The Bombers’ Favorite Foils: Top 10 Blues Who Enjoyed Dominating Essendon

Carlton Players Dominating Essendon Rivalry

Carlton and Essendon are two of the oldest and most successful teams in Australian football history, with their rivalry dating back to the early 1900s. When asked about the players that enjoyed coming up against Essendon, past Carlton greats have spoken at length about their own experiences. However, from sheer numbers alone, there were certain Blues players who had days out against the Bombers over the course of their careers. Here are the top 10 Carlton players who dominated Essendon.

Stephen Kernahan

Stephen Kernahan kicked 68 career goals against Essendon, with only Matthew Lloyd having kicked more goals than him in games between the two teams. Kernahan’s middle career portion was the time when he did the most damage, scoring 33 goals from six games against Essendon between 1992 and 1994. This included a haul of 6.8 in Round 5, 1987, his fifth game as captain, and a haul of seven in a losing Grand Final three weeks later.

Brendan Fevola

Brendan Fevola narrowly kicked more goals against Collingwood than Essendon, despite having a spell of slightly barren games against Essendon. However, there was a stretch where he dined out on the Bombers better than anyone, with his goals return from his next six games reading as follows: seven, five, eight, zero, eight and seven. Fevola’s first bag of eight came in an impressive comeback victory in round three of 2007 where the Blues recorded their greatest ever comeback.

Matthew Lappin

Matthew ‘Skinny’ Lappin kicked more goals against Essendon than any other team, and his two performances in the 2001 season were particularly special. In round 3, his 80-metre torp was an all-time classic in one of the Blues‘ most famous backs-to-the-wall wins. Lappin also scored five goals against the reigning premiers in round 18 of the same season, ensuring Craig Bradley’s 350th ended with a Navy Blue victory.

Greg Williams

Greg Williams has spoken at length about the challenges he faced when playing against Essendon due to their coach Kevin Sheedy. However, his stat line from games against the arch-rival suggests otherwise. After moving to Carlton in 1992, Williams went on to average 31.7 disposals from his ten games against Essendon, as well as kicking 12 goals.

Chris Judd

At the end of his career, Chris Judd registered 210 Brownlow votes, of which 15 of his 16 votes against Essendon were in the Navy Blue. Round 3, 2008 was the first time the football world heard “Carlton, C.Judd, three votes,” while round 23, 2014 was the last time that sentence was uttered. Judd also took one of the greatest marks ever seen against Essendon in the 2011 elimination final, further showcasing his dominance against them.

Scott Camporeale

Scott Camporeale may have briefly pulled on the Essendon jumper, but he became a beloved Carlton man, particularly when playing against his former side. Camporeale had 31 career goals against the Bombers, including nine games where he scored over 20 disposals and hit the scoreboard. In arguably his greatest outing, he was best on ground in a shock round 3, 2001 win against Essendon when Carlton was without Bradley, Koutoufides and Silvagni.

Eddie Betts

Eddie Betts’ role as the chief tormentor of Essendon mostly came in the tri-colours while in South Australia, but he still had some memorable performances against them as a Carlton player. His career-best performance was playing against the Bombers, with him scoring eight goals, and a career-best 27 disposals came in round 3 of the 2008 season, among others.

Lance Whitnall

Lance Whitnall burst onto the scene in Carlton’s 1997 preliminary final against Essendon, scoring four goals on debut. He scored one of the most famous goals in Carlton history against the Bombers in the same year’s preliminary final. Whitnall’s 28 disposals, 18 marks, and four goals against the all-conquering Bombers team in 2000 were among his other standout performances against Essendon.

Andrew Carrazzo

Andrew Carrazzo’s love for beating Essendon was evident in his iconic goal celebrations against the arch-rival. More than 20% of his career goals came against Essendon, with two goals, including a drought-breaking finals win, and 48 across his 194 games. His favorite goal against the Bombers came when he channeled his inner Ric Flair, matching up against Bombers opponent Brent Stanton.

Bryan Quirk

Bryan Quirk’s enviable record against Essendon saw him come against them on 16 occasions, with 13 wins. One of the most famous victories in Carlton’s history in 1968 came because of Quirk’s three goals. He sealed a drought-breaking flag in the following game by registering the Blues‘ final major of the game to cap their golden era against Essendon.

David Cuningham

David Cuningham’s two best games in his senior career have been against Essendon. The dynamic Blue delighted all viewers with his best-on-ground Round 4, 2020 performance against the Dons, scoring 28 disposals and three Brownlow votes in a one-point victory. He was similarly impressive in 2011, recording 25 disposals and two goals, including the sealer, in a 16-point victory.

Conclusion

Players‘ success in games against their rivals often fuels the excitement and passion of the fans. History has shown the success of some of Carlton’s best players against Essendon, and their dominance only adds to the tradition and passion of one of the game’s greatest rivalries.