (knee)
Match score and quarter-by-quarter details
Merrett thought he won the game with a late goal, but Port scored two late goals
AI-extracted; can misattribute a claim — see Methodology.
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Claim
Confidence
Status
ClaimEssendon lost to Port Adelaide 16.9 (105) to 14.11 (95) at Marvel Stadium in a dead rubber match.