Match

West Coast Eagles vs Essendon

Commentary / 29 May 2021

Pre Game

00:00

Darcy Parish has recorded 24 centre bounce clearances in the last five rounds of the 2021 season. Only Tom Liberatore (25) has recorded more centre clearances than Parish during this period.

Quarter 1

00:00

Q1 is now underway.

01:48

SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Jack Petruccelle)

03:05

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Zach Merrett)

05:38

SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Jack Darling)

05:46

Comparing the kicking efficiency in the early part of the first term, Essendon's 29 per cent efficiency against West Coast's 67 per cent efficiency by foot shows why they've skipped away to a two goal lead early.

07:49

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Harrison Jones)

10:02

SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Liam Ryan)

10:20

West Coast have got off to a good start tonight kicking three goals straight in the first 10 minutes of play. In the last five rounds, the Eagles have averaged less than four points scored in the first ten minutes of their matches, the third-lowest average of any side in this category.

11:07

Essendon have not played on from any of their five marks early in the first term. They play on from 22 per cent of their marks on average in 2021, the fourth-lowest play on rate of any side in the AFL this season.

12:39

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Cale Hooker)

13:58

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Archie Perkins)

17:43

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Cale Hooker)

18:06

Both of Essendon's goals in the first term have been scored from marks. In the last five rounds of the 2021 season, the Bombers are the only team to average over nine goals per game kicked from shots at goal from marks.

22:58

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Alec Waterman)

25:32

West Coast have recorded 17 intercept possessions without recording an intercept mark in the first term. The Eagles average 18 intercept marks per game in 2021, the third-highest average of any side after the first ten rounds.

30:31

Both teams were only able to complete 44 per cent of the tackles they attempted in the first term. The 2021 league average in this category is 61 per cent.

Quarter 2

00:00

Q2 is now underway.

01:02

SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Josh J. Kennedy)

02:23

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Will Snelling)

02:27

Eagles Interchange - Tim Kelly and is possibly out for the game.

08:14

Elliot Yeo has found his rhythm in the second term of his first game back in the AFL since Round 11, 2020. He leads all players on the ground with four disposals, 88 metres gained, four contested possessions, two clearances, both from centre bounces, and two inside 50's in the second term.

08:46

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)

09:05

Bombers Interchange - Jake Stringer off due to the blood rule.

10:20

Tim Kelly (groin) has been subbed out of tonight's match, replaced by Jake Waterman.

10:34

SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Jake Waterman)

12:28

SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Brendon Ah Chee)

15:05

SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Jamie Cripps)

15:33

Jamie Cripps gets the third goal in a row for the Eagles, and their fourth from general play. 41 per cent of the Eagles' goals in 2021 have been kicked from general play, the lowest ratio of any side from this shot source this year.

17:32

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Jake Stringer)

22:43

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Jake Stringer)

24:00

SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Josh J. Kennedy)

25:28

SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Dom Sheed)

27:14

Neither side has been able to win a single offensive one-on-one contest through the first half of tonight's match. West Coast rank sixth (29 per cent win rate) and Essendon eighth (28 per cent) in this category through the first 10 rounds of 2021.

30:27

Essendon has lost the pre-clearance contested possession differential this season by 7.2 per game, ranked last of any side in the AFL. Through the first half tonight they are winning this count 27-26.

30:43

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)

33:14

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Kyle Langford)

33:28

In the past four rounds, the Bombers have recorded a shot at goal accuracy of 59.3 per cent, ranked No.1 of any side in this time. Tonight their goal-kicking accuracy is at 33 per cent.

34:28

Despite losing the clearance count 18-25 in the first half, the Eagles have outscored the Bombers from this source 3.0.18 to 2.4.16. The Eagles average a score from 33 per cent of clearances in the last five rounds, the sixth-best scoring rate of any side in this category.

Quarter 3

00:00

Q3 is now underway.

04:31

SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Jamie Cripps)

06:51

SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Jack Petruccelle)

08:56

SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Josh J. Kennedy)

09:16

West Coast have dominated the time in possession to start the third term, owning possession for 78 per cent of time elapsed, allowing to establish a time in forward half lead of 55-45 per cent for the quarter.

10:37

All of the Eagles points in the third term have been launched from their attacking midfield zone. West Coast launch 30 points per game from this zone on average, the fourth-highest figure of any side in the AFL in 2021.

13:57

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Cale Hooker)

15:51

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Nik Cox)

16:14

Back-to-back goals from free kicks for the Bombers as they bring the lead back to within striking distance. Essendon average 1.3 goals per game from free kicks in 2021, the equal third-lowest average of any side in the AFL after 10 rounds.

18:09

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)

20:04

SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Jake Waterman)

22:20

Jayden Laverde has played a shutdown role on Jack Darling to good effect so far in tonight's match. The Eagles leading goalkicker for 2021 has just three disposals and one goal in 75 minutes of game time matched up against Laverde, who has eight disposals while opposed to Darling.

23:59

SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Josh J. Kennedy)

24:36

SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Elliot Yeo)

25:58

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Jake Stringer)

26:35

The tables have been turned in front of goal now, with the Bombers kicking 4.0.24 compared to 1.5.11 for the Eagles in the third term. That goal to Stringer was the Bombers' third goal from an intercept possession for the quarter.

27:53

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Nik Cox)

28:32

Darcy Parish has recorded nine clearances for tonight's match including seven centre bounce clearances, four more than any other player on the ground. Essendon average 15 points per game from centre clearance chains in the last five rounds, the fourth-highest average of any side from this source.

Quarter 4

00:00

Q4 is now underway.

00:39

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Jake Stringer)

01:10

Jake Stringer gets the Bombers off to the perfect start and they retake the lead. His goal is the fourth goal the Bombers have scored from five forward 50 intercept possession chains in tonight's match.

02:37

Bombers Interchange - Brandon Zerk-Thatcher off due to an injury.

06:57

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Cale Hooker)

09:06

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Darcy Parish)

10:03

It has been all Essendon to start the last term. Through the first ten minutes, the Bombers have been in possession of the football for over seven minutes, allowing them to lock the ball in their forward half for about the same amount of time.

10:42

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)

12:42

SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Jake Waterman)

13:28

That goal to Jake Waterman was the Eagles sixth from eight set shots at goal in tonight's match. Since Round 6, the Eagles have kicked a goal from 49 per cent of their set shots at goal, the third-lowest accuracy rate of any side from this shot type in this time.

14:21

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Cale Hooker)

16:22

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Nick Hind)

18:57

West Coast have been able to complete just four of the 12 tackles they've attempted in the final term. The Eagles average 47 effective tackles per game in 2021, the lowest of any side in the AFL in this category.

21:05

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)

21:40

Bombers Interchange - Jayden Laverde and is possibly out for the game.

22:40

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Jake Stringer)

23:41

Jake Stringer gets his third goal of the second half to extend the Bombers lead to nine points. His mark to win his shot at goal was just the second mark inside 50 for Essendon from 15 attempts this quarter.

26:06

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Alec Waterman)

26:54

Essendon have run over the top of the Eagles in the final term, winning the post-clearance contested possession count 28-17 to allow them to notch up 29 handball receives among 51 uncontested possessions to just 28 for the Eagles.

29:44

Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti has recorded six score involvements from eight disposals in the second half to provide the spark that has fuelled the Bombers comeback in tonight's match.

30:46

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Kyle Langford)

32:21

5.3.33 to 1.4.10 from intercept possession chains in the second half has fired the Bombers to an important win away from home. The Eagles have averaged 133.6 marks at Optus Stadium this season, but were outmarked by Essendon 98-78 tonight to be beaten at their own game.