WHEN asked which Carlton players enjoyed coming up against Essendon more than most, a number of past greats had similar things to say.

"You can go through all of them", Greg Williams said. "I'd say pretty much everyone" was the call from Ang Christou. "It was an all-in attitude against Essendon", Stephen Kernahan added.

However, from sheer numbers alone, there are a number of Blues whose stats sheet had a clear uptick when looking at their games against the arch rival. It's important to note, this isn't so much about one individual performance, but rather the players who had days out against the Bombers over the course of their careers.

Here's 10 (plus an added 11th at the end, for good measure).

Stephen Kernahan

Only Matthew Lloyd has kicked more goals in games between Carlton and Essendon than Stephen Kernahan. After a slow start against the Bombers, kicking just one goal from his first two games against the arch rival, it was Kernahan’s fifth game as captain where things really picked up. With a haul of 6.8 in Round 5, 1987, Kernahan broke the red-and-black shackles, as he went on to kick 68 career goals against them. It was in the middle portion of Kernahan’s career where he did plenty of damage, kicking 33 goals from six games against Essendon between 1992 and 1994 — that included Carlton’s first four goals of the game in the 1993 qualifying final, and a haul of seven in a losing Grand Final three weeks later.

Brendan Fevola

Remarkably, that Kernahan three-year run against the Bombers wasn’t the most prolific from a Carlton forward’s point of view. When all was said and done after his career, Brendan Fevola narrowly kicked more goals against Collingwood than Essendon, but there was a stretch where he dined out on the Bombers better than anyone. After a slightly barren spell against Essendon by his standards, Fevola kicked into gear in 2006, with his goals return from his next six games Essendon reading as follows: seven, five, eight, zero, eight, seven. Of course, that first bag of eight came in effectively a half of football as the Blues recorded their greatest ever comeback in round 3, 2007.

Matthew Lappin

We said it earlier this week and we'll say it again: there's no better way to announce your arrival at Carlton than taking the Mark of the Year on club debut against Essendon inside the first quarter. But, as fate would have it, that was just the start of Matthew 'Skinny' Lappin enjoying himself against the arch rival. Kicking more goals against Essendon than any other team, Lappin's two performances in the 2001 season will live long in the memory of Bluebaggers. In one of the Blues' most famous backs-to-the-wall wins in Round 3, Lappin's 80-metre torp was an all-time classic, while his five-goal haul against the reigning premiers in Round 18 of that season was a stunning individual performance, ensuring Craig Bradley's 350th ended with a Navy Blue victory.

Greg Williams

Earlier this week, Greg Williams was quick to pinpoint just what it was about Essendon that he didn’t appreciate during his career — “Sheedy. Sorry. He’s the problem. He made life hell for me.” And while Essendon’s greatest coach may have made life difficult for Williams, the stat line from ‘Diesel’ in his performances against the arch rival - who he ended up playing his 250th and final game against - suggest otherwise. Before making the move to Carlton, Williams’ numbers were good, if not great. He averaged 22 disposals B.C. (before Carlton) against Essendon, but after making the move in 1992, he ended up averaging 31.7 disposals from his 10 games against them, as well as kicking 12 goals. That was despite having a Sean Denham-shaped statue for the majority of those battles . . . and they were battles.

Chris Judd

There must be something about Brownlow Medallists crossing to Carlton, winning another, and finding a new vein of form when it came to playing against the Bombers. At the end of his career, Chris Judd registered 210 Brownlow votes, which is currently eighth all time: 94 at West Coast, 116 at Carlton. However, he would record 15 of his 16 votes against Essendon while in the Navy Blue. Round 3, 2008 was the first time the football world heard “Carlton, C.Judd, three votes”, while Round 23, 2014 was the last time that very sentence was uttered — both came when the arch rivals met. That’s not to mention the grab he took in the 2011 elimination final where Bruce McAvaney mentioned “he’s done a lot of things on this ground, I’m not sure he’s even been that high — what a mark!”.

