If the 105-point thrashing the Bombers experienced at the hands of the Eagles in a recent AFL practice match is any indication of what lies ahead in the upcoming season, Bombers supporters and players might wish for a time machine to end the misery sooner, rather than later.
The end of the NAB Challenge saw the Bombers playing a side that will likely be the one that starts Round 1, but that first game is against a Gold Coast Suns side that has premiership aspirations and would like nothing better than to start the home-and-away season by serving notice to the league that they deserve better than the $51 odds Sportsbet has given them.
It was not all doom and gloom for the Bombers. Joe Daniher showed promise after spending the offseason putting on muscle in order to elevate his physicality. David Zaharakis put in a good effort, as did top-up player Mathew Stokes and rookie Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti.
That said, the Bombers trailed by 60 points by half time. The Eagles wasted no time in the third quarter, kicking eight goals.
This is the sort of outcome that could be expected given the loss of 12 players the Bombers have experienced as the consequence of 2012’s doping scandal.
