Match

Essendon vs Fremantle

Commentary / 15 May 2021

Pre Game

00:00

Nat Fyfe looms large for Fremantle today given his great career record against the Bombers. Fyfe has won at least 24 disposals in each of his nine career games against Essendon – averaging 25.9 disposals and 15.2 contested possessions.

Quarter 1

00:00

Q1 is now underway.

00:42

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Brayden Ham)

02:35

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)

04:21

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Harrison Jones)

04:40

The Bombers in control in the first five minutes of this match leading total disposals 18-6, inside 50s 3-1, clearances 2-0, and kicking two goals to none.

07:37

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Harrison Jones)

09:43

Stewart for the Bombers takes the first intercept mark of the match on the last line of defense from a Nat Fyfe quick snap on gaol. The Bombers lead the total marks count 13-3.

12:16

Bombers Interchange - Jayden Laverde off due to an injury.

12:55

SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Liam Henry)

13:46

SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Caleb Serong)

15:09

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Cale Hooker)

16:46

SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Rory Lobb)

17:01

Lobb kicks Fremantle's first goal from its second contested mark inside forward 50 for the quarter. The Bombers have taken one contested mark inside 50 through Hooker but he was only able to register a behind from the resulting shot on goal.

21:04

SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Matt Taberner)

21:11

Mundy for the Dockers registers his third clearances for the match, leading all players, and registers a goal assist in the process with Taberner kicking the goal from his pass inside 50. Mundy has four first-quarter disposals so far, all effective.

25:01

With 25 minutes gone in the quarter, Phillips for the Bombers is the only player yet to register a disposal. In his ruck battle with Darcy, Phillips trails in the hitout count 2-9 and hitouts to advantage 1-5.

27:30

After conceding the first three goals the Dockers steadied with the next two to trail by one straight kick at the first break. Brayshaw and Fyfe for the Dockers and Merrett, Hind and Parish for the Bombers all have seven disposals to their names.

Quarter 2

00:00

Q2 is now underway.

01:31

SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Matt Taberner)

04:50

Bombers Interchange - Jayden Laverde off due to an injury.

05:21

No goals in the first five minutes with an arm wrestle to start the second quarter. The Bombers lead the total disposal count 25-17, the Dockers lead inside 50s 3-1, while clearances are even at two apiece.

06:14

SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Matt Taberner)

08:04

SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Rushed)

09:20

SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Adam Cerra)

10:20

Cerra goals for Fremantle from the goal square courtesy of a Francis turnover by hand. That was Fremantle's first goal originating from a turnover with the Bombers committing 19 turnovers to the Dockers 22.

14:13

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Kyle Langford)

14:42

Langford goals from just the third inside 50 for the Bombers this quarter. The Dockers lead inside 50s this quarter 11-3 and 21-12 across the match.

18:42

SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Matt Taberner)

20:11

Colyer for Fremantle provides the goal assist to Taberner by hand registering his first score involvement for the match from his nine disposals. With that goal Taberner registers his fifth score involvement, a current match high.

23:04

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Peter Wright)

25:02

SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Rory Lobb)

25:24

From the restart after the Wright goal, Serong for the Dockers wins the centre bounce clearance. The Bombers lead the centre bounce clearance count across the match 4-3. Parish for the Bombers with a match-high two to his name.

28:24

The siren has sounded to end Q2.

28:27

Another tight quarter with both teams kicking two goals but the Dockers' four behinds help them reduce the Bombers' lead to only two points. Parish and Hind for the Bombers have equal match-high disposal counts of 18. Brayshaw leads Fremantle's count with 14.

Quarter 3

00:00

Q3 is now underway.

01:50

SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Rushed)

04:34

With two kicks this quarter, Fyfe for the Dockers is now up to an equal team-high ten kicks along with Brayshaw, however, five of those kicks have been clangers - direct turnovers.

05:39

SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Michael Walters)

07:38

SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Matt Taberner)

08:52

The Dockers are on top to start this third quarter having won five of the six clearances and the last five inside 50s in a row after conceding the first of the quarter.

09:02

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)

10:29

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Mason Redman)

11:48

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Zach Merrett)

15:23

Both teams are playing a very similar mark-kick games style today with similar results. Essendon leads the total mark count by the slimmest of margins 70-69, with the uncontested mark count reading 65-64 and contested marks equal at five apiece.

17:02

SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Nat Fyfe)

19:34

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Matt Guelfi)

20:25

Guelfi misses a set shot for Essendon from only 20 metres out on the slightest of angles. The Bombers have kicked 5.2 (32) from set shots today while the Dockers have kicked 4.6 (30).

21:26

SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Matt Taberner)

24:22

Both teams have now executed 40 tackles apiece so far in the match with Switkowski and Darcy for the Dockers and Snelling for the Bombers all with an equal match-high five to their names.

25:56

SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Matt Taberner)

28:41

Dockers Interchange - Griffin Logue off due to an injury.

28:54

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Darcy Parish)

30:08

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Devon Smith)

31:04

Bombers Interchange - Devon Smith off due to an injury.

31:48

Another tight and entertaining third quarter with Fremantle edging slightly ahead to take a three point lead into the last quarter. Taberener for the Dockers has a match-high eight score involvements while Parish for the Bombers has a match-high seven clearances.

Quarter 4

00:00

Q4 is now underway.

05:29

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Andrew Phillips)

05:55

Phillips kicks the first goal of the last quarter from his first mark of the day and his first effective kick. Phillips has laid five tackles for his side, only McGrath has laid more with six.

10:49

Lobb for the Dockers executes a spoil to put the ball out of bounds on the last line of defense. The Dockers lead the total spoil count comfortably 35-17 with Cox leading all players with six.

11:46

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)

15:49

SCORE GOAL - Dockers (David Mundy)

16:26

Schultz for the Dockers takes an intercept mark in defensive 50 and launches a chain of possessions that results in the Mundy goal. Fremantle leads the total intercept mark count 12-11 and intercept marks inside defensive 50 6-5.

17:40

SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (James Aish)

18:13

SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Michael Walters)

21:40

In the tightest of contests, both teams have very similar disposal efficiencies across the day with Fremantle going at 74 percent and Essendon going at 73 percent. Cox for the Dockers the only player going at 100 percent efficiency, especially noteworthy as he has had 17 disposals.

22:31

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Brayden Ham)

25:39

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Brayden Ham)

26:11

SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Rory Lobb)

27:29

Logue with a strong contested mark on centre wing for Fremantle against Hooker to bring the total count to 10 apiece for both sides. Lobb for the Dockers leads all players with three to his name.

30:11

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (David Zaharakis)

31:00

A three goal to one last quarter has seen the Bombers run out seven point winners in a low scoring but highly engaging match. Parish for the victors led all players with 39 disposals including a match-high 18 contested possessions.