Pre Game
00:00
Port Adelaide has lost five of the six games this season when its opposition has had more disposals. The only time it has won such a game was against Essendon in Round 11.
Quarter 1
00:00
Q1 is now underway.
00:16
SCORE
GOAL - Power (Travis Boak)
00:50
The opening goal of the game to Port Adelaide came from the first centre bounce clearance. The Power averages only 9.2 points per game from this source (ranked 16th).
02:00
When these teams met in Round 11, Essendon won the first seven centre bounce clearances of the game and finished with a 14-4 lead in this count. Port Adelaide has won the first two centre bounce clearances today.
04:20
The first goal for the Bombers came from a forward half clearance. Essendon has won only 9.7 such clearances per game this season which is ranked last.
08:25
Last round, the Power lost the contested possession count by 30 and the inside 50 count by 18, which are both their worst results this season. Port Adelaide has an early lead in both inside 50 entries (6-2) and contested possessions (12-8).
09:53
SCORE
GOAL - Power (Todd Marshall)
10:15
Port Adelaide has an early 3-1 lead in forward half intercepts, with the last of these leading to a goal to Todd Marshall. The Power averages 27 points per game from this source.
11:10
SCORE
GOAL - Power (Mitch Georgiades)
11:20
Port Adelaide has now won the first four centre bounce clearances of the game and scored two goals from this source. The Power had only scored a total of five goals in opening quarters this season from centre bounce clearances before today.
13:12
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)
15:09
The Bombers have applied a pressure factor of just 175 this season (ranked last), and in the early stages of this game have maintained their average.
17:04
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Jake Stringer)
18:06
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)
18:10
Essendon now leads 9-3 in intercept marks. The most such marks any team has taken in an opening quarter this season is ten.
19:12
The goal to Charlie Dixon came from a chain started with a kick-in. Since Round 10, Essendon has conceded 5.5 points per game from this source (ranked last and the AFL average is only three points).
22:50
SCORE
GOAL - Bombers (Massimo D'Ambrosio)
23:21
The goal to Massimo D'Ambrosio followed a forward half intercept by Essendon. The Bombers have scored from 35 percent of such intercepts this season (ranked second) but generated only 21 forward half intercepts per game.
25:02
SCORE
GOAL - Bombers (Massimo D'Ambrosio)
25:16
The move of D'Ambrosio to the forward line has resulted in a pair of early goals for Essendon. D'Ambrosio had been used 100 percent in the backline this season prior to today.
27:36
In the last ten minutes, Essendon leads in contested possessions (13-8), tackles (7-4) and inside 50 entries (7-2) after trailing in all of these measures early in the quarter.
28:03
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Dyson Heppell)
30:16
SCORE
GOAL - Power (Sam Powell-Pepper)
30:21
Port Adelaide was the more efficient team in the opening quarter, with the pair of goals from centre bounce clearances and defensive 50 chains it scored already exceeding its season average scores from these sources.
Quarter 2
00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:08
In the opening quarter, Essendon led 11-6 in first possession wins at stoppages, but the clearance count was even and Port Adelaide led in points scored from stoppages 18-7.
00:50
Port Adelaide continues to use the ball better when entering the forward 50. The Power lead 5-2 in forward 50 marks despite trailing the inside 50 count 12-14.
01:06
SCORE
BEHIND - Power (Todd Marshall)
03:35
Essendon has won five of its six free kicks today from holding the ball decisions. The Bombers average only five such free kicks per game and now lead 5-1 in this measure.
04:12
SCORE
GOAL - Power (Jed McEntee)
04:50
Another forward 50 mark and goal for the Power. Port Adelaide has kicked five of its six goals from set shots today and has averaged a competition-high 56 percent of its score this season from such shots at goal.
07:30
SCORE
GOAL - Power (Connor Rozee)
07:45
Port Adelaide now leads forward 50 marks 8-2 and is finding a lot of space in this zone. The Power average 12 such marks per game, but took only six forward 50 marks last week.
09:38
SCORE
GOAL - Power (Mitch Georgiades)
10:15
Port Adelaide has already scored 18 points from defensive 50 chains. The Power have a season-high of just 22 points from these chains and average just 9.9 points.
