Match

Essendon vs North Melbourne

Commentary / 22 May 2021

Pre Game

00:00
When moving the ball from the defensive 50, North Melbourne has used the corridor 27 percent of the time, which is the highest percentage of any team. Essendon ranks second for using the wing for its defensive 50 rebounds.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
00:49
A fast start for the Bombers with a goal from the opening centre bounce to Cale Hooker. In the past four rounds, the Bombers have recorded a score from 32 per cent of their clearance chains (ranked No.1).
02:41
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Cale Hooker)
02:51
Cale Hooker recorded an equal career-high 13 contested possessions last week against Fremantle and has been prominent early today with a pair of forward 50 marks, and splitting his set shots at goal.
04:21
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Nik Cox)
04:38
The second goal for Essendon also came from a stoppage with the Bombers continuing their recent form of scoring efficiently from this source. Essendon has controlled the play early with a 17-5 lead in disposals.
08:25
These two teams have had the lowest number of around-the-ground stoppages in their games this season, so it could well be a free-flowing contest tonight.
08:47
North Melbourne has an early 3-0 lead in forward half intercepts, with its first goal to Ben Cunnington coming from this source. Cunnington won a career-high nine intercepts last week in a powerful all-round performance.
10:26
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Cale Hooker)
11:48
Zach Merrett finished with season-lows of 22 disposals, 0 clearances and 0 marks last week against Fremantle, but has made a busy start tonight being involved in all four Bomber scores.
12:15
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Kyle Langford)
12:33
In Round 9, the Kangaroos conceded just five marks in their defensive 50, which was their fewest in any game this season. Essendon already leads 5-0 in forward 50 marks with all its scores coming from these marks.
15:44
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Harrison Jones)
15:54
Essendon has scored an efficient 2.1.(13) from three intercepts in the defensive midfield. The Bombers average 15 points per game from 22 such intercepts.
18:30
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Cameron Zurhaar)
19:35
While North Melbourne has an early 8-7 lead in inside 50 entries, Essendon leads 7-1 in forward 50 marks, with the Kangaroos having issues connecting between midfield and forward.
21:16
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Kyle Langford)
22:18
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Alec Waterman)
22:34
Essendon has scored from 45 per cent of inside 50 entries this season (ranked fifth). The Bombers now have eight scores from just nine inside 50 entries with the Kangaroos struggling at this stage to disrupt their ball movement.
25:24
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (David Zaharakis)
25:44
Nine scores from ten inside entries now for Essendon. Despite having more of the ball (uncontested possession 67-16), the Bombers also lead the tackle count 16-9.
27:29
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Tom Campbell)
27:39
The goal to Tom Campbell was sourced from a centre bounce. North Melbourne lead 5-2 in centre bounce clearances tonight, but is ranked second last at scoring from this source in 2021.
29:50
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)
30:02
Despite the inside 50 count being relatively even (12-11), the Bombers lead 23-8 in forward 50 disposals and 7-3 in forward 50 marks.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:56
Essendon currently leads 42-21 in corridor disposals post-clearance, with the intent of the Bombers to run the ball through the corridor clearly evident.
02:41
Ben Cunnington has won a game-high nine contested possessions (no other player has won more than four), while also being the No.1 ranked pressure player on the ground with 14 pressure acts.
03:45
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Will Snelling)
03:59
The goal to Will Snelling was the second for the Bombers to come from a forward half stoppage. Essendon averages 16 points per game from this source (ranked fifth).
06:04
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Cale Hooker)
06:29
The goal to Cale Hooker was the first to the Bombers to come following a forward half intercept. Essendon leads 5-4 in such intercepts and averages 24 points from 22 of these intercepts per game.
10:55
North Melbourne leads 19-10 in marks this quarter in an indication the Kangaroos are looking to control the ball better this quarter and slow the pace of the game.
12:46
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Peter Wright)
13:10
Essendon has now scored an accurate 5.2 from shots at goal beyond 40 metres out. Despite a narrow 15-12 edge in clearances, the Bombers now lead 32-7 in points scored from stoppages.
14:55
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Charlie Lazzaro)
16:06
A nice passage of play from the Kangaroos was capped with the accurate long-range goal from Tarryn Thomas. North Melbourne leads 26-13 in corridor disposals this quarter, displaying some better ball movement.
17:18
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Jack Mahony)
18:55
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Harrison Jones)
19:10
Harrison Jones has taken 16 forward 50 marks in his debut season, which is ranked second at the club behind only Cale Hooker (23). The Bombers lead 10-4 in forward 50 marks.
23:07
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Peter Wright)
24:19
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Archie Perkins)
24:30
Another long-range goal to Essendon, following another forward 50 mark (a season-best 12 before halftime). The Bombers now lead 10-7 in forward half intercepts and 14-6 in points scored from this source.
28:12
A powerful first half from the Bombers who recorded a kicking efficiency of 81 percent, which is the best by any team in the first half of a game this season.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
00:08
Essendon has been poor to start third quarters this season, with the Bombers ranked last in the opening ten minutes of this quarter being outscored by an average of eight points per game.
01:25
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Andrew Phillips)
01:33
