Match

Sydney Swans vs Essendon

Commentary / 23 Mar 2024

Pre Game

00:00
Sydney has lost just once against Essendon at the SCG since 2010 – with four of the last six games decided by less than 10 points.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
00:13
The Bombers win the first centre clearance of the game. Last week, they won the centre clearance count by nine - the best differential for the round.
00:48
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Jade Gresham)
01:17
Jade Gresham kicks off the scoring with a goal launched from centre bounce clearance. The Bombers have kicked three goals from centre bounce this year - the fifth most on average for the year.
02:55
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Nik Cox)
03:12
Sam Draper has launched both of Essendon's goals tonight, with both goals also coming from Zach Merrett's centre clearances.
10:05
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Rushed)
12:28
Adding to his two score launches, Sam Draper has converted all three of his disposals to clearances. Draper had five clearances against the Hawks last week.
13:41
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Will Hayward)
13:54
Will Hayward slots through Sydney's first goal of the night, with it being launched from Sydney's defensive 50. The Swans average 2.5 scores launched from this zone - ranked equal third-last.
16:33
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Kyle Langford)
18:08
Sydney has had just one hardball get to Essendon's eight so far, but are winning the looseball count 12-7.
20:42
Essendon has had eight of the first 10 clearances. Six of those have been effective.
21:38
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Kyle Langford)
23:54
The Bombers have scored two goals on the back of midfield turnovers. They were outscored from midfield turnovers by 24 points last week and currently have the worst differential from this source in the league.
25:03
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Will Hayward)
26:32
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)
26:35
Sydney's goals have been sourced from turnover. Over the two games that they've played, they have outscored their opponent by 31 points on average - the best differential for this season.
28:27
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Logan McDonald)
28:59
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Corey Warner)
29:36
Sydney has been able to get some control in this game, having the game spent 63% of the last 10 minutes in their forward half, as well as having three more inside 50s in this time.
31:37
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Hayden McLean)
31:43
An elegant kick from Errol Gulden finds Hayden McLean inside 50. McLean's goal becomes the third goal from a mark inside 50 for the quarter.
34:13
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Joel Amartey)
37:05
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Isaac Heeney)
37:45
The Swans have been damaging from turnover. They have generated four more inside 50s from turnover chains and have kicked 16 more points from turnover in comparison to the Bombers.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
01:29
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Sam Draper)
01:37
On his return game, Sam Draper has been lively. He has had game-highs in clearances (5), metres gained (223) contested possessions (5), as well as pitching in with a goal.
02:44
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Nik Cox)
05:45
Isaac Heeney has been electric, collecting game-highs with 12 disposals, of which five were won in a contested manner and five score involvements. He is enjoying spending more time in the midfield, having Sydney's most centre bounce attendances with nine.
07:29
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Rushed)
09:55
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Tom Papley)
10:12
Both of Sydney's goals for the quarter have been generated from defensive half-chains. They are defending their defensive 50 well and generating ball movement from this zone, having a rebound efficiency of 50% in comparison to Essendon's 33%
12:09
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Jye Menzie)
13:40
The Swans are playing with a life-or-death mentality in their defensive 50, having a 219 pressure factor in this zone. They have averaged the highest defensive 50 pressure factor this season, averaging 240.
14:38
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Jade Gresham)
15:50
Both teams have now scored two goals from their back half and generated five inside 50s from defensive half chains. The bombers have been able to score from 71% of their entries this quarter, whereas the Swans have only managed to score from 43%.
17:23
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Corey Warner)
18:36
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Peter Wright)
18:43
A long bomb from Peter Wright gives Essendon the lead by four points. The Bombers have scored two goals from outside 50 tonight, as well as six for the season - the most of any team so far.
20:05
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Joel Amartey)
21:05
A stylish goal from Joel Amartey on the goal line switches the lead for the fifth time. The Swans have scored six goals from within 15 metres - the second-most in the AFL in 2024.
22:15
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Todd Goldstein)
25:02
It has been a tough tussle in marking contests tonight. From 11 1v1 contests, Sydney has won the battle 36% of the time, whilst Essendon has won 27% of 1v1 contests.
25:43
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)
26:42
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Tom Papley)
27:18
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Nick Blakey)
28:48
The Swans have forced the Bombers to make seven forward-half turnovers, whereas the Bombers have only forced one.
28:58
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Tom Papley)
30:03
Tom Papley's goal was set up by a kick inside 50 from Errol Gulden. All three of Gulden's kicks inside 50 have resulted in scores for Sydney - the most of anyone tonight.
31:10
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Hayden McLean)
32:07
