Match

Hawthorn vs Essendon

Commentary / 19 Mar 2023

Pre Game

00:00
The Hawks averaged 32.5 clearances in 2022 and scored on average 27.3 points from these clearances - ranked last in the AFL in both measures.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
03:27
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Kyle Langford)
04:11
SCORE BEHIND - Hawks (Chad Wingard)
04:36
The Bombers have looked in control with the ball so far, kicking at 81% kicking efficiency and registering ten uncontested marks to the Hawks' zero.
06:11
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Mason Redman)
06:51
Mason Redman kicks a long set-shot goal from outside 50, from a chain that began with a Jordan Ridley kick-in. The Bombers averaged four points per game from kick-ins in 2022 - ranked sixth in the competition.
08:45
In the first ten minutes, the Hawks have only registered three effective kicks. Meanwhile, the Bombers have managed 21.
09:09
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Jye Caldwell)
10:35
The Hawks have now had seven ball-movement chains starting in their defensive half, however, have yet to turn any of them into an inside-50 entry.
13:06
SCORE BEHIND - Hawks (James Sicily)
14:47
SCORE GOAL - Hawks (Fergus Greene)
15:31
Fergus Greene kicks his first goal for the Hawks and his first AFL goal since 2018. It's the first score of the game for Hawthorn from a stoppage clearance chain.
16:57
SCORE BEHIND - Hawks (James Worpel)
18:15
The Hawks have turned up their pressure, registering the last five tackles of the game, and leading the overall tackle count 14-4.
18:33
SCORE BEHIND - Hawks (Jacob Koschitzke)
20:29
SCORE GOAL - Hawks (Karl Amon)
21:55
The Hawks have taken ascendancy at ground level in the last ten minutes, leading clearances 5-1 and leading tackles 5-0 in that time.
23:23
SCORE BEHIND - Hawks (Luke Breust)
24:17
James Worpel leads all players on the ground with nine disposals so far. It's only the second time Worpel has had nine disposals or more in a first quarter since 2020.
25:57
SCORE GOAL - Hawks (Luke Breust)
27:15
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Jye Menzie)
27:47
Jye Menzie gets the Bombers against the run of play, from a centre bounce chain. It's the first goal from a centre-bounce chain for the Bombers this game, coming from the Bomber's only clearance of the last ten minutes.
30:54
Essendon's defensive-half ball movement fell apart as the quarter dragged on. In the first half of the quarter, the Bombers managed to move the ball from their defensive half to their forward 50 seven times, however, in the second half of the quarter, they only managed to achieve this twice.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
01:19
Debutant Cam Mackenzie's first quarter of AFL included eight touches, four contested possessions, two tackles and one clearance, all at a disposal efficiency of 88%.
03:14
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Zach Merrett)
04:16
Similarly to the beginning of the first quarter, the Bombers have managed repeat forward-50 entries to start the second quarter, registering five of the first six second-quarter entries.
06:07
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Sam Draper)
07:01
Essendon's midfielders have responded so far this quarter. The Bombers have doubled the Hawks' contested disposal count this quarter (10-5), and lead the clearance count three to zero.
08:33
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Harrison Jones)
11:23
SCORE BEHIND - Hawks (James Worpel)
12:36
New Hawthorn captain James Sicily is holding firm in the Hawk's backline, leading all players on the ground with three intercept marks so far - all in his team's defensive 50.
14:25
Hawthorn has struggled in the forward half this quarter, registering eight turnovers and going at a disposal rate of only 48% in the same zone.
15:18
SCORE GOAL - Hawks (Changkuoth Jiath)
18:21
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Sam Weideman)
18:31
New Bomber Sam Weideman kicks his first goal for Essendon. It's Essendon's fourth goal of the game from a chain starting in the defensive 50. Hawthorn has only managed a single goal from the same measure.
19:44
SCORE BEHIND - Hawks (Josh Ward)
21:50
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Sam Weideman)
22:26
Sam Wiedeman has now taken two marks in the forward 50 this quarter. Throughout 2022, Weideman only managed to take two or more marks inside 50 in a single game twice.
24:00
James Worpel leads all players on the ground with seven contested possessions, six stoppage first possessions and six clearances. However, his kicking efficiency is a lowly 29%.
25:35
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Archie Perkins)
28:12
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Alwyn Davey Jnr)
28:36
Debutant Alwyn Davey Jnr kicks his first goal in AFL football, to cement Essendon's lead. Davey Jnr has had six kicks so far today, with five of them being inside-50 entries.
29:37
The Bombers turned around their intercept game in the second quarter, managing to score 3.2 (20) from intercept possessions in the quarter to outscore the Hawks by 14 from this source. It's a large turnaround from 2022, where the Bombers averaged 15 fewer points than their opposition from this source - ranked 16th in the league.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
01:24
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Will Setterfield)
01:49
New Bomber WIll Setterfield kicks the Bombers' first goal of the second half. Essendon has had a strong start to the third quarter, registering the first four contested possessions and first four inside 50s of the quarter.
