Match

Western Bulldogs vs Essendon

Commentary / 17 May 2025

Pre Game

00:00
The Bulldogs have won their last eight matches at Marvel Stadium by an average winning margin of 42 points.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
01:24
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Nic Martin)
03:14
The game has been free-flowing early, having just one stoppage in the first three minutes, with that being the initial centre bounce.
03:34
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Ed Richards)
06:55
The Bulldogs have been transitioning from their defensive 50 cleanly, achieving a forward 50 from 50% of their chains beginning in the zone.
09:05
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Aaron Naughton)
09:52
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Zach Merrett)
10:26
Both sides are missing their opportunities early, having scored 0.2 (2) each from their five inside 50s.
11:01
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Marcus Bontempelli)
11:20
Marcus Bontempelli scores the first of the night from clearance. The Bulldogs are averaging 50.8 points per game from clearance this season - the highest average we have seen from the source.
14:38
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Rhylee West)
14:46
Essenden's pressure has been lacklustre early, having a rating of just 1.61, which would be their worst in a first quarter this season.
17:56
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Lachlan McNeil)
19:05
The Bulldogs have been unstoppable once they get the ball inside 50 having scored from 75% of their entries and kicked a goal from 50%.
21:01
Despite the Bulldogs excelling in the contest this season, they are choosing to play incredibly fast today, having 40 handball receives and playing on from 29% of their marks
21:26
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Laitham Vandermeer)
24:22
The Bulldogs have already had five marks inside 50 tonight, well on their way to surpassing their season average of 11.6 per game.
27:52
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Nic Martin)
29:15
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Ed Richards)
30:32
Despite losing the clearance count by three, the Bulldogs have outscored the Bombers by 19 from stoppage (3.2 (20) - 0.1 (1)).
31:29
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Tom Liberatore)
32:51
Essendon could not convert inside 50 scoring from just 33% of their entries and kicking a goal from 0%, whereas the Bulldogs scored from 67% of their entries and kicked a goal from 47%.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
03:28
The Bombers have had all the ball early, being plus 17 in disposals, however, they seem to be going nowhere with them, having just three kicks compared to 21 handballs, and not having a single disposal in their forward half.
03:37
Bulldogs Interchange - Arthur Jones off due to an injury.
05:42
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Jason Johannisen)
06:45
The Bulldogs have been on top from stoppage this quarter, having the first five clearances.
07:40
Rylee West scores his second for the game. He had a great game last week having two goals, a score assist and 10 score involvements.
09:53
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Ed Richards)
10:20
The Bulldogs have had the first seven inside 50s of the quarter and are now plus 13 for the game. The Bombers have lost the inside 50 count by 10.5 per game in the past four rounds - ranked 17th.
11:40
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Rushed)
12:08
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Lachlan McNeil)
13:31
The Bombers have been pinned to their defensive 50, turning the ball over five times in their defensive half, although the Bulldogs haven't capitalised, scoring 0.2 (2) from them.
16:54
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Xavier Duursma)
17:05
Xavier Duursma scores the Bombers' first of the night snapping the Bulldogs run of nine goals in a row.
21:19
Although they have outscored the Bombers by nine points this term, the Bulldogs' pressure has been exceptionally poor, having a rating of just 145, their worst in a second quarter this season.
24:08
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Rushed)
24:38
Unlike their first quarter, the Bulldogs have missed opportunities inside 50 scoring from 43% of their entries and kicking a goal from only 14%.
25:45
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Aaron Naughton)
27:10
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Lachlan McNeil)
29:01
The Bombers struggled to have any impact on the scoreboard in the first half, scoring just 1.3 (9), their equal-lowest total in a first half since 2016.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
00:46
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Matthew Kennedy)
02:01
The Bulldogs have had all the uncontested ball early, being plus 10 in uncontested possessions early and having 11 handball receives to the Bombers one.
02:19
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Nic Martin)
03:24
Nic Martin slots the first of the half, scoring the Bombers' first from stoppage today. The Bombers have scored just 1.1 (7) from stoppage so far today, a far cry from their season average of 31.9 points.
04:35
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Sam Davidson)
06:15
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Aaron Naughton)
06:26
Aaron Naughton has been targeted 11 times inside forward 50 already tonight, although he hasn't been able to convert scoring just 1.2.
08:44
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Matthew Kennedy)
08:58
The Bulldogs continue to force turnovers in their forward half, having five in this quarter already and scoring 2.1 (13) from forward half intercepts.
10:27
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Marcus Bontempelli)
10:53
The Bulldogs have been dominant this term having 76% time in forward half, nine inside 50s to the Bombers two and outscoring the Bombers by 14.
13:12
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Rhylee West)
14:58
The Bombers are attempting to be more direct this quarter, having a kick-to-handball ratio of 2.67, however it has not been very controlled with 41% of their kicks being long.
16:30
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Rhylee West)
17:08
Essendon have been unable to restrict the Bulldogs' ball movement, with the Bulldogs achieving an inside 50 from 44.4% of their defensive 50 chains, compared to just 16.7% for the Bombers.
23:26
The Bulldogs have made very few mistakes this term, having just five clangers for the term and a disposal efficiency of 83% compared to the Bombers' 70%.
24:00
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Peter Wright)
24:50
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Archie Perkins)
26:07
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Sam Durham)
27:02
Sam Durham scores the Bombers' third for the term and their second in a row. They have turned it around in the past five minutes, having three inside 50s to the Bulldogs' zero.
27:53
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Buku Khamis)
29:10
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Bailey Williams)
31:42
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Tim English)
31:47
Bailey Dale has been unstoppable today, equalling the Bulldogs' record of 32 uncontested possessions in a game through just three quarters.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
03:43
The one area where the Bombers can hold their head high tonight is centre bounce. The Bulldogs have averaged 19.8 points per game from centre bounce this season - the highest average ever, and yet the Bombers have restricted them to just 1.1 (7).
03:54
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Rhylee West)
05:03
Rhylee West matches his career high with four goals. He has led all tonight, having an equal-game high 10 score involvements and three tackles inside 50.
06:25
SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Peter Wright)
08:11
The Bombers have begun to get on top this quarter, having five of the last six inside 50s, although both sides have scored just 1.0 (6) this term.
09:50
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Rushed)
10:29
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Bailey Williams)
11:56
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Buku Khamis)
12:23
After conceding three straight inside 50s, the Bulldogs respond by having the next three themselves and scoring through Buku Khamis.
14:07
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Laitham Vandermeer)
15:22
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Buku Khamis)
15:49
The Bulldogs continue to convert from their inside 50s in the final quarter, scoring from 86% of their entries and kicking a goal from 43%.
19:22
The Bulldogs' midfield has been deadly today, outscoring the Bombers themselves, having scored seven goals so far tonight.
21:13
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Peter Wright)
21:32
Unlike the Bulldogs, the Bombers have struggled inside 50 this term scoring from just 20% of their entries and kicking a goal from only 10%.
22:08
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Ed Richards)
23:30
The Bulldogs have completely stifled Essendon's ball movement today, allowing them to score from just 2% of their defensive 50 chains and just 7% of their defensive midfield chains.
24:14
SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Will Setterfield)
25:37
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Matthew Kennedy)
26:14
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Aaron Naughton)
27:24
The Bulldogs were unstoppable on turnover tonight, scoring 12.10 (82) from the source whilst keeping the Bombers to just 3.4 (22). The differential of 60 points is the Bulldogs' fifth-best in the past five years.