Match

Essendon vs Melbourne

Commentary / 26 Jun 2021

Pre Game

00:00
Since Round 10, Essendon is averaging 99.5 points - ranked No. 1 in the competition.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
03:02
The start of the match has been played between the arcs with neither team registering a disposal in their attacking 50 thus far.
04:00
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Zach Merrett)
04:59
Zach Merrett has had a productive start to the match with six disposals and 119 metres gained so far.
06:26
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Angus Brayshaw)
09:04
Melbourne is winning the ball around the stoppages with five more contested possessions but Essendon is controlling the ball around the ground with 17 more uncontested possessions.
11:57
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (James Jordon)
12:40
Melbourne has had the last five inside 50s of the match and leads the overall count nine to two.
13:01
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Luke Jackson)
13:59
Essendon has struggled to transition the ball from their defensive half to attacking 50 with only two of 16 chains starting in their defensive half resulting in an inside 50.
16:31
SCORE GOAL - Demons (James Harmes)
16:46
The game so far has been played in Melbourne's forward half with a time-in-forward half of 70 percent. Essendon has recorded just eight disposals in their attacking half.
18:15
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
19:57
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Jake Stringer)
21:00
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Jake Stringer)
22:35
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
23:11
Clayton Oliver has amassed three clearances so far - no other player has more than one.
24:13
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)
26:11
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Devon Smith)
26:14
Essendon takes the lead into quarter time despite registering just 17 disposals in their attacking half compared to 53 for Melbourne.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
02:35
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Harrison Jones)
03:15
Essendon has scored 2.3 (15) from turnovers.
07:06
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
08:18
Steven May has taken three intercept marks this quarter.
09:12
Melbourne has yet to register an effective disposal in their forward 50 this quarter.
10:01
The pressure applied by both teams this quarter has been high with Essendon recording a pressure rating of 213 and Melbourne recording a rating of 202. The AFL average is 180.
11:37
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Tom McDonald)
16:24
Following his strong first quarter, Zach Merrett has had a game-high ten disposals this quarter as well as four contested possessions and three clearances.
17:17
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Luke Jackson)
18:26
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Luke Jackson)
19:44
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Charlie Spargo)
20:11
Melbourne leads centre bounce clearances four to one for the match.
21:23
Jordan Ridley is up to six intercept possessions for the match including two intercept marks.
23:17
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Peter Wright)
23:51
Essendon has taken four contested marks this quarter.
25:25
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Archie Perkins)
26:20
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Brayden Ham)
27:49
Melbourne has transitioned the ball well this quarter from its defensive half to attacking half. Of 13 chains starting in their defensive half, six have resulted in an inside 50 for a conversion rate of 46%. The AFL average is 21%.
29:10
Zach Merrett had a strong first half with a game-high 26 disposals including 21 uncontested possessions, four score involvements, and 306 metres gained.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
01:25
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (James Harmes)
02:13
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Tom McDonald)
02:27
Eight of Max Gawn's 16 hitouts for the match have gone to advantage for the Demons.
05:25
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)
07:53
SCORE GOAL - Demons (James Jordon)
08:08
Melbourne has kicked 4.6 (30) from turnovers for the match.
09:41
Essendon has recorded a kicking efficiency of 42 percent this quarter compared to 74 percent for Melbourne.
12:29
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Christian Petracca)
12:58
Christian Petracca has had a productive quarter for Melbourne with an equal team-high five disposals, three marks, and 1.0 (6).
15:26
Melbourne's post-clearance pressure has increased this quarter. After recording a rating of 170 in the first half, the Demons post-clearance pressure rating is 189 so far this quarter.
16:41
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)
19:01
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Dyson Heppell)
19:23
Darcy Parish has amassed a game-high four clearances this quarter.
21:00
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
22:23
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Bayley Fritsch)
22:37
Melbourne has taken four marks inside 50 this quarter and ten for the match.
24:32
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (James Harmes)
24:38
Melbourne has scored 4.4 (28) from set shots for the match.
25:48
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Harrison Jones)
26:53
Harrison Jones kicks Essendon's first goal via a kick-in. The Bombers have averaged one goal per match from kick-ins - ranked No.1 in the league.
27:59
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Christian Petracca)
31:46
Christian Petracca had a strong quarter for Melbourne with a team-high nine disposals, four marks, three score involvements, and 2.0 (12).

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
02:50
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)
04:10
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
06:51
In 33 ruck contests between Draper and Gawn, Melbourne has won the first possession five more times and outscored the Bombers 2.3 (15) to 1.0 (6).
08:09
Zach Merrett has accumulated five disposals so far this quarter and has an equal game-high 35 disposals for the match. His career-high is 41 disposals.
10:23
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Jake Stringer)
10:30
Essendon has kicked 2.3 (15) from set shots for the match.
13:04
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Tom Sparrow)
14:28
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Peter Wright)
16:06
Jake Lever and Steven May have combined to take eight of Melbourne's 15 intercept marks.
17:45
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
19:19
Kyle Langford has amassed ten disposals this quarter for Essendon along with six contested possessions and three clearances.
19:57
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Cale Hooker)
21:53
Jake Lever is up to a game-high nine intercept possessions, including five intercept marks.
23:56
62 percent of play in the last ten minutes of the match has been in Essendon's forward half. The Bombers have scored 2.0 (12) to 0.1 (1) during this time.
29:10
For Essendon, Zach Merrett finishes with an equal career-high 41 disposals along with 34 uncontested possessions, seven clearances, eight tackles, and eight score involvements.