Match

Melbourne vs Essendon

Commentary / 05 Apr 2019

Pre Game

00:00
Essendon has not kicked a goal in the first quarter of either game this season. The last time that the Bombers had three consecutive games without an opening quarter goal was 1902.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
00:25
Despite their struggles this season, the Demons are the No.1 ranked team at winning centre bounce clearances and they won the opening such clearance tonight.
01:08
The opening goal to Essendon was sourced from a chain started in the defensive half. The Bombers have averaged only 12 points from their defensive half chains this season (ranked last).
04:53
The Bombers have won just 24 percent of their defensive one-on-one contests this season (ranked second last), with a one-on-one contest lost in the passage of play leading to the Melksham goal.
08:58
Bombers Interchange - Kobe Mutch and is possibly out for the game.
09:34
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Orazio Fantasia)
09:44
Essendon has a kicking efficiency of only 45 percent in its forward half of the ground this season (ranked last), but has started with two goals from two inside 50 entries and five of six kicks in the forward half have been effective.
11:18
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Darcy Parish)
11:36
Essendon has won the last five clearances, with three of these won by captain Dyson Heppell who has spent 50 percent of game time this season on the wing.
18:20
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Jake Stringer)
18:59
Four scoring shots from seven inside 50 entries now for the Bombers who are ranked second last this season at converting such opportunities.
19:52
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Dyson Heppell)
20:34
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jay Lockhart)
21:05
Both goals to the Demons have come following midfield intercepts. Melbourne currently leads 13-4 in this count with these intercepts generating the inside 50 advantage.
22:58
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Jake Stringer)
23:15
Eight of the first ten free kicks have gone the way of the Bombers, with Jake Stringer capitalising on the last such free. This free kick differential is responsible for the contested possession count being in favour of Essendon.
24:46
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Alex Neal-Bullen)
25:05
The goal to Alex Neal-Bullen was the first of the night to come from a centre bounce clearance. Melbourne was the No.1 ranked team at winning these contests and score differential from them in 2018.
26:24
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Shaun McKernan)
27:36
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Dylan Shiel)
28:30
The 33 points currently scored by Essendon is more than it has scored in the first half of either game this season.
29:20
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
31:44
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Shaun McKernan)
32:09
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)
32:30
An excellent goal from McDonald-Tipungwuti capped a period of territorial control by the Bombers and was their first goal of the night to come from a forward half chain.
33:17
While the inside 50 count is even, Essendon has retained possession from 67 percent of its entries compared to Melbourne 50 percent, with the Bombers also leading 4-1 in forward 50 marks.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:40
The intercept mark by Jake Stringer was the first of the night to the Bombers with the Demos taking three in the first quarter. Melbourne has averaged only eight such marks per game this season (ranked second last).
02:23
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Corey Wagner)
02:37
Demons Interchange - Neville Jetta off due to an injury.
02:49
The Demons have generated an inside 50 from only eight percent of their chains starting in the defensive 50 this season (ranked last), and it was such a chain that lead to the last Wagner goal.
05:11
A golden opportunity for the Bombers missed by Zac Clarke playing his first AFL game since Round 22 in 2016. Clark has not kicked an AFL goal since 2015.
06:09
Demons Interchange - Tom McDonald off due to an injury.
06:16
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Dylan Shiel)
07:57
The last goal to McKernan came from the third score assist of the night by Dyson Heppell and his sixth score involvement which is already more than his season average.
08:56
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Christian Petracca)
09:29
Two centre bounce clearance goals now tonight to the Demons who have won the first five clearances of the quarter.
11:32
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jay Lockhart)
11:49
A very good contested mark and goal from Jay Lockhart was the second goal of the quarter the Demons have scored from a defensive 50 chain. Melbourne had only scored once this season from such a chain prior to tonight.
13:47
Bombers Interchange - Devon Smith off due to an injury.
14:13
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jayden Hunt)
19:05
Melbourne has used five different players at centre bounces in support of its ruck, while Essendon has used ten such players to combat the strong Melbourne midfielders.
19:21
SCORE GOAL - Demons (James Harmes)
20:23
Four goals in a row to the Demons who have taken control of the game in the second quarter with kicking efficiency of 72 percent compared to Essendon 54 percent.
21:37
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Sam Weideman)
21:55
Melbourne is moving the ball with ease this quarter. The Demons have generated five inside 50 entries from their ten defensive 50 chains this quarter (and scored three goals from these). In the first quarter they did not generate an inside 50 from ten such chains.
25:31
The Demons now lead 8-2 in contested marks, with the last such mark leading to the Max Gawn goal. Melbourne also leads 8-2 in intercept marks
29:06
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)
29:15
A valuable late goal to the Bombers to end the run of six goals to the Demons. Essendon has now scored 37 points from defensive half chains after averaging only 12 points from these chains in the first two games.
