Match

Collingwood vs Essendon

Commentary / 25 Apr 2018

Pre Game

59:30

Welcome to MCG for the Collingwood v Essendon Round 5 clash.

59:34

No changes for Magpies.

59:35

Outs for Bombers: O.Fantasia

59:36

Ins for Bombers: J.Merrett

59:40

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

00:00

The Bombers have scored from 28 per-cent of their clearances this season, the third-highest percentage recorded by any side.

Quarter 1

00:00

Q1 is now underway.

00:18

SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Rushed)

02:56

SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Ben Reid)

06:00

Collingwood's forward pressure has been far better than Essendon's to start the match, applying five tackles to zero inside the forward 50.

10:17

Zach Merrett has had a strong start to the first quarter with nine disposals, three handball receives, four contested possessions and 116 metres gained.

12:23

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Matt Guelfi)

13:13

SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Will Hoskin-Elliott)

13:28

Collingwood has had a solid start with six out of the first nine inside 50's in the match but has failed to capitalise on their early dominance scoring only 1.3 (9).

14:32

SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Ben Reid)

15:10

Bombers Interchange - Josh Begley and is possibly out for the game.

15:43

Tom Bellchambers has won the hitouts 4-1 when he has been opposed to Brodie Grundy in the ruck with two of those to advantage. Essendon are winning the clearances 5 - 2.

15:54

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Jake Stringer)

19:04

SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Jordan De Goey)

20:40

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Zach Merrett)

21:42

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Jake Stringer)

23:18

The lead has changed on six occasions in the match so far with the current lead of five to Essendon the biggest of the match.

25:05

SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Tom Phillips)

26:41

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (James Stewart)

27:26

SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Steele Sidebottom)

30:00

SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Steele Sidebottom)

31:04

Andrew McGrath has had a slow start to the match with only one disposal for the quarter, an equal career-low. He has accumulated this many only on one previous occasion in Round 18 last year against North Melbourne.

Quarter 2

00:00

Q2 is now underway.

02:50

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (David Zaharakis)

03:17

Essendon has dominated the clearances 14 - 6. David Myers three, Zach Merrett and Dyson Heppell two each are the most prominent on the ground.

05:42

SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (James Aish)

06:34

SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Travis Varcoe)

08:04

Bombers Interchange - Josh Green and is possibly out for the game.

08:07

Magpies Interchange - Brayden Maynard off due to an injury.

11:48

SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Will Hoskin-Elliott)

13:29

Both sides have combined for 14 inside 50's for the quarter but have failed to capitalise with Collingwood scoring three behinds and Essendon one behind for the quarter.

14:40

Collingwood's disposal efficiency of 77 per-cent is higher than their season-average of 72, they are ranked 9th across the season.

16:20

SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Jaidyn Stephenson)

18:04

Collingwood lead the contested possession count by 12 for the quarter. Matt Scharenberg, Scott Pendlebury and Brodie Gundy have been influential with three each.

20:32

Collingwood has been inaccurate in front of goal this afternoon scoring 5.8, it ranks 2nd in the competition for scoring accuracy this season with 61.7 per-cent.

21:45

SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Adam Treloar)

25:24

SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Rushed)

25:48

Collingwood has opened up a game-high lead of 22 points. It has generated seven of the past ten inside 50s of the match.

26:20

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Dyson Heppell)

27:40

Dyson Heppell has gained 386 metres for the match, with James Aish 367 and Brendon Goddard 319 the next best on the ground.

Quarter 3

00:00

Q3 is now underway.

00:46

Collingwood's forward pressure has been far better than Essendon's, applying 14 tackles to 7 inside in the forward half of the ground.

01:18

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Jake Stringer)

03:14

SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Jaidyn Stephenson)

04:54

SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Mason Cox)

05:39

Sam Murray, Matt Scharenberg, Michael Hurley and Mark Baguley are the only players on the field with 100 per-cent disposal efficiency across the match.

08:48

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)

09:46

SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Mason Cox)

10:02

Mason Cox kicks Collingwood's first goal from a set shot for the match. They are six goals straight from general play, inside 15 metres.

11:29

SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Jaidyn Stephenson)

14:23

The Pies have kicked six out of the past seven goals in the match. They have been in the lead since the 27th minute mark of the first quarter.

15:14

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (David Zaharakis)

16:22

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Joe Daniher)

19:28

Collingwood has focused on Ben Reid as their key target inside 50 this afternoon, targeting him a team-high nine times. He has failed to impact the scoreboard with only two behinds.

19:30

SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Adam Treloar)

21:30

SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Rushed)

24:21

SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Ben Crocker)

25:38

Out of Essendon's 104 marks today, 75 per-cent of those have been in the defensive half of the field. This can be linked back to Collingwood's forward half pressure, they have out tackled them 20 - 11 in this area of the ground.

Quarter 4

00:00

Q4 is now underway.

00:44

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Adam Saad)

03:19

Essendon's James Stewart and Joe Daniher have both played 100 per cent of the game this afternoon, the most out of everyone on the field.

04:00

SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Adam Treloar)

05:36

Adam Treloar has had a strong game today with 28 disposals at a disposal efficiency of 89 per-cent, ten contested possessions, six inside 50's, ten scoring involvements and two goals.

07:12

SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Mason Cox)

08:23

SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Mason Cox)

09:39

SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Jaidyn Stephenson)

09:40

Collingwood has been able to hit the scoreboard from stoppages today outscoring Essendon, 5.5 (35) - 1.5 (11) from this area.

12:33

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (James Stewart)

12:46

James Stewart's goal is Essendon's first since Dyson Heppell's in the 26th minute mark of the second quarter. In that time Collingwood has kicked five goals, their biggest lead of the match has been 49.

16:20

SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Will Hoskin-Elliott)

17:45

Brodie Grundy has won the hitouts 22-11 when he has been opposed to Tom Bellchambers in the ruck and 10 hitouts to advantage. He has been excellent around stoppages with four first possessions.

20:53

SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Tom Phillips)

24:24

SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Adam Treloar)

25:07

Collingwood has hurt Essendon from their mistakes today scoring 5.12 (42) from their turnovers today.

25:19

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Cale Hooker)

26:06

SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Steele Sidebottom)

28:11

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)

32:18

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Cale Hooker)

32:24

Both sides disposal efficiency of 79-78 per-cent for the entire match is higher than the competition's highest rank sides. This elite ball movement shows why both sides tackle count was down on their averages, only laying 48 each for the entire match.