A great start to the third quarter for the Bombers with a forward half intercept being converted into a forward 50 mark and goal. Nick Hind provided the assist (his second tonight), and the Bombers have now returned 8.3 from set shots at goal.
03:10
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Rushed)
04:16
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Nik Cox)
04:48
Eight goals now from beyond 40 metres for the Bombers with the long-range goal from Nik Cox. Both teams have recorded 26 inside 50 entries, with the Bombers recording a goal from 50 per cent of these opportunities.
07:36
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Aaron Hall)
08:49
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Rushed)
10:12
North Melbourne has edged Essendon this quarter for both contested possession (14-9), tackles (11-6), and inside 50 entries (7-4), but has yet to be able to convert this into a goal.
14:55
An excellent long-range goal from Josh Walker ends a run of four goals to the Bombers. The goal was sourced from a stoppage and the Kangaroos now lead the clearance count 21-19.
17:04
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (David Zaharakis)
17:58
Since quarter time, the Kangaroos lead 60-25 in post-clearance corridor disposals which has been a consistent trend for North Melbourne this season.
18:12
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Luke Davies-Uniacke)
20:00
Cameron Zurhaar finished with a season-high four goals last week against the Hawks. He also had one score assist and was involved in seven scoring chains. Zurhaar has been involved in five scores tonight and only Cunnington has had more forward half disposals for the Kangaroos.
22:06
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)
22:23
Both teams have now generated 14 forward half intercepts. Essendon leads 26-8 in points scored from these chances, including the last goal to McDonald-Tipungwuti.
23:40
Essendon currently leads 16-8 in intercept marks, which is more than its season average of 15. The Bombers are ranked in the bottom-4 in this measure during 2021.
25:00
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Taylor Garner)
26:29
All three goals to North Melbourne this quarter have come from chains started in the back half, with ball movement a lot easier this quarter. The Kangaroos have only scored one goal tonight from a forward half chain.
26:40
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Tom Campbell)
27:34
North Melbourne now leads centre bounce clearances 13-9 and points scored from this source 13-6. The Kangaroos have averaged less than seven points per game from this source in 2021.
28:11
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Kyle Langford)
28:28
Kangaroos Interchange - Todd Goldstein off due to an injury.
29:20
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Rushed)
30:10
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Taylor Garner)
30:13
North Melbourne scored 35 points during the third quarter, which is the most points it has scored in any quarter this season.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
00:31
Taylor Garner was an important player for the Kangaroos in the third quarter with four score involvements including two goals from his nine disposals. Garner now has an equal team-high seven score involvements.
02:02
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Cameron Zurhaar)
03:01
Nick Hind has continued his great season tonight and now his first goal as a Bomber. Only Darcy Parish has more metres gained than Hind tonight for Essendon. This goal was again sourced from a defensive half chain, giving the Bombers 51 points tonight from such chains.
05:35
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)
07:28
Kangaroos Interchange - Nick Larkey off due to an injury.
07:33
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Cale Hooker)
07:41
Essendon is ranked second this season in points scored from chains started in the defensive 50 (18 points per game). Tonight the Bombers have scored a season-high 32 points from such chains.
08:41
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Tarryn Thomas)
09:11
North Melbourne has also scored heavily from defensive 50 chains tonight. The Kangaroos average 12 such points and have scored a season-high 27 points tonight from these chains.
12:13
Tarryn Thomas has recorded career-highs tonight for both disposals (21) and clearances (5) as he continues his transition into a full-time midfielder.
12:56
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Peter Wright)
14:12
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Alec Waterman)
15:11
Darcy Parish has won a career-high seven centre bounce clearances tonight and also has game-highs for both disposals (32) and clearances (10) continuing his strong recent form.
16:41
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Peter Wright)
18:44
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Peter Wright)
18:51
The last three scores for the Bombers have all come from centre bounce clearances as Essendon has enjoyed a period of ascendancy in the centre square. Both teams have now won 14 centre bounce clearances, with Essendon up 4-0 this quarter.
19:54
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Taylor Garner)
20:57
North Melbourne now leads 33-32 in points scored from defensive 50 chains, with both teams finding it easier to move the ball today in a very open game.
22:33
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Harrison Jones)
22:56
Essendon now leads 21-11 in forward 50 marks, with both teams having recorded 48 inside 50 entries. This is the most forward 50 marks the Bombers have taken since Round 18, 2018.
25:11
The Bombers have recorded 29 rundown tackles this season (ranked No.1), with Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti a standout in this area. The Bomber forward has again contributed strongly with forward half pressure tonight (ranked second).
25:38
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)
27:22
This is the highest score for the Bombers against the Kangaroos since their famous comeback win in Round 16, 2001 when they scored 171 points to win after trailing by 69 points in the second quarter.
27:50
Bombers Interchange - Peter Wright off due to the blood rule.
28:39
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)
32:13
An emphatic win for an efficient Bombers team who took twice as many forward 50 marks (22-11) despite having one less inside 50 entry. Essendon tonight recorded the highest kicking efficiency by any team in a game this season (80 percent).