Match

Gold Coast Suns vs Essendon

Commentary / 14 Jul 2018

Pre Game

00:00
Over the past four weeks, Essendon has scored a goal from 26 per cent of its forward 50 entries, the second-highest percentage of any side in the AFL.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
01:56
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)
04:51
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Conor McKenna)
05:02
The Bombers are doing all the attacking and lead the inside 50s seven to none. They haven't capitslised on their dominance registering three behinds.
06:07
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Devon Smith)
07:22
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Steven May)
08:16
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Andrew McGrath)
09:43
Gold Coast has recorded a kicking efficiency of just 17 per cent in the forward half of the ground compared to Essendon's 56 per cent. The Bombers have hit the target 17 per cent more often across all zones.
10:56
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Aaron Young)
14:41
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Shaun McKernan)
15:12
Shaun McKernan kicks the opening goal of the match. He has been excellent since coming into the side in Round 8, leading the Bombers for goals with 14 and ranking third for scoreboard impact.
17:35
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Josh Schoenfeld)
18:18
Both sides are struggling to hit the scoreboard from stoppage, with the Bombers recording one behind from a clearance chain compared to Gold Coast's zero points.
19:00
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Devon Smith)
20:15
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Aaron Young)
21:37
After conceding the first seven inside 50s of the match, Gold Coast has had all the ascendancy, recording 14 of the past 17 inside 50s.
21:47
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Wil Powell)
22:55
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Nick Holman)
24:03
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Touk Miller)
24:52
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (David Swallow)
25:00
Both sides are struggling with their goal conversion from general play, with the Suns scoring 0.4 (4) to the Bombers' 1.2 (8) via that source.
27:18
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Jarryd Lyons)
28:14
The Suns lead at quarter time for only the sixth time this season. They have generated 21 inside 50s for the term which is their most in any match this year, eclipsing their previous best tally of 19 in the Round 5 Q Clash against the Lions.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
03:35
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Alex Sexton)
04:01
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Aaron Young)
04:22
After conceding the opening two goals of the game, the Suns have hit back to kick the next three goals of the match, of which two have been kicked by Aaron Young. The Suns have had the last eight scoring shots of the match.
07:49
Gold Coast is taking it right up to Essendon. It has already had 29 disposals inside the forward 50 compared to Essendon's eight disposals. Alex Sexton leads all players with five disposals in that zone.
10:52
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Jake Long)
12:13
The Suns have been well beaten in the contest all season, ranking 18th in the competition for contested possession differentials (-12). They have broken even with the Bombers tonight, with Jack Martin leading the Suns with six.
15:55
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Jarryd Lyons)
17:22
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Peter Wright)
18:30
Essendon launched its second goal of the match from the defensive 50 as Mark Baguley gets the Bombers' fourth goal of the game. Gold Coast is yet to generate a score from its defensive 50 chains.
20:28
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Nick Holman)
26:32
After having 26 and 25 disposals respectively from his past two games, Lachie Weller's strong form continues with a team-high 13 disposals. Zach Merrett (15 disposals) leads the way for Essendon.
28:10
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Kyle Langford)
29:44
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Tom Bellchambers)
29:50
There are plenty of positives for Stuart Dew in the first half. The Suns have defended extremely well, conceding just 30 points for the match, their equal third-lowest half time tally for the year.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
01:09
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Darcy Parish)
02:39
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Darcy Parish)
03:53
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Rushed)
05:34
Shaun McKernan continues to dominate the air, grabbing his third contested mark for the game - a match-high tally. He ranks equal-second at the club for contested marks since Round 8.
06:03
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Dyson Heppell)
06:38
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Mitch Brown)
10:08
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Mark Baguley)
10:17
Essendon has opened up a game-high lead of 14 points after Mark Baguley kicks his second goal of the game. The Bombers are starting to get right on top, recording 16 disposals inside 50 for the third term to just two for the Suns.
12:42
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (David Myers)
12:57
Essendon are well on top in most of the key categories, leading the disposals by 30, contested possessions by 13 and effective kicks by 20 for the third term. Darcy Parish and Michael Hurley lead the way with an equal team-high six disposals apiece.
14:54
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Alex Sexton)
16:04
The third term has been a concern for the Bombers all season. They have already piled on 26 points for the quarter, their most in any third quarter for the year. Their previous best tally of 21 points came against Port Adelaide in Round 4.
18:36
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)
19:31
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Devon Smith)
20:17
In the last 10 minutes, Essendon lead time in forward half 67 per cent to just 33 per cent. It leads disposals 44-16 and contested possessions 16-8 during this period.
24:33
The Suns haven't taken a mark inside the forward 50 in the third term, while the Bombers have grabbed six themselves, with Kyle Langford and Mark Baguley recording two apiece.
26:49
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Jarryd Lyons)
28:14
It was one-way traffic in the third term, with Essendon leading the disposals 130-66, contested possessions 50-28, inside 50s 21-8 and scoring shots 8-2.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
04:13
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Tom Bellchambers)
04:46
On the back of a team-high 13 tackles last round, Devon Smith once again leads the way for the Bombers with seven tackles, of which six have been recorded in the forward half of the ground.
05:38
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)
07:01
The trend of the match remains the same in the final term, with Essendon dominating all facets of the game. It has recorded 12 disposals to none inside the forward 50 and already kicked 1.2 (8) to zero points.
07:25
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Matt Guelfi)
09:04
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Mark Baguley)
10:10
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Mitch Brown)
10:14
Bombers Interchange - Adam Saad and is possibly out for the game.
10:24
Since quarter time, Essendon lead the inside 50s 44-17 and clearances 26-17. It has also outscored Gold Coast by 29 points from turnovers.
11:30
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Mark Baguley)
12:55
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Kyle Langford)
14:01
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)
15:03
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Alex Sexton)
16:51
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Matt Guelfi)
19:21
In the final term, the Bombers lead time in forward half 81 per cent to the Suns' 19 per cent. They have generated 10 more inside 50s and had eight more scoring shots.
22:11
Dyson Heppell has led from the front tonight with a game and season-high 36 points. Its his highest disposal count since Round 8 in 2014.
24:36
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Alex Sexton)
25:49
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Nick Holman)
27:38
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Shaun McKernan)
29:02
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Mark Baguley)
30:21
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)
30:26
Essendon's ability to generate scores from the defensive half of the ground proved to be decisive in the end, generating 7.6 (48) to Gold Coast's 1.2 (8) from that zone.