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Pre Game
00:00
Since Round 15, Essendon have launched more scoring chains from the midfield zone (114 different chains) than any other side in the last seven rounds.
Quarter 1
00:00
Q1 is now underway.
02:38
SCORE
GOAL - Bombers (Jake Stringer)
07:34
Gold Coast have won the clearance count 4-3 early in this term, including 2-0 at the centre bounce, however two of their four clearances have been intercepted by the Bombers immediately.
08:10
SCORE
GOAL - Bombers (Archie Perkins)
10:42
A very efficient start to the game for Essendon, recording two goals from just three inside 50's. They have averaged a goal from 24.6 per cent of inside 50 entries in 2021, the best conversion rate of any side this season.
13:28
SCORE
BEHIND - Suns (Rushed)
15:31
SCORE
BEHIND - Suns (Joel Jeffrey)
15:53
Kicking into the wind is affecting the Suns efficiency of disposal by foot, as they are going at 48 per cent effectiveness for the quarter.
20:01
The wind aiding the Bombers in the first term is very evident in the location of each team's intercept marks. Four of their six intercept marks have been taken outside of their defensive 50, whereas five of the Suns' six intercept marks have been recorded inside their defensive 50 zone.
21:46
SCORE
GOAL - Suns (Joel Jeffrey)
25:05
SCORE
GOAL - Suns (Josh Corbett)
25:42
Essendon have only laid nine tackles from a total of 27 attempts (33 per cent efficiency). By comparison, Gold Coast have completed six tackles from just 12 attempts.
27:21
Both of Gold Coast's goals have been launched from clearances inside their forward 50 in the first term. Gold Coast have launched 19.8 per cent of their total points scored in 2021 from chains originating in their forward 50, the fourth-highest ratio of any side from this zone this year.
30:45
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Aaron Francis)
30:47
Both teams were only able to convert clearances from boundary throw-in's into points in the first term, with Gold Coast scoring 2.1.13 and Essendon scoring 1.17 from this source, and both teams failing to launch a score from a centre clearance or ball up clearance.
Quarter 2
00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:51
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)
01:56
SCORE
BEHIND - Suns (Rushed)
02:52
SCORE
GOAL - Bombers (Matt Guelfi)
04:09
SCORE
GOAL - Bombers (Jake Stringer)
06:41
SCORE
GOAL - Bombers (Alec Waterman)
07:24
All five of Essendon's goals have been scored from shots at goal recorded by players on-the-run towards the goals. Since Round 15, 21 per cent of the Bombers' total goals have been recorded from this shot type, the equal-largest percentage share of any side in this category.
12:39
SCORE
GOAL - Bombers (Sam Durham)
13:54
Essendon's clearance dominance is now translating itself onto the scoreboard, as Essendon have scored three goals from clearances in the first half of the term after winning the effective clearance count 5-2 in this period of the quarter.
15:06
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Archie Perkins)
16:49
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Peter Wright)
17:24
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)
18:01
SCORE
BEHIND - Suns (Rushed)
18:36
Gold Coast have recorded just one mark inside 50, which resulted in a goal to Josh Corbett. They only average 9.7 marks inside 50 per game in 2021, the third-lowest average of any side.
23:03
SCORE
GOAL - Bombers (Jake Stringer)
24:16
That goal to Jake Stringer was Essendon's first goal from a set shot in today's match on their sixth attempt, to go with four behinds and one missed shot at goal. The Bombers (50.5 points per game) are one of two teams to average over 50 points per game from set shots at goal in 2021, along with the Bulldogs (56 points per game).
24:53
SCORE
GOAL - Suns (Brayden Fiorini)
26:43
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Aaron Francis)
30:00
Essendon are poised to record their largest disposal differential for a single quarter, leading by a margin of 48 with one minute remaining in the term. This would surpass their previous season-best margin of 41 over the Saints in the second term of their Round 3 match.