03:07
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Jordan Ridley)
03:14
Bombers Interchange - Jake Kelly off due to an injury.
03:29
Jordan Ridley gets in on the action, kicking his first AFL goal after 69 games. The Bombers have continued to punish the Hawks on turnover, with both goals this quarter coming from intercept possessions.
05:54
Hawthorn's new ruck duo of Ned Reeves and Lloyd Meek has had the ascendancy in pure hitout numbers, leading 20-10 overall. However, the Hawks only lead the hitout-to-advantage count 5-4.
08:30
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Archie Perkins)
09:30
Essendon has now kicked the last six goals of the game. The Hawks haven't scored a goal since the 16th minute of the second quarter.
10:39
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Archie Perkins)
12:34
The Hawks have only managed eight forward-half disposals in the third quarter, with only half of them effective. The other four have been turnovers - with three of them leading directly to Essendon rebound goals.
12:57
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Harrison Jones)
14:48
Brandon Zerk-Thatcher has played a significant role in Essendon's defensive dominance. Zerk-Thatcher has registered ten intercept possessions so far this game - an equal career-high, and the third time he has passed nine intercept possessions in his last five games.
17:02
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Sam Draper)
19:00
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Archie Perkins)
19:36
In the absence of Mitch Lewis, the Hawks have only managed two marks inside 50 for the whole of today's match. In 2022, Hawthorn only had fewer than five marks inside 50 once.
21:34
SCORE BEHIND - Hawks (Chad Wingard)
23:14
Darcy Parish has had an immense quarter for the Bombers, registering ten disposals, five contested possessions and three clearances - all game-highs for the quarter. Parish led the Bombers for contested possessions in 2022, averaging 13.1 per game.
23:40
SCORE BEHIND - Hawks (Rushed)
24:41
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)
25:10
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Mason Redman)
27:24
In his first game for the Bombers, Will Setterfield has now collected 11 disposals in the third quarter - equal most on the ground with Darcy Parish and Zach Merrett. It is the most disposals Setterfield has ever registered in a single quarter.
28:16
The Bombers put on a clinic in the third quarter, kicking six goals to the Hawks' none. All six of the Bombers' goals came from intercept possessions, with at least one coming from each major zone on the ground. Essendon has now outscored the Hawks from this source by 36 points.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
02:41
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Archie Perkins)
03:42
Hawks Interchange - Chad Wingard and is possibly out for the game.
04:27
SCORE GOAL - Hawks (Luke Breust)
04:40
Luke Breust finally ends the Bombers' nine consecutive goals with his second of the game. It is just the third goal the Hawks have registered from a stoppage chain.
06:02
SCORE GOAL - Hawks (Blake Hardwick)
06:25
James Sicily has led the Hawks' backline admirably as captain, taking 13 marks for the game - the highest on the ground. Sicily averaged 8.6 marks per game in 2022 - ranked first in the league.
07:42
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Jye Menzie)
08:46
Darcy Parish now has 13 contested possessions for the match - the highest total on the ground. Parish averaged 13.1 contested possessions in 2022, ranked first for Essendon and seventh overall.
09:01
SCORE BEHIND - Hawks (Rushed)
10:55
588 days since his last game, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti kicks his first goal of the match, with his first disposal after being subbed on for Harrison Jones. McDonald-Tipungwuti averaged 1.7 goals per game in 2021 for the Bombers, ranked third at the club.
12:43
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)
14:06
SCORE BEHIND - Hawks (Rushed)
15:32
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Dyson Heppell)
16:47
Hawthorn has managed to score just 4.5 (29) from stoppage clearances so far in this match. The Hawks averaged 27.3 points from this source in 2022 - ranked last in the competition.
17:33
Bombers Interchange - Dylan Shiel off due to an injury.
19:10
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Archie Perkins)
19:45
Archie Perkins has now kicked three goals for the match - the most on the ground. It is the third time he's reached this total, having achieved it once before in both 2021 and 2022.
23:03
Will Setterfield has now collected 25 disposals - one short of his career-high disposal count. He has also collected 21 uncontested possession - a career-high, and the fourth time he has passed 15 uncontested possessions in his last six games.
25:16
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Sam Durham)
27:45
SCORE GOAL - Hawks (Luke Breust)
29:27
SCORE GOAL - Hawks (Blake Hardwick)
30:31
Darcy Parish's 13 clearances are not only a game-high, but also his equal-highest clearance total in his career. It is also the equal-highest clearance count for an Essendon player in a single game in the past five years.
31:35
Essendon kick off 2023 with a significant victory, built off their defensive dominance and midfield superiority. The Bombers outscored the Hawks by 31 points from defensive 50 scoring chains; they also managed 14 more contested possessions and six more clearances, mostly thanks to Darcy Parish's impressive 18 contested possesions and 13 clearances.