Scott Camporeale

Yes, we know. The fact that Scott Camporeale ever pulled on the Essendon jumper is a tough pill to swallow. But there’s no denying that come the end of his playing career, the former No.16 would always be remembered as a Carlton man — and he had a fair few vintage ‘Campo’ games against his future side, as well. When the Blues’ backs were against the wall and the Bombers were coming to town, Camporeale relished the occasion more than most. He kicked 31 career goals against the Bombers, including nine games where he had over 20 disposals and hit the scoreboard. That’s not even including arguably Camporeale’s finest hour against the arch rival, where - in a team without Bradley, Koutoufides and Silvagni - he was best on ground in a shock Round 3, 2001 win. He arched his back, he steadied, 49 metres out . . . brilliant, wonderful stuff.

Eddie Betts

We’ll put our hands up here. We agree that Eddie Betts’ role as the chief tormentor of Essendon largely came in the tri-colours while in South Australia . . . but that’s not to say Betts still didn’t enjoy himself against Essendon while wearing the Navy Blue. After all, his career-best performance from his 350 games played was for the Blues against the Bombers, kicking a memorable eight majors . . . where, let’s be honest, he could’ve easily had his record of four Goal of the Year awards bumped up to five. He also had a career-best 27 disposals back in Round 3 of the 2008 season, while he kicked three in his last match against them. While he kicked 43 goals from 21 Carlton games against them, the added another 19 while playing for Adelaide (including a six-goal haul, plus two bags of five) sees Essendon easily at the top of the list as Betts’ favourite opponent.

Lance Whitnall

We’re sure it was passed down from former Blue Graeme Whitnall to son Lance that when it came to Carlton playing Essendon, it just meant that little bit extra. So when Carlton’s second-generation Whitnall burst onto the scene in 1997, he very much did so at the Bombers’ expense. Whitnall received a Rising Star nomination on debut in Round 1 of the 1997 season, taking nine marks and kicking four goals as a 17-year-old in the absence of Stephen Kernahan. Two years later, he kicked one of the most famous goals in Carlton history from right in front of the members on 1999 preliminary final day, while he had 28 disposals, 18 marks and four goals against the all-conquering Bombers team in 2000. He didn’t stop there, kicking three final-quarter goals to lead the Blues to a stirring comeback (they trailed by 28 points at the final change) in Round 2, 2005.

Andrew Carrazzo

If you want to know what beating Essendon meant to Andrew Carrazzo, just look at his goal celebrations whenever the 2007 John Nicholls Medallist snagged one against the arch rival. There’s more than a fair share too, just quietly. The former No.44 kicked 48 career goals across his 194 games, so based on pure numbers, it’s incredible that over 20 per cent of those came against the red and black of Essendon. There were two goals to the Punt Road end - one in 2008, one in 2011 - where the boyhood Bluebagger couldn’t contain himself, include beating the monogram as the Blues recorded a drought-breaking finals win. But arguably the favourite for a lot of Carlton supporters was in 2010, where he channeled his inner Ric Flair against Bombers opponent - and future Carlton assistant coach - Brent Stanton.

Bryan Quirk

When it comes to the stats sheet, few enjoyed beating Essendon more than Carlton Hall of Fame, Bryan Quirk. The history books tell us that Quirk’s record against Essendon would’ve been the envy of many, coming up against Essendon on 16 occasions and enjoying 13 wins, including one of the most famous in the Blues’ existence. The Bombers would’ve been sick of the sight of Quirk in September of 1968: in the major semi final, Quirk kicked three goals - including two in the first term - to set the Blues on their way for a Grand Final berth. A fortnight later, the two arch rivals met once again, and it was left to who else but Quirk to register the Blues’ final major of the game (in the third quarter, no less) to seal a drought-breaking flag. In a golden era for the Blues against the Bombers, Quirk’s last nine games against the Bombers resulted in victories.

And an honourable mention from the current group . . . 

David Cuningham

All Carlton fans have been longing for David Cuningham to return to action sooner rather than later, with the dynamic Blue having a wretched run with injury in recent years. And if there’s one opponent Blues supporters would’ve loved seeing Cuningham in senior action against, it would’ve been against the arch enemy. There’s not much argument that Cuningham’s two best games in his senior career have come against the Bombers. There was the one in 2020, where Cuningham delighted all those watching from home with a best-on-ground performance against the Dons, recording 28 disposals (in shortened game time) and three Brownlow votes in a one-point win. He repeated the dose the following season, this time in front of a big MCG crowd, with 25 disposals and two goals - including the sealer - in a 16-point victory.