11:11
SCORE
GOAL - Power (Willem Drew)
11:45
Port Adelaide now leads centre bounce clearances 8-3 and points scored from this source 19-0.
14:01
The Power have owned the ball this quarter, leading disposals 67-29 and allowing Essendon time in possession of only 23 percent.
15:24
SCORE
GOAL - Power (Sam Powell-Pepper)
15:40
Six goals in a row to the Power, with the last of these its first of the day to come from a forward half stoppage. Port Adelaide now leads 31-7 in points scored from stoppages.
18:04
SCORE
BEHIND - Power (Rushed)
18:17
This is already the highest score in the first half of a game by Port Adelaide since Round 11 last season when it scored 77 points against Fremantle.
19:18
SCORE
GOAL - Power (Zak Butters)
19:51
Port Adelaide averages eight points per game from forward 50 stoppages but has scored two goals in the last five minutes from this source and has now had the last nine inside 50 entries of the game.
22:31
The Power appears to be outnumbering the Bombers at the fall of the ball and now lead 34-17 in loose ball gets, including 16-5 this quarter.
23:12
SCORE
GOAL - Power (Karl Amon)
23:26
Power Interchange - Todd Marshall off due to an injury.
24:01
Port Adelaide continues to score heavily from stoppages and now leads 43-7 in points scored from this source. The Power averages only 30 points per game from stoppages.
26:54
The Power have kicked a goal from just 21 percent of their inside 50 entries this season, which is the second-worst percentage of any team. Today Port Adelaide has scored from 39 percent of its forward 50 entries.
27:06
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Kyle Langford)
29:04
The Power dominated the Bombers in all areas during the second quarter. Port Adelaide won ground balls (27-13), uncontested possessions (92-53), inside 50 entries (20-9), and forward 50 disposals (29-4), yet still won the tackle count (16-11).
Quarter 3
00:00
Q3 is now underway.
00:10
Port Adelaide kicked six goals in the first half from within 30 metres of goal, while Essendon did not have one shot at goal from this range with the superior ball movement of the Power generating quality shots at goal.
01:10
SCORE
GOAL - Power (Todd Marshall)
01:19
The second half started the way the first half ended with Port Adelaide moving the ball easily. The Power now leads 11-2 in forward 50 marks and 24-7 in points scored from defensive 50 chains (already their best return of the season).
03:12
Peter Wright has kicked only three goals in his six games against Port Adelaide, which is his lowest goals per game average against any opponent. Aliir Aliir prevented Wright from having a shot at goal in the first half.
06:20
SCORE
BEHIND - Power (Mitch Georgiades)
07:10
SCORE
BEHIND - Power (Zak Butters)
07:19
Both teams have now generated 15 forward half intercepts, but Port Adelaide leads 20-8 in points scored from this source, with its last two behinds coming from this source.
08:51
Essendon has won the clearances 5-1 this quarter but failed to score from any of these chains. The Bombers lead 13-3 in hitouts to advantage but have failed to capitalise on this today.
10:37
SCORE
GOAL - Bombers (Archie Perkins)
10:49
The run of goals to the Power has ended on nine following the goal to Archie Perkins. The mark by Perkins was the first in the forward 50 by the Bombers since the 24-minute-mark of the opening quarter.
11:42
SCORE
BEHIND - Power (Connor Rozee)
14:15
Zak Butters recorded a career-high of 36 disposals against the Bombers in Round 2 last season. Butters has enjoyed another prominent game today with his 17 disposals including two goals and one assist.
16:17
SCORE
BEHIND - Power (Rushed)
16:35
Essendon has scored 1.1.7 from nine forward half clearances today, while Port Adelaide has scored 4.0.24 from just five forward half clearances.
18:26
SCORE
GOAL - Bombers (Peter Wright)
18:39
Essendon has a narrow 8-5 lead in forward 50 tackles, with the last of these by Peter Wright resulting in a goal. Both teams average ten such tackles per game.
19:37
SCORE
GOAL - Bombers (Nick Hind)
20:34
The goal to Nick Hind was the first score of the game to Essendon to come from a centre bounce clearance. The Bombers average 13.2 points per game from this source (ranked fourth).