The Bombers have destroyed Sydney at stoppages, as they are winning the clearance count by 14 and have gained an extra 549 metres from clearances.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
01:15
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Logan McDonald)
01:44
Logan McDonald converts Sydney's seventh goal from a mark for the game. McDonald's goal came from a contested mark - 2023 saw the Swans score the fifth most goals from this source for the home and away season.
02:58
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Jake Stringer)
04:43
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Peter Wright)
05:19
Although Brodie Grundy is leading the hitouts 8-4 against Sam Draper, the Bombers have had eight more clearances and have scored seven more points from clearance when these two have been rucking opponents.
06:33
After struggling in stoppages in the first half, the Swans have made a point to be stronger, having the first four clearances in this term. Additionally, their first goal of the term has come from this source.
09:06
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Sam Draper)
09:36
Peter Wright has been Essendon's most targeted player inside 50, being targeted five times and scoring two goals. He was the third most targeted player inside 50 in the league on average across last season, being targeted 7.4 times a game as well as kicking a goal from 20% of those targets.
12:17
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Errol Gulden)
13:59
Swans Interchange - Logan McDonald off due to the blood rule.
15:15
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Elijah Tsatas)
16:29
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Corey Warner)
16:35
Chains from defensive 50 has been a source of opportunities for Sydney. They have launched an inside 50 from 39% of their defensive 50 chains and scored 3.6 (24) from this zone. In comparison, the Bombers have only launched an inside 50 from 14% and have scored 2.2 (14).
16:58
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Rushed)
18:26
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Braeden Campbell)
20:19
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Tom Papley)
24:08
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Will Hayward)
24:14
The Swans have owned the territory in the last 10 minutes, having spent 60% of time in their forward half. They have been able to score from five of their last six entries, whereas the Bombers have only scored from one of their last four inside 50s.
25:31
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Jake Stringer)
25:50
An important goal from Jake Stringer to close the margin to 11 points. Both goals from the Bombers this quarter have come from attacking midfield chains. They were able to score 31 points from this zone last week - ranking them fourth in the league on average.
28:06
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Nick Blakey)
31:34
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Hayden McLean)
31:36
Nic Martin was able to get himself into the game in the third term, collecting a team-high nine disposals, as well as launching two scores.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
00:38
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Will Hayward)
00:52
Will Hayward has made every one of his nine disposals count, scoring 3.1 (19) as well as being involved in six scores.
02:19
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Oliver Florent)
05:00
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Zach Merrett)
05:07
Zach Merrett has had close attention from James Rowbottom, as they have spent 46 minutes matched up on each other, although, Merrett has had six more disposals and has scored a goal in this time.
06:17
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)
06:47
Comparing forward half outputs, in this zone Sydney has had 19 more disposals, 15 more marks, nine more intercept possessions and five more tackles. The Bombers have had nine more clearances in this zone.
09:15
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Chad Warner)
09:31
Jake Lloyd has launched an equal-career-high six score launches, which has resulted in 3.3 (21) on the score board.
10:51
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Zach Merrett)
12:48
Essendon are giving it their all to stay in the contest, having four more inside 50s and 72% of this quarter being spent in their forward half.
15:32
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Jade Gresham)
16:34
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Jade Gresham)
16:57
The Bombers have chopped the margin down to 11 points, scoring three goals in a row for the first time in this game.
18:46
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Errol Gulden)
19:22
Errol Gulden gives the Swans some breathing room, extending the margin to 17 points. Both of Sydney's goals in the final term have been launched from centre clearances - a score source which has only seen them score 2.5 points on average this season - ranked last in 2024.
20:38
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Hayden McLean)
22:28
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Tom Papley)
24:00
When the ball has left the stoppage area, the Swans have been dominant this quarter, winning five more post-clearance contested possessions. The Swans won this stat in four of their last six games.
24:15
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Kyle Langford)
26:17
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Jake Lloyd)
27:15
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Jake Stringer)
28:52
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Chad Warner)
29:08
Chad Warner slots his second to put the game to bed. Both Sydney and Essendon have had five multiple goal kickers.
31:25
SCORE GOAL - Swans (James Jordon)
32:52
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Chad Warner)
33:18
The Swans have kicked 12.9 (81) in comparison to Essendon's 4.3 (27) after the 20th minute of each quarter (red time goals).
35:40
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Jake Stringer)
35:43
The Swans were outstanding at lowering their eyes when entering their forward 50, taking 19 forward 50 marks and scoring 72 points from those marks. Despite having fewer clearances, they were able to damage Essendon with 33 points from centre clearances - their second most in the past year.