Melbourne wingman Ed Langdon has drilled one of the goals of the season from the boundary in an effort which left he and his teammates in disbelief.
Langdon’s incredible effort killed off a gallant Essendon side for good, with the reigning premiers running out 14. 15. (99) to 10. 10. (70) winners at the MCG.
The 26-year-old’s goal came with just under five minutes remaining as the Demons clung to an 11-point lead amid one last Essendon push.
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After receiving a handball from teammate Charlie Spargo with his back to the boundary line in Melbourne’s left pocket, Langdon managed to get the ball on his boot despite being surrounded by three Bombers defenders, with the ball floating through from an impossible angle.
“No chance that’s gone through,” said James Brayshaw on Seven’s coverage.
“Unbelievable!
“What is that? I don’t know when the ball is bending away from the goal-face, how that can go through.”
“It’s not meant to, JB,” said Richmond great Matthew Richardson.
“He could do that 50 times and not do it again,” Hawthorn icon Luke Hodge added.
“The way he was bending backwards and the look on his face afterwards, the shock on his teammates’ faces. He was shocked.”
Langdon’s sensational goal sparked widespread reaction on social media, with Essendon’s official Twitter account also left speechless.
https://twitter.com/essendonfc/status/1509844529699905538https://twitter.com/bryce_parker26/status/1509844630090641411https://twitter.com/Dean_Bilton/status/1509844646650052609
However, despite the plaudits showered upon him, Langdon’s goal did not get the approval of his skipper, Max Gawn, who called it a “complete fluke”.
“It can’t be (Goal of the Year) if you don’t mean it,” Gawn told Fox Footy.
“There is no way he meant that. I’ve watched a lot of Ed Langdon football, I’m his No.1 fan, but there’s no way he meant that.”
Despite showing some fight in the final three quarters, the loss dropped Essendon to its first 0-3 start to a season since 1967.
With reigning Norm Smith medallist Christian Petracca tagged by Andrew McGrath, Angus Brayshaw and Clayton Oliver shone for the defending premiers.
Brayshaw finished with 34 disposals and a career-high 20 marks, while Oliver added a game-high 38 disposals and eight clearances.
While the loss was disappointing for Essendon, there was a golden moment when father-son prospect Tex Wanganeen slotted his first AFL goal in the midst of a third-quarter spurt.
Wanganeen’s terrific left-footed snap saw his father, Essendon and Port legend Gavin Wanganeen, erupt in the stands.
https://twitter.com/rohan_connolly/status/1509829118623330315?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1509829118623330315%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-3581467651059896992.ampproject.net%2F2203172113000%2Fframe.htmlhttps://twitter.com/rgbennett/status/1509829139402207233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1509829139402207233%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-3581467651059896992.ampproject.net%2F2203172113000%2Fframe.htmlhttps://twitter.com/AJFair85/status/1509829242984361989?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1509829242984361989%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-3581467651059896992.ampproject.net%2F2203172113000%2Fframe.html
“The best part of that was the old man celebrating with friends and family. They got that excited,” Hodge said.
“He would’ve seen that hundreds of times himself in the backyard.”
Wanganeen’s goal was one of four consecutive majors which allowed Essendon to hit the front in the third quarter, before the Demons roared back.
Peter Wright was outstanding up forward for the Bombers, finishing with four goals, while the returning Dylan Shiel led all Bombers with 27 disposals.
Essendon will hope to break its duck in round four when it hosts the Adelaide Crows at Marvel Stadium, while Melbourne will be up against Port Adelaide.