Match

Essendon vs North Melbourne

Commentary / 22 Jul 2017

Pre Game

59:30
Welcome to Etihad Stadium for the Essendon v North Melbourne Round 18 clash.
59:33
Outs for Bombers: C.Bird, J.Green
59:34
Ins for Bombers: J.Watson, J.Laverde
59:35
Outs for Kangaroos: R.Tarrant, M.Hibberd, L.Thomas, C.Wagner, T.Goldstein, J.Ziebell
59:36
Ins for Kangaroos: J.Williams, S.Durdin, N.Larkey, T.Dumont, R.Clarke, J.Waite
59:40
Don't forget to enter your tips for this match, you have until the bounce to make your selection.
00:00
Robbie Tarrant is a late out for the Kangaroos, with Josh Williams included to become the tenth player to debut for the Kangaroos in 2017. The speedy Williams has averaged 15 disposals, three inside 50s and four score involvements in the VFL.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
00:46
The Kangaroos who won the opening centre bounce clearance, have generated a score from 32 percent of their centre bounce clearances this season (ranked No.1).
03:03
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Shaun Higgins)
03:31
Shaun Higgins opens the scoring with a behind. The Kangaroos have retained possession from 61 percent of kicks into the forward 50 by Higgins this season, which is the highest percentage of the top-25 kicks inside 50 in the competition.
03:54
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Josh Williams)
04:06
North Melbourne gets the opening goal of the game through the debutant Josh Williams following a turnover by the Bombers in the defensive 50. The Kangaroos average 29 points from forward half intercepts (ranked 14th).
05:00
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Orazio Fantasia)
06:31
The first goal for Essendon came from a centre bounce clearance. The Bombers average 12 points from this source (ranked fifth).
09:13
A sloppy start from the Bombers who have already recorded five clanger kicks. Essendon average 23 such kicks per game (the fifth most).
10:18
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Taylor Garner)
10:41
An excellent goal from Taylor Garner in the forward pocket gives the Kangaroos their second of the game. This goal came from a defensive half chain from which North Melbourne averages 34 points (ranked 8th).
12:25
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Ben Brown)
13:14
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Sam Gibson)
14:12
North Melbourne leads the contested possessions (16-9), tackles (6-3) and effective disposals (34-20) in an impressive start.
15:21
A third goal for the Kangaroos, this time from the enigmatic Jarrad Waite with a banana kick. This season Waite is averaging equal career-highs for score involvements (eight) and pressure acts (14).
16:42
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Joe Daniher)
17:57
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)
18:21
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)
18:41
A bad defensive 50 turnover by the Kangaroos gifts the Bombers their third goal. Essendon has averaged ten points from forward 50 turnovers this season (ranked 8th).
21:51
North Melbourne has had nine of the last 11 inside 50 entries, and is doing well to keep the ball in its half of the ground.
23:00
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Jayden Laverde)
23:37
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Cale Hooker)
24:07
Some good forward half pressure by the Bombers set up their fourth goal. Over the past four weeks, Essendon has scored from 45 percent of its forward half intercepts (ranked No.1 in this period).
26:52
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Jarrad Waite)
27:07
A strong forward 50 mark and accurate set shot from Jarrad Waite gives the lead back to North Melbourne. Waite has kicked nine goals straight now in his last two and a quarter games.
30:22
North Melbourne lead 35-11 in marks, with the Bombers not able to retain possession when they have the ball or disrupt the Kangaroos ball movement.
31:25
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Jarrad Waite)
31:29
The siren has sounded to end Q1.
31:39
Taylor Garner had a game-high nine disposals at 100 percent efficiency and with an equal game-high four score involvements in the opening quarter for the Kangaroos.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
01:53
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (James Stewart)
01:59
The Bombers get the first goal of the second quarter, and their third of the game from a forward 50 turnover. James Stewart recorded an equal career-high of 21 disposals last round, including three goal assists.
03:30
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Orazio Fantasia)
04:14
Essendon lead the centre clearances (8-3), and has scored 3.1.(19) to nil from this source.
05:53
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Ben Brown)
06:30
North Melbourne lead forward 50 marks (6-4) and has scored 4.2.(26) from its set shots at goal with Ben Brown and Jarrad Waite very dangerous.
07:43
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Ben Brown)
08:05
Another mark and goal to Ben Brown following a defensive half intercept by the Kangaroos. North Melbourne lead in scores from defensive half chains 3.1.(19) to 0.1.(1).
09:45
The goal to McDonald-Tipungwuti was the first for the Bombers not to come from a centre bounce clearance or forward 50 intercept.
12:23
Kangaroos Interchange - Luke McDonald off due to an injury.
12:59
North Melbourne lead in intercept marks (8-4) and tackles (20-18), and is doing well to disrupt the ball movement of the Bombers.
13:57
Sam Durdin has now taken as many intercept marks as Essendon (four).
15:28
Essendon average 106 marks per game, but has been restricted to only 17 marks half way through the second quarter (North Melbourne has taken 45).
16:38
Kangaroos Interchange - Nathan Hrovat off due to the blood rule.
17:36
North Melbourne has had the last nine inside 50 entries (and 12 of the last 13), with Essendon unable to clear the ball.
19:16
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Aaron Mullett)
19:25
Three of the last four goals now to North Melbourne who is able to launch attacks from Essendon turnovers. The Bombers now lead clanger kicks (13-6) and have kicking efficiency of just 55 percent.
19:30
Bombers Interchange - Martin Gleeson off due to an injury.
20:48
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Brendon Goddard)
22:47
North Melbourne lead in forward 50 tackles (11-2), with this pressure contributing to the poor disposal efficiency of the Bombers.
24:39
North Melbourne average ten contested marks per game, and currently lead this count 12-5.
27:17
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Dyson Heppell)
27:35
A clever intercept mark by Brendon Goddard launched the last goal for the Bombers. North Melbourne now lead 68-21 in marks taken and has completely dismantled the ball movement of Essendon.
