Match

Essendon vs North Melbourne

Commentary / 29 Jul 2022

Pre Game

00:00
In its first 11 games this season, Essendon lost the contested possession count by an average of 10.3 per game (ranked 16th). In their seven games since the bye, the Bombers have won this count by an average of 11.4 per game (ranked second).

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
00:45
Kallan Dawson makes his debut today for the Kangaroos. Dawson has averaged six intercepts, five spoils, and 14 disposals in his 12 VFL games this season.
02:25
The first goal of the game to the Bombers came from a chain started in the defensive 50. Essendon averages 15.3 points per game from such chains (ranked third).
02:32
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Jake Stringer)
04:01
The first goal for the Kangaroos was launched from a forward half stoppage. North Melbourne has averaged 15.2 points per game from this source (ranked ninth).
06:49
North Melbourne has won the first four clearances of the game. Since the bye, Essendon is ranked third in clearance differential.
09:26
The last score to Nick Larkey and the Kangaroos was launched from a defensive 50 chain. Essendon has conceded a score from 12.3 percent of opposition defensive 50 chains this season (ranked last).
10:46
Today is the first time that the Kangaroos have led after the first ten minutes of a game since Round 1 against Hawthorn.
13:02
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Rushed)
13:13
North Melbourne has an early 13-5 lead in ground ball gets. The Kangaroos have won this count in each of the their last three games.
15:23
North Melbourne has had one of the highest kick-to-handball ratios this season (1.56), but today the Kangaroos have moved the ball with slick hands and recorded 34 handballs to 22 kicks.
16:35
Bombers Interchange - Jye Caldwell off due to an injury.
18:05
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Jake Stringer)
19:03
The second goal to Jake Stringer was launched by a forward half intercept (the sixth today for the Bombers). Essendon has scored from 34 percent of such intercepts this season (ranked third).
20:16
The third goal for Jake Stringer came from a centre bounce clearance. Essendon has averaged 12.9 points per game from this source (ranked third).
21:36
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Cameron Zurhaar)
21:41
Both of the goals to the Kangaroos have come from stoppages, and North Melbourne now leads clearances 7-2. The Kangaroos are ranked last for differential in scores from stoppages this season.
23:49
Kangaroos Interchange - Jack Ziebell off due to an injury.
25:17
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (James Stewart)
25:36
Essendon has only won three clearances this quarter but has scored from each of these for a return of 2.1.13. The Bombers have taken a mark from 21.3 percent of its kicks into the forward 50 this season (ranked second) and it was such a mark that led to the goal to James Stewart.
28:21
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Kyle Langford)
28:52
Following the goal to Kyle Langford, Essendon now leads 8-6 in forward half intercepts and 12-0 in points scored from this source.
31:52
Since the bye, Essendon has averaged 105 marks per game (ranked second). The Bombers are again looking to control the ball today and lead 37-17 in marks.
32:01
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Bailey Scott)
34:06
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Nick Larkey)
34:11
North Melbourne was able to dominate clearances (11-4) and contested possessions (34-26) in the opening quarter, but Essendon displayed better ball use recording kicking efficiency of 84 percent, and is ranked No.1 in this measure during 2022.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:09
Jy Simpkin won just 14 disposals last round, which is his worst return since Round 16, 2020. Simpkin had 11 disposals in the opening quarter today, which was more than any other player, and also leads in metres gained (266).
00:47
The Kangaroos have started the second quarter with another centre bounce clearance. North Melbourne leads 5-2 in this count, but both teams have scored 1.0.6 from this source.
01:26
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Cameron Zurhaar)
01:47
The goal to Cameron Zurhaar followed a forward half intercept by the Kangaroos. North Melbourne has scored from only 27.6 percent of such intercepts this season (ranked last).
02:36
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Jy Simpkin)
05:20
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (James Stewart)
05:37
Essendon continues to make the most of its limited clearances with the last goal to James Stewart coming from a forward 50 clearance. The Bombers now lead 19-15 in points scored from stoppages despite trailing 5-15 in clearances.
09:56
Todd Goldstein leads all players for clearances (5), has a 3-1 edge in hitouts to advantage and is contributing heavily to the dominance at stoppages for North Melbourne.
11:21
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Kayne Turner)
11:52
Both of the goals to the Kangaroos this quarter have come from forward half intercepts and North Melbourne leads 3-0 in such intercepts this quarter.
15:36
The goal to Harrison Jones was the first score of the game to either team to come from a chain launched in the defensive midfield. North Melbourne has conceded a score from 22 percent of opposition defensive midfield chains this season (ranked last).
18:19
Essendon currently leads 8-3 in marks on the lead and averages just 6.5 such marks per game with the Kangaroos allowing the Bombers to efficiently move the ball.
18:54
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)
19:49
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Mason Redman)
20:12
The goal to Mason Redman followed another mark on the lead to Essendon. Redman has contributed 17 disposals at 100 percent efficiency and recorded a game-high 387 metres gained.
23:22
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Sam Draper)
24:06
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Archie Perkins)
24:18
Essendon leads 15-0 in points scored from chains started in the forward 50. The Bombers average 13.9 points per game from such chains.
26:50
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Kyle Langford)
26:58
The goal to Kyle Langford was the second for the Bombers launched from the defensive 50. Essendon now leads 24-1 in points scored from defensive half chains.
28:23
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Hugh Greenwood)
29:17
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Cameron Zurhaar)
30:03
All three goals to the Kangaroos this quarter have followed an intercept in the attacking midfield and North Melbourne now leads 15-13 in forward half intercepts.
31:35
While North Melbourne leads the clearances 25-10, Essendon leads in points scored from stoppages (20-16). Outside of stoppages, the Bombers lead 48-38 in post-clearance contested possessions and 151-110 in uncontested possessions.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
00:02
Dylan Shiel is ranked No.1 in the AFL this season for centre bounce clearances. In his absence today, the Bombers lost centre bounce clearances 2-11 in the first half.
00:23
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Rushed)
02:52
Since Round 16, Luke Davies-Uniacke has recorded 13.5 contested possessions, and 7.2 clearances per game, which are ranked within the top-10 in the competition in that time. Davies-Uniacke had just the one contested possession and clearance in the first half.
03:43
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Phoenix Spicer)
04:34
North Melbourne leads 7-1 in ground balls, 4-1 in forward half intercepts, and 3-0 in inside 50 entries to start the third quarter, but has not been able to score a goal during this period.
04:48
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Zach Merrett)
06:35
The goal to Zach Merret again came from a chain started in the defensive 50 (the third such goal today). Since Round 14, Essendon has averaged 24.3 points per game from such chains, which is ranked No.1.
06:51
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)
08:29
Essendon leads 14-8 in intercept marks and averages only 14 such marks per game (ranked 17th).
11:03
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Matt Guelfi)
11:34
Essendon now leads 20-6 in forward half tackles and this pressure contributed to the last intercept and goal for the Bombers. James Stewart now has two goals and two assists from his four score involvements.
12:17
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Jed Anderson)
13:11
Another centre bounce clearance for the Kangaroos launched the goal to Jed Anderson. North Melbourne leads 13-2 in such clearances and 15-6 in points scored from this source.
14:38
Bombers Interchange - Jye Caldwell off due to an injury.
14:47
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Peter Wright)
15:19
The Kangaroos continue to have trouble defending counter attacks from the Bombers. Essendon now leads 36-1 in points scored from defensive half chains and averages 30 points per game from these chains.
19:20
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Cameron Zurhaar)
19:29
Cameron Zurhaar now has four goals from his equal game-high seven score involvements. Zurhaar kicked six goals in his last game at this venue and has now kicked more goals against the Bombers than any other opponent.
20:40
Jye Menzie makes his debut today for the Bombers (as the medical sub). Menzie has kicked 30 goals this season in 14 games across both the SANFL and VFL.
21:46
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Rushed)
22:40
Essendon has recorded forward half kicking efficiency of 70 percent today while North Melbourne has kicking efficiency of only 50 percent in its forward half.
24:12
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Peter Wright)
24:30
Another goal for the Bombers launched from the defensive 50 (their fifth today). Essendon has now scored 6.1.37 from its set shots at goal while North Melbourne has returned 3.3.21 from its set shots.
27:17
Mason Redman has continued his strong season today. Redman has now recorded 24 disposals at 100 percent efficiency, has taken a team-high four intercept marks, and leads all players for metres gained (491).
29:45
North Melbourne again had the better of clearances (9-5) and ground balls (26-11) in the third quarter, while Essendon recorded more pressure (tackles 17-9) and used the ball more effectively (points scored from turnovers 25-7).