31:17
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Alec Waterman)
31:37
Essendon have won the contested possession count 83-68, with the difference in this count being the Bombers' ball-hunting outside the stoppages, where they have won the post-clearance contested possession count 55-40.
32:37
Essendon have scored 7.1.43 from shots at goal in general play in the first half. They have averaged a goalkicking accuracy of 44 per cent since Round 15 in general play, the fourth-best accuracy of any side in this category.
Quarter 3
00:00
Q3 is now underway.
01:35
SCORE
GOAL - Bombers (Jake Stringer)
03:31
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Jake Stringer)
04:41
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Devon Smith)
07:05
SCORE
BEHIND - Suns (Alex Sexton)
08:52
Both of Essendon's goals have had two things in common. They were both launched from their defensive 50 zone, from which they have outscored their opponents 5.1.31 to 0.3.3, and Jake Stringer was involved in both chains, and he now shares the lead with Darcy Parish with nine score involvements for the match.
10:26
SCORE
BEHIND - Suns (Josh Corbett)
12:32
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Darcy Parish)
13:44
Essendon has recorded 12 of the 14 inside 50 marks registered in today's match. Since Round 15, the Bombers average 11 inside 50 marks per game, ranked 10th in the AFL in this category.
18:57
SCORE
GOAL - Bombers (Nick Hind)
20:05
Both teams have combined for just eight tackles in this quarter, with Essendon leading this metric 5-3. This would tie a season-low for Gold Coast if they fail to record a fourth tackle, after they laid just three tackles in the first term against West Coast in Round 1.
23:52
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)
24:09
Gold Coast have been able to draw equal around the stoppages in the third term, equalising the hitout count 5-apiece, and leading the clearance count 7-6. The next step is to convert this into points, however both sides have scored just one behind for the quarter from clearance chains.
27:31
That goal to Devon Smith was Essendon's third from a set shot at goal this term, after kicking 1.5.11 from set shots in the first half, and all three goals were kicked from shots at goal to the right of the corridor.
27:34
Gold Coast have not been given any help by the umpires in the last two quarters, with the free-kick count 14-3 in this period of the match. Since Round 15, they have won nine more free kicks than they have conceded, the equal-fourth best differential record in this category.
Quarter 4
00:00
Q4 is now underway.
01:38
SCORE
GOAL - Bombers (Jake Stringer)
04:30
FIve goals for the match to Jake Stringer, which is a new season-high record and his best return since 2017 and his best figures as a Bomber. He needs one more goal to match his career-high recorded in 2015 as a Bulldog against Adelaide in Round 4.
04:49
SCORE
GOAL - Bombers (Dylan Clarke)
07:17
Suns Interchange - Sean Lemmens off due to an injury.
09:00
Sean Lemmens (corked leg) has been subbed out of today's match, replaced by Rory Atkins.
10:52
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Sam Durham)
12:44
SCORE
GOAL - Suns (Jacob Townsend)
15:22
Suns Interchange - Jack Bowes off due to an injury.
17:16
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Devon Smith)
18:14
Essendon are strangling the Suns by holding the football as long as they want. For the quarter, they have been in possession of the ball 55 per cent to 30 per cent, and for the match Essendon players have been in possession for 61 per cent to 30 per cent.
20:04
Peter Wright's performance as the back-up ruckman has been impressive following his career-high seven goal performance against the Bulldogs. Of his nine hitouts from 13 ruck contests, six of those hitouts have been to the advantage of a teammate, displaying Wright's versatility.
22:35
Since Round 18, Gold Coast has lost the contested possession differential by 15.3 per game, ranked last. In today's match they are down 120-146 in this metric.
25:15
Essendon's ability to turn defensive half chains into points and deny the Suns defensively from their back half has been critical to today's win, as they have outscored them 6.5.41 to 0.5.5 from this zone.
26:15
5.1.31 to 1.0.6 from shots at goal in general play in the second quarter spurred the Bombers on to their third-largest win of the year and their largest margin of victory over the Suns since their first ever matchup in the Suns debut 2011 season when they won 197-58.