Durham bounces through the first score from the pocket, he misses.
Gresham’s risky kick across the back line floats and is spoiled by Wright down to Jones who snaps the first goal from 35m on a slight angle. (Q1 4:00)
The Saints defence are out of position on a rebound around members wing and allow Wright to mark a Hobbs pass unopposed in the pocket 25m out. His set shot is narrow. (Q1 6:19)
Again Wilkie gives Wright too much leg rope to allow him to mark a Merrett repeat inside 50 kick to 45m on a slight angle, but the kick is wide again. (Q1 7:09)
Redman misses a flying snap from 40m on the flank after another Saint rebound that barely makes it outside back 50. (Q1 8:15)
Wanganeen-Milera blazes OOTF across the body off his left from 40m after a feed by Wilkie. (Q1 12:48)
Repeat inside 50s pile up for St Kilda and finally a long ball to the hotspot falls for Gresham to scoot into the open goal. (Q1 13:07)
King gathers a bouncing ball on the HFF and does the chasing Ridley with a sizzling left-foot step, crowd roars as his snap lands near the behind post for Ryder to mark and miss. (Q1 14:47)
Billings sends the repeat inside 50m from the wing to the flank where King uses all his height to reach in between two Don fliers for the mark and goal. (Q1 15:47)
Durham flies in front of a pack to mark a centring ball by Shiel to the top of the square, he converts. (Q1 19:37)
Draper kicks his first goal from the top of the square after winning a HTB free on Marshall after a marking contest. (Q1 24:02)
Perkins kicks inboard from a scrum on the wing to Martin on his own forward of the play, he has space enough to run to 50m on a slight angle and stroke through a lovely finish. (Q1 28:47)
King roves and flashes a handball to Billings in the pocket who is off balance but tries a left-foot checkside that curls inside the goalpost from 15m for a fine finish! (Q2 1:42)
Shiel has three bounces ahead of Ross around outer wing, kickins inside 50 then receives back from Stringer, kick is off balance but sets up Guelfi to goal from 15m. (Q2 5:02)
Perkins catches a spinning Ryder HTB in a pack 30m out on the flank, he plays on and curls in the goal. (Q2 7:59)
Caldwell gets the next centre clearance, Stringer draws a contact free on Wilkie 45m out on a slight angle. The Package has been largely empty so far… misses left. (Q2 9:47)
Hind tries to fend after roving but gets caught HTB by Long 35m out on a slight angle. Long misses, disappointingly. (Q2 16:27)
McGrath and Butler contest at the Saint hotspot, no mark, Butler roves and almost gets HTB, eventually gets a weak snap off that is touched through on the behind line. (Q2 23:23)
Martin sends a long speculator on the head of Membrey 20m out, Wright has the sit and takes the mark over the smaller Skunk. 2MP converts. (Q2 25:08)
Marshall did not much in the first half but he starts the second with a contested grab one out with Laverde and goal to maybe give the Saints some confidence. (Q3 1:02)
Hobbs roves a Wright contest at half forward and gives to Merrett who bounces a running snap wide from 50m on a slight angle. (Q3 2:24)
Marshall hoofs an ugly kick from the wing to the HFF but Ryder is on his own to mark 45m out, he was Johnny on the spot. Paddy converts. (Q3 3:44)
Shiel gives to Martin who shapes to shoot from 45m after the next centre bounce but Wanganeen-Milera flies in to win a HTB and prevent a score. (Q3 4:59)
The Saints rebound around outer wing from NWM’s free, Butler goes to the pocket for Long who plays on and kicks another one for the Sainters! (Q3 5:59)
Billings beats Ham to intercept a rebound kick to the flank 55m out, Ham is pinged for encroachment to bring the mark to the square for another one for the rampaging Saints! (Q3 7:31)
Hobbs jinks and misses from the hotspot after a stoppage. (Q3 10:20)
Higgins roves a dropped mark by King 20m out, drops the knees as he’s tackled and gets a rather lucky free for the goal to level the scores! (Q3 13:44)
Stringer marks just inside 50m out on a slight angle and delivers a nice set shot for his first goal. (Q3 17:13)
Caldwell passes from the next centre bounce to the lead of Harrison Jones 45m out on the flank, who misses right. (Q3 18:44)
Wilkie inadvertently toepokes the crumb from a Draper bomb to the top of the square to Wright who feeds Harrison Jones for the easy goal. (Q3 20:59)
Long roves a King contest in the pocket and gets a high contact free on Heppell, he goes short to King 20m out who misses with a drop punt. (Q3 21:59)
Sinclair roves behind the wing under Guelfi pressure and tries a low centring ball but it’s spoiled by Perkins down to Wright who snaps truly from the hotspot. (Q3 24:24)
Stringer receives outside a pack 20m out and has time to get onto his left foot and snap his second goal of the quarter. Essendon have lifted. (Q3 26:24)
Stringer tries to volley the crumb from a Guelfi ball to the square, off bodies back to him so he tries again but hits the post from 10m. (Q3 28:01)
Repeat inside 50s piling up for the Dons, Draper leaps in front of Battle to mark a Perkins kick to the hotspot and boot his second goal. (Q3 29:47)
Ham gives wide to Stringer who tries his luck off his left from the pocket 20m out… snake eyes, OOTF. (Q3 31:00)
Draper leaps on the back of Howard to take a link mark on the wing, he bombs long to the hotspot where Hobbs roves and feeds Guelfi for the goal with seconds left to 3QT! (Q3 33:25)
Clark bombs from midfield up the guts, Marshall holds position in front of Laverde to take a strong mark 45m out but hooks the set shot left. (Q4 0:49)
Hind is pinged for deliberate OOB near the behind post, Gresham screws through the first goal of Q4. (Q4 1:52)
Gresham marks over D’Ambrosio 50m out on a slight angle. plays on and misses. (Q4 5:17)
Saints need to get a wriggle on if they want anything out of this one, play is too even at this late stage. (Q4 12:40)
Caldwell gives to Perkins who snaps off balance from 35m in front and into the right goalpost. (Q4 14:15)
Membrey looks upfield after a link mark and goes long to King, good decision as the crumb falls for Higgins to goal from 20m. (Q4 14:55)
Jones passes short to Gresham at the hotspot after the Saints surge forward from the next centre bounce in ugly but effective fashion. Gresham converts. (Q4 16:10)
8:05 to go and three kicks in it now, St Kilda got that wriggle on, they need to keep wriggling. (Q4 16:40)
Perkins kicks to the square from the HFF, Draper is there but it clears him and bounces into the far goalpost. (Q4 19:36)
Repeat inside 50 after Wilkie turns it over by foot following the kick in, Merrett passes to Martin 40m out on a slight angle… who misses. (Q4 20:05)
Hobbs volleys the crumb from the square from a Stringer kick, however Howard dived at his boot to touch it through. (Q4 21:40)
Hobbs misses another snap from the hotspot. (Q4 24:42)
Hind picks off the Howard kick in 45m out in front, takes his full allotment of time and hooks left. The game was won anyway. (Q4 25:10)
Wright marks 20m out in front of a pack for some junk. Dons all over them now. (Q4 26:26)
Wright marks again 45m out on the flank, Howard giving him too much leg rope. 2MP boots his fourth. (Q4 27:55)
