The GWS Giants have enraged the entire Essendon fanbase with a cheeky banner before the two sides squared off on Saturday afternoon.
The Giants have been known to take no prisoners when it comes to their social media activity, often pushing the boundaries to leave rival clubs fuming.
And they are showing no signs of slowing down despite the departure of social media guru Jacob Gaynor, who was poached by Tasmania in the off-season.
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The banner was a effectively a mock whiteboard with Essendon’s strengths and weaknesses listed. The strength column was left blank, while the weaknesses was just 7916 days.
The 7916 days is of course a reference to the Bombers’ last finals victory, which was way back in 2004.
Their posts on social media quickly racked up plenty of likes and comments.
Plenty of fans enjoyed the cheeky banter.
“Brilliant,” AFL great Campbell Brown said.
“Absolutely brutal … I love it,” one fan said.
“Giants and their banners. Love it,” another said.
“This is the greatest thing ever,” another added.
But there was also a fair amount of backlash, with plenty pointing to Giants’ history that doesn’t yet include a premiership.
“Big talk from a club with only one grand final appearance that was pretty embarrassing itself,” one said.
“If you haven’t been around that long you have no right to try and take the piss. Lazy work,” another said.
“Trolled by a club that hasn’t even won a flag,” another added.
The stunt appeared to backfire early on with the Bombers taking it right up to the favoured Giants in the first half.
But the hosts side flexed their fourth-quarter muscle to pull off a sensational 14-point comeback win.
Essendon coach Brad Scott was asked about the banner post-match.
“I did catch it out of the corner of my eye,” he said.
“I mean the Giants are pretty desperate for some relevance in the competition, to try and build their fanbase.
“I’m such a strong proponent of building our game in the northern states, in western Sydney and the Gold Coast. I think that’s really important for the AFL.
“I’m reluctant to comment on other clubs. They make their decisions, we’ll make ours.”
Trailing by just two points at the final break, the Giants slammed through five goals to two to set up a 16.7 (103) to 13.11 (89) victory at ENGIE Stadium on Saturday.
It is a heartbreaking result for an unfancied Bombers side, who had led by a game-high 26 points in the third quarter.
Essendon (1-8) remain second last after falling short of their second win of the season, with a shoulder injury to impressive first-year player Dyson Sharp only adding to their woes.
Drafted with pick No.13 and playing just his fifth AFL game, midfielder Sharp landed heavily after a marking contest in the third quarter.
Peter Wright and Archie May had both kicked their third goals of the game in the final term, but their efforts weren’t enough to seal the deal.
Bombers defender Archie Roberts led the game with 42 disposals, while Sam Durham took eight clearances in his 100th game.
GWS, rising to 13th, nabbed their fourth win after losing four more players to injury earlier in the week, star goalscorer Jesse Hogan (hip) among them.
Ex-Essendon spearhead Jake Stringer kicked three goals and Hogan’s replacement Max Gruzewski slotted two, while Giants recruit Jayden Laverde (11 intercept possessions) impressed as the last line of defence in his first match against his former side.
Bombers youngster Xavier Duursma booted two majors in a tight opening quarter, but fluffed his chance for a career-best third as the Giants took a four-point lead to the main break.
Just as he did with the opener, GWS skipper Toby Greene outworked counterpart Andrew McGrath in front of goal to kick off the second quarter.
But Greene’s goal would be the home side’s only major in the term, with Essendon upping the ante.
Unable to withstand the pressure, GWS trailed 15 points at halftime after goals from Nate Caddy, Darcy Parish, Wright and May.
It was the second time this season the Bombers led at the main break, last doing so in their round-six loss to Gold Coast.
Essendon’s ascendancy continued well into the third quarter, before a relentless GWS outfit mounted a comeback.
A red-hot Fremantle side out to equal a club-record run of nine wins is up next for Brad Scott’s side, while GWS travel to play West Coast.