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
00:19
The final quarter starts with a rare centre bounce clearance for the Bombers and a behind to Jake Stringer. The Kangaroos lead 16-4 in such clearances and 34-16 in overall clearances.
02:53
In Rounds 1-13, Essendon averaged 10.8 points per game from defensive 50 chains, and never kicked four goals in a game from such chains. Since Round 14, Essendon averages 24.3 points per game from these chains and has kicked at least four goals in six of the seven games.
03:16
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Zach Merrett)
04:45
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (James Stewart)
05:08
Despite leading the clearances 35-17, North Melbourne now trails 23-27 in points scored from stoppages following the last goal to the Bombers.
06:29
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Jake Stringer)
06:58
The last goal to Jake Stringer gives Essendon a return of 8.1.49 from set shots and also an accurate return of 10.2.62 for shots at goal in the 30-50 metre range.
08:27
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Peter Wright)
09:26
Before the bye this season, Zach Merrett averaged 9.5 disposals in the forward half and had a total of two shots at goal. Since the bye, he has averaged 13.9 disposals in the forward half and had 12 shots at goal.
10:19
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Peter Wright)
11:48
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)
13:17
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Nick Larkey)
14:33
Essendon has had a major advantage in the air today and leads contested marks (13-7), marks on lead (20-8), intercept marks (23-14), and uncontested marks (102-77).
14:48
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Harrison Jones)
16:48
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Todd Goldstein)
18:21
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Callum Coleman-Jones)
19:21
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Jed Anderson)
21:13
North Melbourne now leads 28-21 in forward half intercepts and 39-29 in points scored from this source. This equals the most such intercepts the Kangaroos have had in a game this season, and is their second-best return in points scored.
23:04
Mason Redman has won an equal game-high eight intercepts which includes a career-high six intercept marks. Four of his intercepts have launched scores and his eight score involvements include a pair of assists and one goal.
24:42
Kangaroos Interchange - Kayne Turner off due to an injury.
25:32
After a quiet game last week, Jy Simpkin has recorded an equal career-high 38 disposals today for the Kangaroos.
26:07
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Ben Hobbs)
26:59
While the inside 50 count is relatively even, Essendon leads 13-7 in forward 50 marks, 13-3 in forward 50 tackles, and 62-44 in forward 50 disposals.
27:04
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Jake Stringer)
30:14
A comfortable win for the Bombers who recorded a season-high score along with season-highs for intercept marks (28) and marks on lead (20). These marks contributed to the better ball movement of Essendon and resulted in a 44-2 advantage in points scored from the back half.
30:39
The siren has sounded to end Q4.