Match

Adelaide Crows vs Essendon

Commentary / 15 Apr 2017

Pre Game

59:30

Welcome to Adelaide Oval for the Adelaide Crows v Essendon Round 4 clash.

59:33

Outs for Crows: M.McGovern

59:34

Ins for Crows: T.Menzel

59:35

Outs for Bombers: H.Hocking, M.Gleeson

59:36

Ins for Bombers: C.McKenna, J.Green

59:40

Don't forget to enter your tips for this match, you have until the bounce to make your selection.

00:00

With a total of 33 from three games, Essendon is best in the competition this season for generating inside 50s from defensive 50 chains.

Quarter 1

00:00

Q1 is now underway.

00:48

SCORE GOAL - Crows (Andy Otten)

01:00

The first goal of the night to Andy Otten came courtesy of an Essendon turnover. Adelaide scored 88 points from opposition turnovers in the first three games this season, ranked equal-first in the competition.

03:23

SCORE GOAL - Crows (Taylor Walker)

04:49

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Joe Daniher)

06:05

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Joe Daniher)

09:18

SCORE GOAL - Crows (Taylor Walker)

09:19

Adelaide captain Taylor Walker has now scored multiple goals in his opening three games this season. Two in Round 2, four in Round 3, and another two already tonight.

12:14

SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Eddie Betts)

13:11

Dyson Heppell's kick inside the Bombers arc broke an Adelaide streak of five consecutive inside 50s.

13:47

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Kyle Langford)

15:26

SCORE GOAL - Crows (Rory Atkins)

16:53

SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Troy Menzel)

19:31

SCORE GOAL - Crows (Taylor Walker)

21:34

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Joe Daniher)

22:39

SCORE GOAL - Crows (Eddie Betts)

23:50

Leading the game with seven disposals so far, Crow Matt Crouch has gotten rid of the ball with 71 per cent efficiency. This is similar to his career efficiency rate of 72.3 per cent over his first 50 games.

24:22

SCORE GOAL - Crows (Andy Otten)

24:23

Andy Otten has yet to miss a shot on goal this year, with five straight to open 2017, including two in the first term tonight.

25:59

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Orazio Fantasia)

27:51

SCORE GOAL - Crows (Taylor Walker)

31:42

SCORE GOAL - Crows (Eddie Betts)

32:46

The siren has sounded to end Q1.

Quarter 2

00:00

Q2 is now underway.

00:01

The Crows 17 first-quarter tackles dwarf the Bombers tally of five. This is in spite of the Adelaide disposal count of 93 being just shy of Essendon's 99.

00:22

SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Charles Cameron)

01:31

SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Troy Menzel)

02:30

SCORE GOAL - Crows (Taylor Walker)

03:47

The Crows 14 scores from 18 inside 50s represents an excellent score conversion rate of 77.8 per cent

03:56

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Kyle Langford)

06:11

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (David Zaharakis)

10:28

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Joe Daniher)

11:13

Three quarters (12 of 16) of the goals kicked so far tonight have been from a distance beyond 30 metres.

13:51

SCORE GOAL - Crows (Eddie Betts)

15:09

The Bombers are yet to register a contested mark, while their Adelaide opponents have taken ten, including two each to Walker, Lever and Lynch.

17:45

SCORE GOAL - Crows (Eddie Betts)

19:31

SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Andy Otten)

20:40

SCORE GOAL - Crows (Rory Atkins)

22:40

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)

23:07

Crows forward Eddie Betts averaged a career-high 3.1 goals per game in 2016. With tallies of four, three and three before his first-half four tonight, he is on track for an even greater return in 2017.

25:59

SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Tom Lynch)

27:30

SCORE GOAL - Crows (Charles Cameron)

29:14

SCORE GOAL - Crows (Eddie Betts)

31:20

The siren has sounded to end Q2.

Quarter 3

00:00

Q3 is now underway.

00:33

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Travis Colyer)

00:34

After two goal assists in the first half, Travis Colyer of the Bombers now has a major of his own.

03:17

SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Richard Douglas)

03:37

SCORE GOAL - Crows (Rory Sloane)

05:04

Before tonight, Rory Sloane had won 13 centre bounce clearances this season, seven more than any other player at the Adelaide Crows. He is maintaining his form in this area tonight, leading his team with four of their 12.

06:40

SCORE GOAL - Crows (Tom Lynch)

09:12

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Travis Colyer)

12:37

The Bombers recorded 34 more hitouts than the Crows last season in Round 19 to achieve their best differential of 2016. Led by Matthew Leuenberger they are again on top in the hitouts tonight 27-20.

13:24

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Josh Green)

14:15

Even though the Bombers have the most hitouts, the Crows hold a slight edge in hitouts to the direct advantage of a teammate, 8-7.

14:56

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Orazio Fantasia)

16:34

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)

16:57

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)

19:27

Troy Menzel recorded three tackles in his first game for Adelaide in Round 1 this season. With five already tonight, he has the equal-high in this game, and has matched the career-best he achieved twice in 40 games for Carlton.

19:36

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)

20:54

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Josh Green)

23:48

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)

24:41

Essendon has just three behinds to show for achieving the last eight inside 50s.

27:00

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)

29:57

The siren has sounded to end Q3.

Quarter 4

00:00

Q4 is now underway.

00:01

The most spoils over the first three quarters came from Adelaide's Daniel Talia with eight, including three gaining possession for his team. His spoils total is almost matched by the Bombers Patrick Ambrose who has seven.

01:14

SCORE GOAL - Crows (Troy Menzel)

02:38

Brodie Smith of the Crows has gained the most metres on the ground with 425.

04:50

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Travis Colyer)

05:29

The Bombers number one draft pick Andrew McGrath has started the fourth term in prolific fashion with five disposals in less than six minutes.

06:46

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Travis Colyer)

08:17

SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Eddie Betts)

10:28

SCORE GOAL - Crows (Rory Sloane)

11:54

SCORE GOAL - Crows (Eddie Betts)

13:45

While both sides are disposing of the ball with 76 per cent efficiency over the entire ground, the Crows are far more efficient in their forward 50 compared to the Bombers, 64 per cent versus just 51.

13:47

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)

18:55

SCORE GOAL - Crows (Rory Laird)

19:25

Crows Interchange - Charles Cameron and is possibly out for the game.

21:10

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)

21:11

After just four goals in the first 20 games of his career, Bomber Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti has now kicked ten in his last five games, including four tonight.

24:11

SCORE GOAL - Crows (Richard Douglas)

26:14

SCORE GOAL - Crows (Tom Lynch)

28:49

SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Rushed)

29:27

Leading disposal winner on the ground is Bomber Zach Merrett with 34. In his third season in 2016, Merrett averaged 29.9 disposals per game. He has taken his output to a higher level this year, averaging 32.7 disposals per game in the first three weeks.

31:23

SCORE GOAL - Crows (Brodie Smith)

33:18

The siren has sounded to end Q4.