29:23
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Sam Gibson)
29:50
An excellent set shot from Sam Gibson following another forward 50 mark gives the lead back to the Kangaroos. North Melbourne average 12 forward 50 marks per game, and has been able to take nine such marks in the first half.
30:50
The siren has sounded to end Q2.
31:00
Essendon has generated an inside 50 from 25 percent of its defensive 50 rebounds in 2017 (ranked fourth). Today the Bombers have one inside 50 entry from 28 defensive 50 chains. North has six inside 50s and scored 2.1.(13) from its 19 such chains.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
00:48
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Tom Bellchambers)
01:21
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Orazio Fantasia)
02:31
A couple of early misses to start the third quarter from both teams, with the clearances (26-17 in favor of Essendon) threatening to become a problem for North Melbourne.
03:49
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)
04:20
Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti has been dangerous for Essendon today with three goals, one score assist and is the team leader for pressure acts.
05:16
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Ben Brown)
05:59
North Melbourne finally get a score from a centre bounce clearance and another forward 50 mark from Ben Brown. Waite and Brown now have a combined nine forward 50 marks and five goals (Essendon has taken five forward 50 marks).
09:26
Taylor Garner has game-highs for contested marks (four), disposals (18) and tackles (five) in a standout game for the Kangaroos.
12:30
North Melbourne lead in forward 50 marks (14-5), contested marks (17-5), intercept marks (18-6) and total marks (90-25).
13:19
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Orazio Fantasia)
13:36
Kangaroos Interchange - Nick Larkey off due to an injury.
14:04
Both of the Essendon goals this quarter have come from chains starting in the defensive 50 with a slingshot counter attack.
15:19
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (James Stewart)
15:31
Essendon has had some success at forcing turnovers in its forward 50. The Bombers have scored 4.1.(25) from six forward 50 intercepts, and average ten points per game from this source.
17:10
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (David Zaharakis)
19:04
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Dyson Heppell)
19:11
Essendon has lifted its game through defensive work in the third quarter, leading the tackle count 10-1.
19:23
Kangaroos Interchange - Andrew Swallow off due to an injury.
20:36
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Trent Dumont)
22:12
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Jarrad Waite)
22:46
Back-to-back goals from North Melbourne, with the last following an intercept in the attacking midfield. The Kangaroos have scored 2.2.(14) from 21 such intercepts, while Essendon has scored 2.1.(13) from its nine attacking midfield intercepts.
23:58
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Ben Brown)
24:21
Ben Brown has a game-high nine score involvements (including four goals), and has been the target of 17 forward 50 entries by the Kangaroos.
27:31
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Orazio Fantasia)
27:56
Three goals this quarter from defensive 50 chains for the Bombers, with their ball movement better and kicking efficiency at 67 percent in the third quarter.
28:52
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Cale Hooker)
30:23
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Cale Hooker)
32:50
The siren has sounded to end Q3.
33:00
A very open third quarter with Essendon able to generate ten shots at goal and 5.5.(35) from just the 14 inside 50 entries.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
00:54
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Joe Daniher)
01:58
A pair of strong contested marks from Hartley and Hooker gives the Bombers the first goal of the final quarter. North Melbourne lead contested marks 17-10.
04:10
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Cale Hooker)
04:22
Essendon lead contested possessions (6-1), inside 50s (4-0) and marks (6-1) early in the final quarter.
06:20
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Ben Brown)
06:32
Ben Brown converting his set shot after a terrific contested mark, now has five goals and is one behind Lance Franklin in the Coleman medal race.
09:02
The Bombers have won the last six clearances, and generated six of the last seven inside 50s on the back of this stoppage control.
09:24
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Cale Hooker)
11:18
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (James Stewart)
13:01
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (David Zaharakis)
13:16
All seven clearances this quarter have been won by the Bombers, and the contested possession count is 19-8 in their favor as well.
14:11
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Jarrad Waite)
14:17
Jarrad Waite and Ben Brown continue to torment Essendon in the forward 50. They have taken ten forward 50 marks and had 13 shots at goal.
16:35
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Cale Hooker)
17:40
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Darcy Parish)
18:27
The centre bounce clearances are now 19-11 in favor of the Bombers, and they have scored 4.2.(26) to 2.0.(12) from this source.
19:44
Cale Hooker has taken advantage of an inexperienced defence for the Kangaroos to kick an equal career-high five goals, and also has a game-high 11 score involvements.
21:41
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Ben Brown)
24:12
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Ben Brown)
24:27
Another goal to Ben Brown who has been outstanding today for the Kangaroos. Brown has 12 score involvements, seven forward 50 marks and six goals in a super performance.
25:54
A forward 50 stoppage goal to Zaharakis that caps a 14-0 domination in clearances during the final quarter.
27:40
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (James Stewart)
29:20
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Joe Daniher)
29:33
A late goal for Joe Daniher who has been quiet today with just the three marks and two goals. The clearance (49-26) and contested possession counts (162-133) have blown out in favor of Essendon.
30:41
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Shaun Atley)
31:40
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Andrew Swallow)
32:43
The siren has sounded to end Q4.
32:53
The young North Melbourne team did well to deny Essendon ball control for three quarters. The Kangaroos finished with more marks (125-65) and intercept marks (23-15), but the clearance domination and experience of Essendon eventually won out.