Match

Essendon vs Geelong Cats

Commentary / 30 Apr 2023

Pre Game

00:00
Essendon have improved rapidly defensively in 2023, and this is due in large part to their pressure acts. They lead the league in pre-clearance tackle differential (31 more than their collective opponents), total rundown tackles (19) and total tackle differential (57) after the first six rounds.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
02:58
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Isaac Smith)
04:17
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Brad Close)
05:47
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tom Hawkins)
06:28
Geelong record the first three marks inside 50 and generate the first three scores of the game as a result. Geelong have outscored their opponents by four goals per game from shots at goal taken from a mark this year, sharing the league lead with Melbourne in this regard.
12:11
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Jeremy Cameron)
13:55
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Jeremy Cameron)
14:26
Cats Interchange - Jack Bowes off due to an injury.
16:49
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tom Hawkins)
17:01
All 26 of Geelong's points have been launched from possession chains launched between the 50 metre arc's. They have outscored their opponents by 16 points per game from the midfield zone in 2023, ranked third in the AFL.
18:34
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tom Hawkins)
21:10
Alarm bells for Essendon as Tom Hawkins scores his fourth goal from his fourth contested mark inside 50 in the first term alone. But the problem might be further up the ground, as the Cats have won all six centre bounce clearances recorded in today's match.
23:12
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Sam Draper)
23:53
Just like that, Essendon get their first goal after recording their first centre bounce clearance of the match. They have outscored their opponents by two points per game from this source in 2023, ranked fifth in the AFL.
25:51
Tanner Bruhn has replaced Jack Bowes (calf) as a medical substitute.
27:40
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Jake Stringer)
28:24
Back-to-back goals for the Bombers, both of which have been scored from set shots. The Bombers have scored 40 goals in 2023 from set shots, the sixth-lowest total of any side from this shot type.
31:54
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Tom Hawkins)
33:09
Essendon were able to match Geelong in the intercept possession count 16-16 in the first term, but the forward half intercept possession count tells the story, which they lost 2-9 to the Cats. They also conceded both goals from this source from turnovers in the Bombers defensive half.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
01:22
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Jeremy Cameron)
02:35
The Cats extend their lead with the first goal of the second quarter. Since 2018, the Cats have scored a goal from 28.8 per cent of their inside 50's against the Bombers, the highest percentage in the league. They have scored a goal from 35 per cent of their inside 50's in today's match so far.
03:33
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Jake Stringer)
04:50
A quick answering goal for the Bombers to get the margin back under 30 points. The goal to Jake Stringer, who leads all players on the ground with nine contested possessions, was launched from their first intercept possession of the quarter, and Nic Martin's fifth, also a game-high figure.
05:37
Cats Interchange - Patrick Dangerfield off due to an injury.
07:57
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Oliver Henry)
09:38
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)
10:50
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Sam Weideman)
12:24
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Gary Rohan)
13:59
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Sam Weideman)
14:43
Sam Weideman gets two goals in almost as many minutes to equal his tally from Anzac Day just five days ago. He also lead all Bombers players with eight marks against Collingwood last round, the fourth highest mark tally among forwards last round.
17:48
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Sam Simpson)
21:09
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Dylan Shiel)
21:44
That goal to Dylan Shiel is the Bombers' third of the match from open play, compared to just one for the Cats. Shiel has four score involvements, including two goal assists, from his ten disposals thus far to be an important contributor for the Bombers in today's match.
23:22
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Sam Simpson)
24:57
Since their last loss, the Cats have averaged 20 goals per game, the most of any side during this period. They are on track to improve on this average with 11 goals already before half time.
25:47
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tom Hawkins)
26:29
Tom Hawkins fifth goal of the match is the Cats 10th from a set shot in today's match. Hawkins has never kicked more than seven goals in a match, and his six marks inside 50 in the first half is double that of the Bombers' team tally (three).
27:28
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tanner Bruhn)
30:36
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Jake Stringer)
31:36
Jake Stringer gets goal number three for the match, after recording the Bombers first contested mark of the match. That goal was their second they have launched this term after winning the ball back in their defensive 50 and going coast-to-coast. They have outscored their 2023 combined opponents by 43 points when they have launched an intercept chain from their defensive 50, ranked third in the AFL from this source.
31:55
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Jake Stringer)
33:14
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tom Hawkins)
34:52
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Sam Weideman)
34:54
