Pre Game
59:30
Welcome to MCG for the Carlton v Essendon Round 3 clash.
59:33
Outs for Blues: C.Curnow, D.Armfield, B.Smedts
59:34
Ins for Blues: S.Kerridge, R.Palmer, T.Williamson
59:35
Outs for Bombers: M.Hartley, S.McKernan, B.Howlett
59:36
Ins for Bombers: M.Brown, M.Leuenberger, H.Hocking
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
It will be interesting to watch how both teams implement their gameplan in today's very wet conditions. Carlton (1.63) and Essendon (1.53) rank 1st and 2nd in the AFL respectively with the two highest kick-to-handball ratio's in the 2017 season.
Quarter 1
00:00
Q1 is now underway.
02:24
Clearly the weather is playing a part in the player's decision making, with three kicks off the ground inside the first few minutes, the last of which scores the first point for the match off the boot of Orazio Fantasia.
04:09
SCORE
GOAL - Blues (Patrick Cripps)
05:25
Patrick Cripps scores the first goal for the match, launched by a Kade Simpson Intercept Possession. Carlton are coping well with the wet football, kicking at 85 per cent efficiency so far.
09:26
SCORE
BEHIND - Blues (Jarrod Pickett)
10:00
SCORE
BEHIND - Blues (Ed Curnow)
11:00
Carlton have seized the momentum to begin this match, recording seven marks to zero in their forward half, and spending 60 per cent of the match in their forward half.
11:35
SCORE
GOAL - Bombers (Darcy Parish)
12:05
After Jarrod Pickett misses to the near side from a behind at one end, Darcy Parish kicks truly to convert and kick Essendon's first goal for the match. Both teams have kicked 14.8 (92) from marks in the first two rounds this season.
14:06
SCORE
GOAL - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)
14:42
Blues Interchange - Rhys Palmer off due to the blood rule.
18:06
SCORE
BEHIND - Blues (Jack Silvagni)
18:47
Carlton have kicked just three behinds from their last eight forward 50 entries.
19:33
SCORE
BEHIND - Blues (Rushed)
22:30
SCORE
BEHIND - Blues (Jacob Weitering)
24:01
SCORE
GOAL - Bombers (Joe Daniher)
26:16
Joe Daniher kicks his first goal for the afternoon. His goal scoring accuracy has improved drastically early on this season compared to his 2016 accuracy, rising from 57.3 per cent to 66.7 per cent for 2017.
30:00
The siren has sounded to end Q1.
30:10
Sam Rowe has had a strong first quarter for the Blues, winning both of his one-on-one contests against his opponent, as well as recording a 100 per cent kicking efficiency from four kicks.
Quarter 2
00:00
Q2 is now underway.
02:58
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)
03:30
Despite being under the pump early in this second quarter, Carlton are holding up to the pressure, with 10 tackles recorded in their defensive 50 already, lead by Marchbank with four, stifling Essendon's scoring opportunities.
04:31
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Joe Daniher)
06:51
SCORE
GOAL - Blues (Matthew Kreuzer)
07:50
Matthew Kreuzer kicks the first goal of the second quarter. Both of Carlton's goals have been scored from Intercept Possession launches, an area they have struggled converting from in 2017, averaging 20.5 less points per game from this source.
10:58
SCORE
BEHIND - Blues (Tom Williamson)
11:38
Blues Interchange - Jacob Weitering off due to the blood rule.
14:24
Essendon will be glad Michael Hurley is good to remain on the ground. He leads all players with 318 metres gained, along with a 75 per cent kicking efficiency rate from eight kicks.
14:29
SCORE
BEHIND - Blues (Rushed)
15:24
SCORE
GOAL - Blues (Marc Murphy)
16:16
After weathering the early pressure, Carlton have kicked both goals this quarter by recording nine of the last 11 forward 50 entries.
16:52
SCORE
GOAL - Bombers (Brendon Goddard)
18:04
SCORE
BEHIND - Blues (Bryce Gibbs)
20:34
Essendon are yet to record an effective kick inside their forward 50 this quarter.
25:21
Essendon and Carlton have had vastly different gameplan's in the first half. Essendon lead the contested possession count 77-58, but Carlton lead the uncontested possession count 101-77.
