Pre Game
59:30
Welcome to Etihad Stadium for the Essendon v St Kilda Round 16 clash.
59:33
Outs for Bombers: J.Ashby, D.Zaharakis, M.Stokes, M.Jamar, M.Leuenberger, J.Merrett
59:34
Ins for Bombers: S.Michael, P.Ambrose, S.McKernan, K.Langford, J.Laverde, C.McKenna
59:35
Outs for Saints: T.Lee, P.McCartin, J.Lonie
59:36
Ins for Saints: N.Wright, S.Dempster, D.McKenzie
59:40
Don't forget to enter your tips for this match, you have until the bounce to make your selection.
00:00
St Kilda has generated an inside 50 from 24 per cent of defensive 50 chains this season, the third highest percentage in the competition, and it has launched 24 per cent of its score from this zone, ranked No. 1.
Quarter 1
00:00
Q1 is now underway.
02:49
The Bombers have recorded the first four inside 50s of the game.
03:30
Joe Daniher grabs the first mark inside 50 of the game but he misses to the right. Daniher has scored 20 behinds this season with 16 of them missing to the right.
05:01
Saints Interchange - Nick Riewoldt off due to an injury.
08:05
The Saints have recorded just one disposal in the forward half.
09:18
Essendon lead the clearance count 6-3 and it launched its first goal from this source. The Bombers have lost the clearance count by two per game this season, ranked 13th.
10:15
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)
11:51
SCORE
BEHIND - Saints (Josh Bruce)
13:31
St Kilda has recorded the last three inside 50s but has generated just two behinds from these.
14:52
SCORE
GOAL - Saints (Nick Riewoldt)
17:09
Dylan Roberton boots the Saints' second goal from a 50 metre penalty this season, the third fewest in the AFL.
18:53
SCORE
BEHIND - Saints (Jade Gresham)
19:54
St Kilda has recorded the last 10 inside 50s.
21:02
St Kilda is dominating the hitouts (14-3) but the Bombers have won three more clearances than the Saints and they have booted two goals to none from this source.
22:56
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Darcy Parish)
23:22
Bombers Interchange - Brendon Goddard off due to an injury.
23:25
St Kilda has launched seven points from defensive 50.
27:20
The Bombers have grabbed four intercept marks in defensive 50.
27:57
The Saints have booted three goals from midfield turnovers while the Bombers have scored just two behinds from this source.
29:24
The siren has sounded to end Q1.
29:34
Darren Minchington applied four pressure acts in forward 50 in the first quarter, two more than any other player.
Quarter 2
00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:54
St Kilda wins the first centre clearance of the second quarter and it launches its first goal from clearances for the game.
02:49
Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti is up to a game-high four score involvements including three score assists.
05:07
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Orazio Fantasia)
08:17
Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti has now contributed 20 points to the scoreboard. He had contributed 37 points for the season prior to this game.
10:10
SCORE
BEHIND - Saints (Maverick Weller)
11:02
St Kilda has scored 19 points per game from turnovers in attacking midfield this season, ranked 10th. It has already scored 19 points from this source in this game.
13:43
SCORE
GOAL - Bombers (Orazio Fantasia)
14:54
SCORE
BEHIND - Saints (Luke Dunstan)
15:31
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)
16:37
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)
17:36
Tim Membrey has now grabbed 27 marks inside 50 since round six, nine more than any other Saint.
18:19
SCORE
GOAL - Saints (Tim Membrey)
22:17
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)
24:49
Luke Dunstan has recorded just seven disposals but he is up to an equal team-high five score involvements.
29:10
SCORE
GOAL - Bombers (Darcy Parish)
31:28
The siren has sounded to end Q2.
31:38
Both teams have won 21 intercept possessions in midfield but the Saints have outscored the Bombers by 16 points from them.
Quarter 3
00:00
Q3 is now underway.
01:54
SCORE
BEHIND - Saints (Rushed)
03:32
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Orazio Fantasia)
06:06
SCORE
GOAL - Bombers (Orazio Fantasia)
09:46
After conceding the first three inside 50s of the third quarter the Bombers have recorded the last six but they have generated just eight points from these.
10:46
The Bombers scored 14 points from forward half intercepts in the first half. They have already scored 13 points from this source this quarter.
13:54
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Orazio Fantasia)
15:35
SCORE
GOAL - Saints (Jade Gresham)
16:36
The Saints have won two fewer centre clearances but they have outscored the Bombers by 12 points from this source.
22:44
The Saints lead the clearance count 12-4 this quarter.
24:25
All 19 of the Saints' points this quarter have been sourced from clearances.
25:51
Orazio Fantasia has recorded four disposals this quarter with all of them being involved in a score for his team.
27:35
SCORE
GOAL - Saints (Tim Membrey)
28:34
SCORE
BEHIND - Saints (Darren Minchington)
29:12
The Bombers have grabbed nine contested marks this quarter, seven more than the Saints.
29:16
SCORE
GOAL - Bombers (Joe Daniher)
30:30
The siren has sounded to end Q3.
30:40
St Kilda got on top at the stoppages in the third quarter. It won the clearance count by nine and booted three goals to one from this source.
30:50
The Saints lead the tackle count by eight at three-quarter time. They have out tackled their opposition in six of their eight games at Etihad Stadium this season, averaging 13 more.
Quarter 4
00:00
Q4 is now underway.
00:44
Bombers Interchange - Craig Bird off due to an injury.
01:21
Tim Membrey grabs his team's 12th mark inside 50, five more than the Bombers. Essendon has averaged six fewer marks inside 50 per game compared to its opposition this season, the second worst differential in the competition.
01:54
Saints Interchange - Shane Savage and is possibly out for the game.
02:04
SCORE
GOAL - Saints (Tim Membrey)
07:41
Essendon has launched 27 points from defensive 50, 18 more than its season average.
09:41
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Mitch Brown)
12:42
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Courtenay Dempsey)
13:06
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Craig Bird)
14:14
The Bombers have recorded six of the last seven inside 50s and outscored the Saints 14-0 during this streak.
15:57
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Joe Daniher)
16:29
Zach Merrett is up to eight disposals this quarter, four more than any other Bomber, as well as booting that goal.
18:10
Tim Membrey has contributed 36 points to the scoreboard in this game and has now contributed 201 points since round six, 74 points more than any other Saint.
19:26
Maverick Weller has won three groundball-gets in forward 50 and has now won 24 for the season, five more than any other Saint.
26:36
SCORE
GOAL - Saints (Maverick Weller)
28:05
SCORE
GOAL - Saints (Jack Steven)
31:50
SCORE
GOAL - Bombers (Joe Daniher)
32:09
Saints Interchange - Jarryn Geary off due to an injury.
33:07
The siren has sounded to end Q4.
33:17
Jack Steven finished with 22 contested possessions and 12 clearances, both career-highs. His 41 disposals was a season-high, bettering the 40 he recorded against the Bombers in round nine.