Martin is somehow in ten metres of space for a Walsh pass to 45m on a slight angle for the first goal of the evening, to halt the Bomber 150th party. (Q1 1:00)
Martin passes to CHF for Stringer to mark well in front of Newman then miss. (Q1 6:30)
Docherty kicks to grass in the pocket, Fisher is first there but he misses off the left from 30m. (Q1 9:17)
Docherty tries a centring ball from the back pocket but it hangs in the air for Redman to leap over Fisher to mark 45m out on a slight angle then miss. (Q1 10:15)
Redman handballs straight to Silvagni in the centre and the Blues are off to the races, Owies passes to McKay 30m out on a slight angle who screws through his first goal. (Q1 11:50)
Hobbs marks at half forward after the next centre bounce and kicks long to the advantage of Jones to mark over Saad 15m out in front for the first goal for the Bombers. (Q1 16:30)
Draper monsters Plowman in the pocket to marks a long Hind ball to 25m, he slots the set shot. (Q1 19:00)
Shiel is buffeted in a double tackle and gets a fairly soft high contact free kick. He launches from 50m on a slight angle for the go ahead goal! (Q1 22:00)
Guelfi goes back with the flight to intercept a dump kick to the HBF by Newnes. He lines up from 45m and pulls it OOTF. (Q1 23:15)
Cottrell has space on the wing to measure a pass to Curnow 35m out on a slight angle who goals just before the QT siren. (Q1 29:16)
Cripps is involved twice in a rebound that ends with Curnow marking a Newnes long ball to 30m on a slight angle but misses. (Q2 1:03)
Heppell tries a centring ball from the wing but Kennedy breaks it up, quick switch attack with Curnow marking within range then finding McKay 25m out for his second goal. (Q2 2:18)
Rain has started falling in earnest at a cold MCG. (Q2 3:48)
Merrett sharks Cripps in a pack at half forward and kicks to the pocket, Jones roves 20m out and wobbles a kick, did it shave the inside of the post? Review says no, goal. (Q2 6:18)
Kennedy beats Parish to a long Docherty rebound kick to grass on the wing, he goes long to Curnow who is held by Ridley 20m out in the pocket but shanks OOTF. (Q2 8:47)
Nick Martin catches Hewett high after a stoppage on the HFF, he tries a pass to Silvagni who takes a screamer on the back of Reid 15m out for his first goal. (Q2 10:38)
Jack Martin plays on after marking at half forward and goes long to the pocket, De Koning flies attractively but it’s McKay who marks in front 20m out and hits the post. (Q2 12:43)
Owies tackles Heppell to forces a ball up in the goalsquare, Cripps gets a holding free on Draper in ruck for his first goal. (Q2 14:28)
Guelfi roves a Walsh fumble under pressure and gives outside to Draper who snaps off a step from 40m on a slight angle, that one wobbles through! (Q2 18:59)
Credit to Nick Martin for the pressure on Walsh to force that chance. (Q2 19:14)
Perkins clears from the next centre bounce to the flank 45m out where Wright marks in front of Young but hits the post. (Q2 20:14)
Curnow goes long to the top of the square, Heppell roves McKay’s contest but fumbles to Cottrell who snaps from 15m… was it touched by Nick Martin? Inconclusive, ruled a goal. (Q2 22:09)
Carlton rebounds at pace around members wing, Redman is pinged for a rather soft hold on McKay on the flank 25m out, McKay curls in his third goal. (Q2 27:34)
Cripps gets past Kelly on the HFF and gives to Owies for the snap from 30m, lands on the behind line where Curnow drops it over for a point. (Q2 30:18)
Cripps to Saad for a long speculator to the pocket, Laverde fumbles the bouncing ball to allow McKay to tap to Curnow who delivers a Daicos special from 25m! (Q3 3:38)
Laverde roves near defensive hotspot but get barrelled in a tackle by Jack Martin, Fisher roves and bounces through another one! Dons not showing fight despite a massive buildup. (Q3 6:23)
Walsh starts an attack from a stoppage behind the wing around the outer wide, O’Brien passes over Redman to Durdin 40m out on a slight angle, he hits the post. (Q3 8:23)
Durdin gets another chance but misses again. It’s all one way traffic at the moment, Dons just going through the motions with no passion. (Q3 10:07)
Walsh roves in the back pocket but Nick Martin tackles and forces his handball to skid across goal for Hobbs to volley home from 15m. (Q3 10:41)
Owies marks a Jack Martin pass in front of Shiel 45m out in the corridor, he converts with no problem. (Q3 13:24)
Merrett gives to Jones in a pack in the pocket 20m out but the snap wobbles across the face. (Q3 15:42)
Perkins also snaps across the face from 25m on the boundary. (Q3 16:25)
Guelfi doesw a one-two with Shiel for a running snap from 45m on the flank but it falls on the goal line to be touched through. (Q3 17:07)
Newnes turns the ball over by hand at half back under frontal pressure but Merrett snaps well wide from the hotspot. (Q3 18:38)
Newnes hits the lead of McKay 40m out on the flank but the set shot is into Laverde on the mark and is rebounded. (Q3 20:39)
Caldwell has three Bombers to aim at inside 50 but kicks in the middle of all of them, from the resultant scramble he gets it back and snaps OOTF from 35m. Oh dear. (Q3 22:25)
Silvagni is pinged for a very late spoil on Heppell to bring the mark from the wing to 30m on a slight angle, the captain converts despite boos from the Blue army. (Q3 24:36)
Wright beats Young one out to mark a Caldwell kick to 30m on a slight angle, but he hooks it left. (Q4 5:23)
Jack Martin’s tackle on Nick Martin in the centre causes a turnover, eventually Silvagni marks a Newnes pass 35m out on a slight angle and misses. (Q4 12:24)
Essendon have technically been within reach for most of this second half without ever showing anything in the way of inspiration to bridge the scoreboard gap. (Q4 12:40)
Nick Martin gets back just in time to rush a McKay speculator from the HFF that was skidding straight. (Q4 13:55)
Stringer has had a mare and the crowd gives him a massive Bronx cheer as he snaps OOTF from half forward. (Q4 20:40)
Newnes is pinged for a throw 40m out on the HBF, Guelfi takes the free in the last minute and misses. (Q4 23:04)
The remaining Blue fans gets another big cheer up for Heppell missing a flying shot from half forward. (Q4 23:41)