31:26
SCORE
BEHIND - Blues (Jarrod Pickett)
31:48
The siren has sounded to end Q2.
31:58
Essendon's defenders did not win one of their 12 one-on-one defensive contests in the first half.
Quarter 3
00:00
Q3 is now underway.
01:58
SCORE
BEHIND - Blues (Bryce Gibbs)
02:15
Bryce Gibbs doubles Carlton's advantage with the first point of the third quarter. Despite the inclement weather, Carlton would be disappointed with their scoring efficiency, kicking just three goals from 12 scoring shots.
05:29
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Dyson Heppell)
05:37
Despite winning all three ruck contests this quarter through Matthew Leuenberger, that behind to Dyson Heppell was launched through James Kelly's clearance, Essendon's first clearance for the quarter.
07:10
SCORE
GOAL - Blues (Sam Petrevski-Seton)
07:51
With that goal to Petrevski-Seton, Carlton have scored 10 more points than their opponents from forward half intercepts in this match. They average 26.5 less points per game than their opponents from intercepts in this zone in 2017.
08:37
SCORE
GOAL - Bombers (Cale Hooker)
14:58
Despite their success in the first two rounds in scoring from chains launched in defensive 50, Essendon are yet to score a point from any such chain. Only 10 per cent of their defensive 50 chains have made it inside forward 50.
15:47
SCORE
GOAL - Blues (Marc Murphy)
17:35
SCORE
GOAL - Bombers (Kyle Langford)
19:14
SCORE
BEHIND - Blues (Jack Silvagni)
23:10
SCORE
BEHIND - Blues (Rushed)
23:35
After a run of four straight free kicks to Essendon, during which time the Bombers kicked 1.0 (6), Carlton have received four straight free kicks for, but have only managed 0.2 (2) in this time.
26:30
SCORE
BEHIND - Blues (Rushed)
27:08
The game has really tightened up in the this quarter. The uncontested possession count is tied up 31-31, there have been eight more tackles laid and two more contested possessions won in this quarter between both teams.
29:30
The siren has sounded to end Q3.
29:40
Both teams were kicking at less than 60 per cent efficiency in the third term around the ground, and at less than 50 per cent in their respective forward halves. Especially in this weather, both teams will be looking to improve on this in the last term.
Quarter 4
00:00
Q4 is now underway.
03:24
Blues Interchange - Sam Docherty off due to the blood rule.
05:10
Carlton have recorded six contested possessions to none in general play early in the last quarter to lead the overall count in this category 59-31. Carlton have averaged 11 less possessions per game in this category through the first two rounds in 2017.
06:43
Bombers Interchange - Mark Baguley off due to the blood rule.
07:17
SCORE
GOAL - Blues (Ed Curnow)
08:29
Carlton get the first goal of the last term through Ed Curnow to get the Blues out to their largest lead of the match. Essendon are yet to record a kick in their forward half this term.
14:03
Sam Rowe has been the standout defender on the ground in this match. He has won four of his six one-on-one defensive contests, plus recording a game-high seven spoils and three intercept marks.
17:59
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Orazio Fantasia)
19:16
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)
19:24
The Bombers are finishing strongly in this match. After conceding 11 of the first 12 inside 50's this term, the Bombers have recorded the last three forward 50 entries, but have only managed 0.2 (2) from these entries.
23:25
SCORE
BEHIND - Blues (Ed Curnow)
23:48
Zach Merrett has gained a game high 583 metres this match from 21 kicks at 52 per cent efficiency.
25:53
Marc Murphy has recorded his third straight 30-disposal game, a feat he hasn't accomplished since the opening three rounds of the 2012 AFL Season.
29:04
Carlton have dominated their opponents by harassing the Bombers in the Blues forward half. They have recorded 40 possession gains to their opponents 18 gains in this zone, and have outscored their opponents by 23 points from this zone.
30:05
The siren has sounded to end Q4.
30:15
Essendon came hard in the end and lifted their ball movement in the last term, and the Bombers were outstanding around the stoppages, but their kicking efficiency of 50 per cent for the match let them down when it counted.