Patrick Dangerfield's team-high 15 disposals, seven contested possessions, six clearances and nine inside 50's are impressive in isolation, but even more so when taking into account his 58 per cent time on ground in the first half, the lowest percentage of any non-substitute related player.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
01:29
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Jye Caldwell)
01:50
A great start for the Bombers with the first goal of the third term, and again going coast-to-coast with their third goal launched from defensive 50. Caldwell's goal was also the Bombers fourth scored from within 30 metres of the goal. By comparison, the Cats have managed just one goal from this distance in today's match.
02:45
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Will Setterfield)
03:35
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Jake Kolodjashnij)
04:57
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)
07:04
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Dylan Shiel)
08:19
Back-to-back set shot goals for the Bombers as a result of better ball movement. Their kicking efficiency has lifted from 62 to 73 per cent from the first half to the third term, with both of the Bombers kicks inside 50 marked by teammates and converted into goals.
08:41
Cats Interchange - Max Holmes off due to an injury.
09:13
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Sam Durham)
10:34
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tanner Bruhn)
12:50
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Sam Weideman)
13:54
Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti and Sam Weideman are developing some great chemistry in their first match together. Both of McDonald-Tipungwuti's goal assists have lead to Weideman goals. Weideman's 3.1 for the match is the third-best scoreboard figure of his career.
15:14
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)
17:24
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Jake Stringer)
18:32
After conceding only one goal from a turnover in the defensive half in the first half, the Cats have surrendered two goals from defensive half turnovers in this term alone. Geelong lead the league having outscored their opponents by 13 points per game from this source in 2023.
19:36
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tom Hawkins)
20:36
After winning the mark inside 50 count 13-4 in the first half, that goal to Hawkins was from the Cats first mark inside 50 this term, after the Bombers recorded the first six such marks of the term. Hawkins has drawn level with Charlie Curnow with 5 contested marks inside 50 in today's game to share the lead league (15) in this metric in 2023.
26:30
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Sam Simpson)
27:58
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Jeremy Cameron)
29:11
Jeremy Cameron's third goal of the match will make it six games in a row with at least three goals scored, the longest streak of three or more goals in every game of any player in the league.
30:02
Will Snelling has replaced Andrew Phillips as the tactical substitute.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
01:16
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Patrick Dangerfield)
03:30
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Oliver Henry)
05:08
Since the last Bombers goal at the 17 minute mark of the third term, the Cats have controlled the game by locking the ball in their forward half. 84 per cent of time elapsed in this period has been in the Cats forward half, evidenced by a 15-2 inside 50 count and a 11-1 forward half intercept possession count.
08:08
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)
08:32
The Cats are dominating the stoppages at the start of the final term, winning all seven clearances thus far off the back of a pre-clearance contested possession count of 7-1 for the term.
09:11
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Mitch Duncan)
09:55
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)
12:03
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)
15:07
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Max Holmes)
16:46
The Bombers are showing plenty of fight off the back of a five day break against the reigning premiers. Their ability to launch five goals from their defensive 50, including both of their final term goals, and to stem the tide after the first term onslaught is a promising sign.
19:14
With that goal, Tom Hawkins sets a new career-best scoreboard figure of 8.1 (49), surpassing the 44 points he recorded against Brisbane in Round 23, 2014.
22:11
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Sam Weideman)
23:53
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Mason Redman)
23:55
A late goal for Sam Weideman to equal his tally for the year to date with his fourth goal of the match. Mason Redman's goal was the third of the term that the Bombers have scored in general play. The Bombers have outscored their opponents by 19 points per game from this shot source, the highest margin of any side from this shot source in 2023.
27:31
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Nick Hind)
28:07
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)
30:45
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)
32:24
Since Round 4, Geelong is averaging 131 points, ranked first in the competition. Their improvement in the conversion of stoppage clearances to scores, where they have again beaten their opponents by over three goals, since their 0-3 start is clearly paying dividends.
32:32
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Sam Weideman)
33:18
The first five-goal haul of Sam Weideman's career has been a bright spot for the Bombers, who have kept in touch with the Cats despite the impressive offensive output by their opponents. They outscored the Cats 50-41 from general play to show their strength in this regard.
34:18
Geelong were able to use their 32-12 forward half intercept possession count win to great effect by outscoring their opponents 7.4 (46) to 3.4 (22) from this source, which mirrored the final margin of today's match.