Can the end of this season come soon enough?
Can the end of Matthew Knights’ reign of terror come soon enough?
Does anybody even care any more?

After a week of James Hird “will he, won’t he” coach in 2011 speculation, on-field matters were the furthest thing from most fans so after Essendon went down by 27 points to Brisbane at Jihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon in AFL Round 21 – a collective yawn went around Bomber fans with a sense on inevitability about the whole situation at Windy Hill.

The Bombers were utter rubbish against the Lions. A few cheap junk time goals flattered the final 14.11 (95) to 10.8 (68) margin.

With the late withdrawal of ruckman Paddy Ryder, the inexperienced Bombers were smashed all over the ground, committing numerous turnovers and skill errors that would embarrass a 10 year old.

As has been the case in previous Bombers-Lions match-ups. Brisbane skipper Jonathan Brown (even on one leg) had a field day picking up 25 possessions, 16 goals and 4 goals as he taught Bomber youngster Michael Hurley a football lesson.

Brown got the Lions off to the perfect start with the first goal of the game, before they added the next two before the Bombers even registered their first score for the day. Goals to Jake Carlisle and debutante Marcus Marigliani gave the Bombers some first quarter hope before Brown gave the Lions a 20 point lead with a goal on the quarter time siren.

The second term was all the Lions, with Brown adding two more goal to half four by half time as the Bombers were flat out pathetic failing to trouble the goal scorers while the Lions booted five goals to take a match winning 49 point lead into half-time.

Kyle Reimers provided the highlight to begin the second half with a long-range goal as the Bombers registered the first two goals for the third quarter. Jack Redden and Michael Rischitelli answered for the Lions as they extended their lead to 51 with a quarter to play.

With the contest over, the Bombers kicked the final five goals of the game to bring the margin back to under 5 goals at the final siren, but little good came out of the contest and only yet again highlighted serious troubles at Windy Hill.

Second-gamer Jake Carlisle finished with 14 possessions, 12 marks and a goal while ruckman David Hille, Jobe Watson and Cale Hooker were solid but not spectacular.

But following the loss, the blowtorch once again will be put upon coach Matthew Knights.

“This club has had a tradition and a history of supporting a coach for 27 years, and had a lot of success.” Knights said after the game.

“I’m very confident that come round one next year, I’ll be sitting up in that coaches’ box, and (chairman) David (Evans) and Ian have never given me any other reason to think otherwise.

“I’m fully committed to the club and this team, and I want nothing but success.”

Few however believe Knights will survive more than a few days after the Bombers finish their 2010 AFL Season against the Western Bulldogs next Saturday night at Jihad Stadium.