'Goosebumps': Bomber's emotional return to AFL

1 year ago 62

Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti has marked his AFL comeback with a extremity successful affectional scenes arsenic Essendon smashed Hawthorn astatine the MCG.

The 29-year-old started the crippled arsenic a aesculapian substitute earlier being brought connected successful the last quarter, prompting a monolithic ovation from the Bombers faithful successful attendance.

He took conscionable a fewer minutes to marque an impact, kicking his archetypal extremity successful 588 days earlier being mobbed by his teammates.

The crippled against Hawthorn was the goal-sneak's archetypal since August 8, 2021 and came aft helium abruptly retired from the crippled midway done past year, pursuing an extended play connected the sidelines owed to idiosyncratic reasons.

McDonald-Tipungwuti concisely flirted with a determination to Fremantle successful the off-season earlier recommitting connected a one-year woody to Essendon, wherever helium is simply a much-loved figure.

The returning star's extremity capped disconnected an day to retrieve for the Bombers, who finished 19. 10. (124) to 9. 11. (65) winners implicit their arch-rivals successful manager Brad Scott's archetypal crippled successful charge.

Essendon skipper Zach Merrett described McDonald-Tipungwuti's triumphant instrumentality arsenic "a peculiar moment".

"That roar erstwhile helium ran onto the tract gives you goosebumps," AFL icon Eddie Betts added connected Fox Footy's coverage.

Draper continues Bombers' onslaught

"It was unbelievable and a infinitesimal that radical astatine the crushed volition ne'er forget.

"Even for the young Aboriginal boys, to person idiosyncratic to look up to, a leader, to person that idiosyncratic by your broadside is going to assistance them grow."

McDonald-Tipungwuti revealed a stake he'd made with his parent erstwhile he'd taken clip distant from the crippled aft his comeback.

"It was a large feeling. I was waiting to spell connected and the boys astatine the extremity gave maine feedback saying that was the biggest assemblage they'd heard for idiosyncratic else," helium said.

"A large outcry retired to my mum, she's believed maine each the way. I made a stake to my mum and said if I made it backmost and played again, I'd bargain her a caravan, truthful I got a caravan for my mum."

Essendon volition look to marque it 2 from 2 adjacent week erstwhile it hosts the Suns astatine Marvel Stadium, portion the Hawks volition look the Swans astatine the SCG.

For a regular dose of the champion of the breaking quality and exclusive contented from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!