Bombers' captain grills 'mediocre' side after thrashing

Essendon person suffered different dismal nonaccomplishment going down to Collingwood by 70 points, with skipper Zach Merrett attesting the Bombers are "sick of ending their play successful August" arsenic the Pies claimed the insignificant premiership.

A woeful show from the Bombers saw them cough up 8 unanswered goals successful the archetypal term, with questions present to beryllium asked of manager Brad Scott, adding brackish to the wounds aft past week's dismal 126-point nonaccomplishment to the Giants.

Merrett grilled his side's 2nd large nonaccomplishment successful 2 weeks and remained adamant that this is the Bombers' turning constituent heading into 2024.

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"It's clip to get past being a mediocre nine and a nine that falls distant similar that," Merrett said connected Channel 7 post-match.

"Players are sick of ending their play successful August.

"We're inactive intelligibly a agelong mode disconnected the apical six and apical 8 to beryllium fair."

Collingwood applied the breaks rapidly aft its archetypal word blitz, earlier professionally managing it's squad up of the finals. They lone kicked 8 much goals aft 4th time, with Essendon incapable to claw its mode backmost into the match.

The Bombers look dejected aft their nonaccomplishment to Collingwood. (AFL Photos via Getty Images)

The Bombers were again held goalless successful the 3rd term, portion lone kicking 1 successful the past quarter, successful a disappointing extremity to their season.

Collingwood midfield Jordan De Goey was backmost to his champion collecting 27 disposals, but has his eyes acceptable connected a monolithic finals bid for the Pies.

"Our midfield radical could beryllium perchance the champion successful the competition," De Goey said post-match.

Bombers Brad Scott post-match. (AFL Photos via Getty Images)

"This crippled was large for us, we wanted to enactment our ft down and amusement however bully we really were."

The Pies volition present big a location semi last astatine the MCG, facing either Port Adelaide, Melbourne oregon Brisbane based connected the weekend's results.

The result marks Collingwood's 20th insignificant premiership and archetypal since 2011, 3 much than immoderate different broadside successful the league, with Carlton adjacent successful enactment with 17.