23:05
Aliir Aliir has recorded 2.3 intercept marks and 7.6 intercept possessions per game this season and is ranked No.1 at the club in each measure. Today Aliir Aliir has contributed seven intercepts, seven spoils and won all four of his one-on-one contests.
25:50
In the third quarter, Essendon has edged Port Adelaide in contested possessions (30-27), tackles (13-9) and inside 50 entries (12-11), but the Power have still generated more scoring shots (6-3).
28:17
Essendon games have averaged only 52 around-the-ground stoppages (the lowest of all teams), and today there have been only 33 such stoppages.
Quarter 4
00:00
Q4 is now underway.
00:56
Port Adelaide has conceded a goal from only 21.6 percent of opposition inside 50 entries this season (ranked third defensively), and has again been strong in this area today conceding only six goals from 37 inside 50 entries.
02:12
SCORE
GOAL - Bombers (Archie Perkins)
02:33
Both teams have been accurate with their set shots at goal today. Port Adelaide has scored 9.3.57 and Essendon 5.1.31 from these shots at goal.
03:58
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Archie Perkins)
04:43
The Bombers have lost all six games this season when the opposition has recorded better kicking efficiency, and this trend has continued today with the Power leading 72 percent to 67 percent in this measure.
05:08
SCORE
GOAL - Power (Zak Butters)
05:28
A second goal to the Power from a kick-in and a career-high third goal for Zak Butters. Port Adelaide had only kicked six goals this season from kick-ins before today and now leads 30-7 in points scored from defensive 50 chains.
06:42
SCORE
GOAL - Bombers (Kyle Langford)
08:09
Since half-time, Essendon leads 7-3 in centre bounce clearances and 13-1 in points scored from this source. Port Adelaide still leads 20-13 overall in points scored from centre bounce clearances.
08:30
SCORE
GOAL - Power (Jeremy Finlayson)
09:04
Jeremy Finlayson has again contributed strongly for the Power, recording an equal team-high four clearances, and his 18 disposals include seven score involvements and have gained 447 metres.
10:07
SCORE
BEHIND - Power (Connor Rozee)
10:56
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Nick Hind)
11:46
SCORE
GOAL - Power (Mitch Georgiades)
11:54
A third goal from a kick-in chain for Port Adelaide and the Power now have scored 36 points from defensive 50 chains. The AFL average is only 13 points and the previous high for the Power this season was only 22.
13:11
SCORE
GOAL - Bombers (Darcy Parish)
14:34
SCORE
GOAL - Power (Sam Powell-Pepper)
14:54
Sam Powell-Pepper now has an equal career-high three goals (which have been his only score involvements) and Port Adelaide leads 17-7 in forward 50 marks following another smooth transition goal.
16:06
SCORE
GOAL - Power (Jeremy Finlayson)
18:09
SCORE
BEHIND - Power (Karl Amon)
19:03
SCORE
GOAL - Power (Dan Houston)
19:34
Dan Houston has recorded game-highs for intercepts (12) and metres gained (528), with three of his intercepts launching scores for the Power including the last goal.
21:21
Another run of four goals to the Power who have scored 31 points this quarter from defensive half chains. Port Adelaide averages 26 points per game from such chains.
22:26
SCORE
BEHIND - Bombers (Jake Stringer)
22:47
Jake Stringer has recorded a shot at goal accuracy of just 45.3 percent this season, which is ranked 46th of the top-50 goalkickers. Stringer has missed both of his shots at goal today.
23:46
Another goal to Port Adelaide from a kick-in chain. Since Round 13, the Power had kicked only one such goal, but they have kicked four today (including three in the final quarter) with Essendon again exposed defensively.
30:07
This is now the highest score against Essendon at this venue by any team since Hawthorn scored 151 points in Round 12, 2016.
31:32
SCORE
GOAL - Power (Sam Powell-Pepper)
31:40
Another walk-in goal for Port Adelaide to finish off the game with Travis Boak providing the assist on a career-high fourth goal for Sam Powell-Pepper. Boak has recorded a game-high 13 score involvements.
32:40
A comprehensive win for the Power who outscored the Bombers 68-27 from stoppages despite trailing 28-37 in clearances. Port Adelaide also led 68-15 in points scored from the back half in an indication of the difference in the quality of ball movement and pressure.