31:17
At the stoppages with the ruck contested by Gawn and Bellchambers, Melbourne lead the clearances 12-10. At the stoppages with the ruck contested by Gawn and Clarke, Essendon lead the clearances 10-3.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
00:30
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Jake Stringer)
00:38
A great start to the third quarter for the Bombers with a goal from the opening centre bounce clearance. Essendon leads 13-7 in centre bounce clearances against the No.1 ranked team in this measure.
06:09
A rapid-fire handball from Darcy Parish assisted on the last goal (his second assist) to McDonald-Tipungwuti who was goalless in the first two games of the season, but has kicked three goals tonight.
08:00
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Mark Baguley)
08:57
Essendon leads the contested possession count 17-8 and the inside 50 count 6-2 this quarter.
10:47
Melbourne won 16 more contested possessions than its opposition last season which was one of the largest differentials ever recorded. The Demons have lost this count in each of their first two games and are again behind in this measure tonight.
11:21
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)
11:54
Three of the four Bomber goals this quarter have been sourced from stoppages. Essendon now leads 39-12 in points scored from this source.
13:43
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Jayden Hunt)
17:38
Essendon lead 5-0 in contested marks this quarter after the Demons were 9-3 ahead in this count in the first half.
18:16
Six goals in a row to the Bombers and a massive 55 points that have come from defensive half chains. Essendon had scored only 24 points in total from these chains across the first two games.
19:27
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Devon Smith)
21:33
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (James Harmes)
22:53
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Devon Smith)
23:14
An amazing eight goals in a row to the Bombers who now have seven goals from just the 12 inside 50 entries this quarter.
25:23
A courageous effort from Jayden Hunt and accurate conversion ends the run of Bomber goals. Hunt now has a game-high eight score involvements.
28:15
An excellent set shot at goal from Sam Weideman means that both teams have now returned an accurate 7.2.(44) from set shots at goal tonight.
30:35
In the last ten minutes, the Demons have won the contested possession count 16-11 and the inside 50 entries 8-4.
31:48
A late fightback from the Demons after the Bombers got on a roll early in the quarter. The scores in the third quarter (42-14 in favour of Essendon) were the exact opposite of the second quarter.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
01:16
Melbourne has a sizeable lead in forward half intercepts (26-15) and in points scored from these opportunities (32-14).
01:54
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (James Harmes)
03:45
Christian Salem ranks No.1 at the club for intercept possessions and metres gained this season. Salem has a game-high nine intercept possessions tonight with two of these launching scores for Melbourne.
05:04
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Kade Kolodjashnij)
05:12
An accurate set shot from Kolodjashnij gives the Demons the first score of the night to either team to come from a kick-in and three goals in a row to Melbourne.
06:42
A valuable goal to Shaun McKernan from a centre bounce clearance. Essendon leads 17-14 in centre bounce clearances and 27-12 in points scored from this source.
07:52
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)
08:07
Orazio Fantasia has a game-high 645 metres gained from his 19 disposals. Fantasia had a total of 407 metres gained in the first two games combined.
09:04
Bombers Interchange - Aaron Francis off due to an injury.
10:57
Essendon is being forced to defend a lot in the final quarter and leads the tackle count 12-1 with the Demons winning contested possessions 14-8.
11:30
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jayden Hunt)
13:58
Both of the the goals to the Demons this quarter have come from defensive half chains with the tiring Bombers struggling to disrupt the ball movement of Melbourne. Essendon leads 55-43 in points scored from these chains.
17:10
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Jake Stringer)
17:42
While Melbourne has an advantage in the inside 50 count, the Demons have retained possession from 56 percent of their entries, while Essendon has retained possession from 63 percent of its entries.
19:56
Another poster for the Bombers, this time from Darcy Parish. The young Bomber who was left out of the team in Round one, has team-highs for both contested possessions and score involvements.
21:30
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Andrew McGrath)
21:48
A crucial goal to Andrew McGrath following strong forward half pressure from Devon Smith who has a game-high ten tackles for the Bombers and was the No.1 player in the AFL for tackles in 2018.
23:45
SCORE GOAL - Demons (James Harmes)
25:46
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Darcy Parish)
27:27
Melbourne has directed ten kicks inside 50 to each of Tom McDonald, Melksham and Petracca tonight, while Stringer has been the main target for the Bombers with ten entries directed to the former Bulldog.
27:44
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jake Melksham)
30:48
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Jake Stringer)
31:56
SCORE GOAL - Demons (James Harmes)
32:18
A quick goal to the Demons following a centre bounce, but Melbourne has conceded 5.4.(34) to the Bombers from this source tonight.
33:48
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Angus Brayshaw)
35:08
A spirited win for the Bombers who were able to match the Demons for contested possessions (162-159), use the ball more effectively in the forward half (forward 50 marks 16-10) and score more heavily from stoppages (71-30).
35:24
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Orazio Fantasia)
35:27
The siren has sounded to end Q4.