Match

West Coast Eagles vs Essendon

Commentary / 18 Apr 2025

Pre Game

00:00
After not conceding 100 points in their first eight games at Optus Stadium last year – the Eagles have conceded 100-plus points in four of their last six encounters.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
02:09
SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Jake Waterman)
06:27
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Will Setterfield)
10:31
West Coast had just 77 contested possessions last round – the fewest in any match by any team on record. They have started positively in this area today, currently leading contested possessions 14 to seven.
13:28
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Dylan Shiel)
14:02
Jack Graham laid a game-high nine tackles against the Blues – four more than any other player on the ground. Today, Graham is the player who will need to be tackled, as he currently leads the match with eight disposals.
15:10
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Peter Wright)
16:08
Peter Wright provides Essendon with its first goal of the match in his first outing this season. Wright has kicked 19 goals in each of the last two seasons, before that producing a 53-goal season in 2022 - ultimately walking away with a club best and fairest that year.
18:51
SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Jack Williams)
21:21
SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Jake Waterman)
22:18
It has been a slow start for Jake Waterman this season, with just two goals from two games, following on from a breakout All-Australian campaign in 2024 in which he kicked 53 goals. Today he has started strongly with two goals in the first quarter.
23:39
SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Jake Waterman)
25:39
West Coast has produced an intense first term, leading the pressure factor 200 to 182.
30:08
SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Jake Waterman)
30:10
The siren has sounded to end Q1.
30:34
It has been a stellar start for Jake Waterman and the Eagles. Waterman has imposed his dominant presence on this match early, to the tune of four goals and six marks (three inside 50) in just the first term.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
01:26
SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Jamie Cripps)
04:15
SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Jamie Cripps)
07:50
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Peter Wright)
09:42
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Peter Wright)
10:57
Essendon has gained more control of the contest in this term. Leading the contested possession count 10 to six, after losing it 29 to 35 in the first quarter.
11:58
The Bombers have generated a clearance from 69% of their centre bounce first possessions – ranked last. They are going at 100% today in this metric and lead clearances five to zero in this second quarter.
12:45
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Dylan Shiel)
17:37
SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Hamish Davis)
19:14
Nate Caddy has kicked multiple goals in back-to-back games for the first time in his 14 games. He had seven disposals and four marks against Melbourne. Caddy is yet to have much influence on this contest today, with just three disposals thus far.
23:27
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)
24:38
It has been a relatively even last 10 minutes, with Essendon leading contested possession by one in this time and tackles are even.
25:02
SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Jack Williams)
26:20
The Eagles have proven damaging in front of goal today when given a set shot, kicking five goals and one behind. 64.6% of their goals this season have come from set shots - third highest in the competition.
29:25
SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Jamie Cripps)
30:29
In the last 10 minutes, 80% of play has been in West Coast's forward half.
30:33
Essendon conceded seven inside 50 marks to West Coast in the first half of today's match. It has conceded on average 13.8 marks inside its defensive 50 this season - this is the third worst in the competition.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
01:18
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Mason Redman)
03:36
SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Liam Ryan)
04:22
Liam Ryan was the only multiple goalkicker for the Eagles last round with two goals. He was goalless in both games against the Bombers last year and is yet to register a major so far today.
04:36
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Peter Wright)
06:36
Peter Wright has kicked his fourth goal in the match. It's the 12th time that he has kicked four or more goals in a match when playing for the Bombers.
09:38
Jake Waterman's four goals in the first quarter are the first time a West Coast player has kicked four or more goals in a quarter since Jack Darling in 2021.
10:53
SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Liam Ryan)
11:50
SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Jayden Hunt)
12:59
SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Matthew Owies)
14:05
Sam Draper had a career-high 22 disposals and 469 metres gained last week against the Demons, dishing out two score assists. Today, he leads all Essendon players with three intercept marks, as he returns to a familiar role in the ruck after Nick Bryan's ACL injury last round.
15:22
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Nate Caddy)
15:54
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)
17:09
SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Jack Williams)
17:58
SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Elijah Hewett)
19:47
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Archie Perkins)
20:55
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Archie Perkins)
22:34
In his last two matches, Dylan Shiel has been moved back into a midfield role, averaging 27.5 disposals and six clearances in this time. Thus far today, Shiel leads all players on the ground with 19 disposals and has hit the scoreboard with a goal.
23:12
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Andrew McGrath)
25:17
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Sam Draper)
26:46
Sam Draper has now kicked seven straight goals this season when snapping at goal from a set shot.
28:01
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Peter Wright)
29:28
In the last 10 minutes, Essendon has maintained possession with 36 disposals to 11. Scoring 25 points to zero in this time.
31:30
In the last 10 minutes to end this third quarter, the Bombers have led the pressure factor 201 to 140.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
02:02
In stark contrast to many of their dominant seasons throughout the 2010s, the Eagles have produced just two points from clearances in today's match.
03:48
Entering today's match, Essendon were the only team in the league without a score from kick-ins this season. Essendon finally produced a goal from a kick-in during the third quarter of this match.
04:33
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Nic Martin)
05:15
Bombers Interchange - Sam Draper and is possibly out for the game.
06:57
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Peter Wright)
08:10
SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Jamie Cripps)
11:38
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Peter Wright)
12:23
Essendon has taken nine of its 11 marks inside 50 during the second half of this match, creating safer scoring opportunities. It has converted six goals from eight set shots in the second half.
12:52
SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Elijah Hewett)
13:49
The Eagles have conceded 42 goals to general forwards – 11 more than any other team. However, it is key forward Peter Wright, who has done the damage against them with his six goals.
14:46
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)
15:30
Will Setterfield laid seven tackles at stoppage last round – ranked equal-first in the league with Clayton Oliver. Setterfield has nine tackles in today's match, seven of which have come pre-clearance.
19:22
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)
19:46
The Eagles have now given away three 50m penalties in this match.
21:49
West Coast leads the inside 50 count 10 to five in this final term. However, it has scored from just 20% of its entries, whereas Essendon has converted on 100% of its entries.
22:32
SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Elijah Hewett)
23:03
After just five disposals in the first half, Elijah Hewett has stepped up with 16 disposals and two goals in the second half. Including a clutch goal to close the margin to just seven points late in this fourth quarter.
26:13
Bombers Interchange - Xavier Duursma and is possibly out for the game.
27:24
In the last 10 minutes, the pressure factor is tied at a high 199 for each side.
27:41
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Jye Menzie)
28:25
SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Jack Williams)
29:57
In his first match of the season, Peter Wright played a massive role tonight with six goals for his side. Essendon produced a resilient game to limit West Coast to just three points from clearances. It's the third time in West Coast's past 12 matches that a goal has not been kicked from stoppage.