Match

Essendon vs Brisbane Lions

Commentary / 24 Jul 2016

Pre Game

59:30
Welcome to Etihad Stadium for the Essendon v Brisbane Lions Round 18 clash.
59:33
Outs for Bombers: J.Gwilt, C.Bird
59:34
Ins for Bombers: A.Francis, A.Cooney
59:35
Outs for Lions: D.McStay, R.Lester, J.Jansen
59:36
Ins for Lions: D.Merrett, L.Dawson, J.Walker
59:40
Don't forget to enter your tips for this match, you have until the bounce to make your selection.
00:00
Don't forget to enter your tips for this match, you have until the bounce to make your selection.
00:10
Expect this match to be played primarily through the Corridor. Brisbane rank first in the AFL for percentage of Corridor entries from Defensive 50 in Rounds 13-17 (30.3 per cent). Essendon rank third in this category over that time (23.7 per cent).

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
01:22
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Tom Cutler)
03:06
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Darcy Gardiner)
03:40
Bombers Interchange - Joe Daniher off due to an injury.
04:17
Stefan Martin has gained possession for Brisbane from all three stoppages so far in this game. In the last five rounds, Brisbane rank fourth in the AFL for points from stoppage clearances (36.5 points per game).
04:36
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Sam Mayes)
06:57
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Rhys Mathieson)
07:27
That goal to Rhys Mathieson is the Lions second in a row from a Stoppage Clearance, with both goals assisted by Stefan Martin.
08:15
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)
09:17
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)
11:31
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Mitch Brown)
13:09
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Josh Walker)
13:38
Brisbane have dominated the early part of this match, registering 16 groundball-gets to Essendon's eight, seven inside 50's to Essendon's three and seven clearances to Essendon's two.
15:38
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Josh Green)
18:10
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Mitch Brown)
19:13
Aaron Francis has started his first match in the AFL well, with that goal to Brown coming as a result of Francis' first contested mark in the AFL. He has also registered five disposals and two contested possessions already.
19:40
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Jayden Laverde)
22:04
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Tom Rockliff)
24:59
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Will Hams)
28:15
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Josh Green)
28:32
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Rushed)
30:24
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)
30:37
The siren has sounded to end Q1.
30:47
This is now the fifth quarter the Lions have won before half-time this season, the fewest of any side in the AFL. The next best? Essendon, with seven quarters won before half time this season.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:48
Lions Interchange - Tom Rockliff off due to an injury.
05:06
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Adam Cooney)
05:31
Essendon have turned the table to start this quarter, spending 84 per cent of it in their forward half. However from five forward 50 entries they've only managed to score 0.1 (1).
06:17
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Joe Daniher)
07:44
Almost eight minutes into this quarter and there are still 14 Lions players yet to record a possession in this quarter.
08:08
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Joe Daniher)
10:42
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Josh Walker)
11:41
That goal to Josh Walker now makes it 5.1 (31) for the Lions from intercept possessions, with that goal launched from Matthew Hammelmann's team-high fourth intercept possession.
13:28
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (David Zaharakis)
15:27
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Eric Hipwood)
16:29
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Eric Hipwood)
19:05
Essendon have had a team win result from 75 per cent of one-on-one contests in the second quarter. For the 2016 AFL season, the number one ranked team in this category (Adelaide) has had a team win result from 36.6 per cent of one-on-one contests.
19:25
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)
23:06
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Ryan Bastinac)
24:57
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Joe Daniher)
26:35
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Jayden Laverde)
28:45
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Kyle Langford)
28:50
The siren has sounded to end Q2.
29:00
After finishing with 94 fewer disposals than the Tigers last week, their worst differential in any game this season, the Bombers only trail the Lions by 184-189 disposals at half time, after being down 86-111 at quarter time.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
01:30
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Stefan Martin)
05:08
The Bombers are still having issues with set shots at goal in this match. They have kicked 4.6 (30) from set shots in this match, and have an accuracy rating of 43.9 per cent from set shots this season, ranked 18th in the AFL in this category.
06:24
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Conor McKenna)
07:54
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Tom Cutler)
09:18
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Tom Cutler)
10:14
After a quiet first half, Tom Cutler has come to life in the early part of the third quarter, recording six disposals from a team-high six uncontested possessions, a team-high two inside 50's and kicking 1.1 (7) to add to his goal from the first quarter.
11:37
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Rhys Mathieson)
13:36
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Conor McKenna)
15:23
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Mitch Brown)
16:43
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Stefan Martin)
18:06
Brisbane have gone back to the style of play that got them a big lead, winning the clearance count 10-2 and groundball-gets 23-9 this quarter. In the 2016 AFL season, the Lions average a clearance differential of minus 6.1 per game, ranked 18th.
20:52
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Daniel Rich)
22:00
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Orazio Fantasia)
23:28
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)
26:37
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Joe Daniher)
27:40
That goal to Joe Daniher came after a string of seven of the last eight inside 50 entries going Essendon's way. The Bombers have struggled converting entries to goals in this match, scoring from just 15.2 per cent of inside 50's.
27:52
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Josh Green)
29:40
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Liam Dawson)
29:45
The siren has sounded to end Q3.
29:55
That goal to Liam Dawson after the siren makes it 3.0 (18) to the Lions from a contested mark in their forward 50 in this match. The Lions have kicked 19.17 (131) from this source in the 2016 AFL season, ranked 18th in the AFL.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
00:13
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Pearce Hanley)
01:55
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Rohan Bewick)
04:00
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Joe Daniher)
05:03
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Josh Green)
05:48
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Courtenay Dempsey)
07:39
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Liam Dawson)
07:54
In a complete reversal of scoring efficiency for both teams, they have both registered a scoring shot from 100 per cent of their respective inside 50's for this quarter. In 2016, Brisbane rank fifth in the AFL in this category, while Essendon rank 17th.
09:15
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Josh Walker)
11:03
That goal to Josh Walker is the fourth score that Stefan Martin has launched this quarter, and the second goal he's launched from a Centre Bounce hitout. Since Round 12, Stefan Martin ranks fourth in the AFL for scores launched from stoppages (14).
11:34
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Josh Schache)
15:17
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Josh Walker)
16:37
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)
17:07
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Orazio Fantasia)
20:59
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Will Hams)
22:27
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Aaron Francis)
22:53
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Adam Cooney)
23:09
Essendon will be happy with the performance of Aaron Francis in his debut match, who has pulled in a game-high four contested marks, to go along with 14 disposals, seven intercept possessions and three score launches.
26:22
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Orazio Fantasia)
28:02
The Lions have averaged 8 individual goalkickers per game since Round 14, ranked eighth in this time. They have 13 individual goalkickers today, including five multiple goalkickers.
28:12
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Matthew Leuenberger)
30:00
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Orazio Fantasia)
30:36
In his last game at Etihad, Tom Rockliff amassed a season-high of 48 disposals. He hasn't quite got there in this match (38), but he has set a new career-best for marks in a match, beating his previous best of 11 set against the Suns in Round 3, 2014.
31:09
The siren has sounded to end Q4.
31:19
The story of this match is the inefficiency of Essendon to convert inside 50's to goals. They had 12 more inside 50's and three more scoring shots, but 12.19 (91) including 6.10 (46) from set shots compared to 10.2 (62) for Brisbane was the difference.