Essendon have kickstarted their AFL season and left a listless St Kilda in their wake in a stunning 75-point thrashing at Marvel Stadium.
Heavy underdogs heading into Saturday’s game, the Bombers ran riot for a thumping 22.11 (143) to 9.14 (68) victory.
The Bombers were coming off two losses and injuries to Dylan Shiel, Jye Caldwell and Sam Draper, while skipper Dyson Heppell was also sidelined.
But in his first game for the year Jake Stringer was at his explosive best – setting up the victory with a stunning four-goal first half, while Darcy Parish (34 disposals) and Zach Merrett (34 disposals) were superb through the midfield.
Cale Hooker snagged five goals, while Jordan Ridley (35 disposals, 10 marks) was commanding in defence and…
