Match

Essendon vs Gold Coast Suns

Commentary / 14 Aug 2016

Pre Game

59:30
Welcome to Etihad Stadium for the Essendon v Gold Coast Suns Round 21 clash.
59:33
Outs for Bombers: A.Francis, C.Dempsey, B.Goddard, D.Parish
59:34
Ins for Bombers: J.Simpkin, M.Stokes, J.Long, O.Fantasia
59:35
Outs for Suns: A.Sexton, T.Nicholls, S.Lemmens
59:36
Ins for Suns: A.Hall, K.Brooksby, A.Saad
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
Since Round 17, Essendon have averaged 10.5 more tackles per game than their opponents, which is the second-best differential in the AFL in that time.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
02:28
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Orazio Fantasia)
04:56
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Jayden Laverde)
05:32
David Zaharakis has seven disposals, three groundball-gets and 68 metres gained, all game-highs, inside the first six minutes of play.
10:14
Gold Coast are leading the marks count by 22-8 so far this quarter. In the 2016 season, the Suns average 6.7 less marks per game than their opponent, the 12th-ranked differential in the AFL in this category.
12:05
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Jackson Merrett)
13:19
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Peter Wright)
13:43
That goal to Peter Wright comes from the Suns first shot at goal in the match. The Suns average 46.3 points per game from set shots in 2016, ranked fifth in the AFL from this category.
16:29
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Orazio Fantasia)
16:38
That goal to Orazio Fantasia is his 26th of the year. He ranks second at Essendon for goals, goal assists (nine) and Total Scoreboard Impact (232 points) this season.
18:38
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Adam Cooney)
19:42
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Sam Grimley)
20:26
Three quick goals to Essendon off the back of 27 disposals to 11 at 85 per cent efficiency compared to the Suns 55 per cent efficiency, and 14 handball-receives to two.
22:25
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Rushed)
24:26
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Jarrad Grant)
25:29
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Sam Day)
25:39
The Suns answer back with two goals of their own. The Suns have recorded seven of the last eight clearances, and from the 23rd minute until the end of the quarter, spent 72 per cent of that time in their forward half.
26:32
The siren has sounded to end Q1.
26:42
Essendon recorded just three clearances in the first quarter. That's just one more clearance than their lowest ever count in this category in first quarters since 1999, recorded against St Kilda in Round 8 and Geelong in Round 16, both in the 2002 season

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:59
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Tom J. Lynch)
02:03
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Touk Miller)
06:07
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Conor McKenna)
07:35
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Ryan Davis)
08:25
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Callum Ah Chee)
08:43
Despite recording eight inside 50 entries to three early in this quarter, the Suns are having trouble converting these entries to goals. In 2016, Gold Coast average a goal from 25.9 per cent of inside 50's, ranked 5th in the AFL in this category.
08:54
Bombers Interchange - Michael Hartley off due to the blood rule.
11:14
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Orazio Fantasia)
13:07
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Joe Daniher)
13:34
All three goals scored by Essendon this quarter, including Joe Daniher's first of the match, have been launched from their defensive 50. Essendon average 10.7 points per game from score launches in this zone, ranked last in the AFL in 2016.
18:01
Adam Cooney has been instrumental in helping the Bombers gain the lead in this quarter, leading all players on the ground for disposals (eight), groundball-gets (three) and score launches (two) as well as a team-high five pressure acts this quarter.
20:23
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Rushed)
22:05
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Brandon Matera)
22:50
A goal to Brandon Matera off the back of four straight inside 50 entries, but just their second goal from 16 entries this quarter.
25:18
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Sam Grimley)
26:12
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)
27:08
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Jayden Laverde)
28:30
The siren has sounded to end Q2.
28:40
Touk Miller is stepping up to the challenge of leading this Suns midfield group. He had never recorded 20 disposals in one half of an AFL Home and Away season match until today, beating his previous best of 17 set against Brisbane in Round 16 this year.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
01:24
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Tom J. Lynch)
01:35
That's the start the Suns were after. Tom Lynch kicking his first goal for the day launched by a Jack Martin intercept.
04:06
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Sam Day)
07:46
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Peter Wright)
08:52
Touk Miller has recordied eight disposals inside the first 10 minutes, five more than anyone else, as well as five handball-receives, three inside 50's, two score involvements and 143 metres gained, leading all players in each category this quarter.
10:24
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Peter Wright)
13:11
Gold Coast have locked their ball in their forward half for 80 per cent of this quarter so far. Such has been their dominance, Essendon have recorded one disposal in their forward half this quarter.
15:02
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Sam Day)
16:56
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Joe Daniher)
16:59
That behind to Joe Daniher comes from just the Bombers second inside 50 entry this quarter, after the Suns recorded 14 straight to begin the quarter. Essendon average 10.8 inside 50 entries per game less than their opponent this season, ranked 16th.
17:42
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Matt Rosa)
21:43
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Conor McKenna)
22:10
Conor McKenna kicks his second goal for the game to get Essendon their first this quarter. They have scored 4.3 (27) from this source in today's game, slightly below their league-worst season average of 29.3 points per game from this source.
26:51
The siren has sounded to end Q3.
27:01
Steven May continues to develop into one of the premier key defenders in the competition, with game-high numbers in Intercept Possessions (11), Intercept Marks (five) and Score Launches (three), to go with a team-high eight marks and 16 disposals.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
02:08
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Mitch Brown)
02:37
James Kelly collects his eighth intercept possession of the match, a team-high) to launch that goal to Mitch Brown. Kelly is ranked first at the Bombers for Intercept Possessions per game (six).
06:09
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Jackson Merrett)
06:28
Another goal launched from an Intercept Possession and the Bombers are back in front. Essendon have lost the differential for Scores from Intercept Possessions by an average of 25.8 points per game, ranked 17th in the AFL this season.
08:27
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Orazio Fantasia)
09:01
Matthew Dea collects his eighth Intercept Possession to launch Orazio Fantasia's third goal today and draw level with James Kelly for Intercept Possessions this match. He averages 5.8 Intercept Possessions a game, second at the Bombers behind Kelly.
12:25
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Jake Long)
13:00
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Rushed)
14:44
Gold Coast's kicking efficiency is letting them down this quarter, going at just 45 per cent efficiency by foot.
16:53
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Craig Bird)
17:04
Craig Bird has stood up this quarter for Essendon, performing seven pressure acts, three more than any other player this quarter, as well as leading all players this quarter with three clearances, and being justly rewarded with that goal for his efforts.
19:09
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Rushed)
20:29
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Tom J. Lynch)
22:57
The Suns inefficient scoring looks set to cost them this match today. They have been inside 50 two more times than their opposition this quarter for just 0.3 (3) compared to 4.1 (25).
23:05
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Tom J. Lynch)
25:50
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Adam Cooney)
26:39
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Peter Wright)
27:04
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Rushed)
27:08
Matthew Stokes has been vital for the Bombers in the last quarter of this match, racking up 14 disposals, five more than the next best player on the ground, as well as quarter-high number in Intercept Possessions (four) and Score Launches (two).
27:23
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Rushed)
28:38
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Tom J. Lynch)
29:02
A goal to Tom Lynch from an Aaron Hall Possession Gain with 15 seconds left.
29:49
The siren has sounded to end Q4.
29:59
The Bombers have won their second match of the year off the back of 11 goals from 44 inside 50's, compared to nine goals from 69 inside 50's to the Suns.