The Bombers handball their way around outer wing on a rebound, ending with Parish passing to Langford 30m out on a slight angle who misses. (Q1 1:55)
More handballs around outer wing on another rebound started by Laverde, Langford marks a Setterfield pass in the pocket and centres for Snelling to boot the first goal from 20m. (Q1 4:04)
Merrett streams away from the next centre bounce and goes long to Phillips who draws a holding free on Tomlinson next to the hotspot and goals as well. (Q1 5:39)
Oliver wins a hard footy in the centre to start an attack, Melksham also goes in hard on the HFF and suddenly there are Demons everywhere, Pickett kicks the goal from 20m. (Q1 11:29)
Stringer misses on the run from the HFF. (Q1 12:41)
Laverde arrives late after Fritsch marks on the wing and clotheslines him, 50m penalty brings the mark to 30m on a slight angle, Fritsch converts. (Q1 13:29)
Durham turns the ball over by hand in midfield and the Dees counter at pace, Viney passes to Fritsch at the hotspot for another one. (Q1 15:59)
Merrett kicks to the top of the square, both Dons ruckmen are there and Tomlinson is pinged again for contact on Draper, plus a 50m penalty for a gob off to ensure the goal. (Q1 18:18)
McVee fumbles a crumb at half back following the next centre bounce, the ball falls for Martin who rams through the goal from 35m. (Q1 19:54)
Two HTB frees for Essendon in a minute, first to Caldwell then Snelling, sets up a set shot from 35m in the corridor. Snelling tugs it left. (Q1 24:15)
Snelling sends a long speculator from the HFF to the square on a slow play, Draper beats Grundy to mark and goal again. (Q1 26:15)
Grundy storms from the centre after the next bounce with three bounces of his own, then feeds Pickett who misses from 30m on the flank. (Q1 28:15)
Brayshaw spoils through a Parish snap from CHF. (Q1 30:03)
Melksham converts a set shot from 35m on a slight angle as the QT siren sounds. (Q1 31:41)
Viney to Grundy to Petracca for the run from the first centre bounce of Q2 but the snap from 50m flies wide right. (Q2 0:14)
Langdon sends a speculator to a pack in the square, Melksham of all people ends up with the mark and goal. (Q2 1:31)
Setterfield marks in front of Oliver at true CHF, his kick drifts to the behind line where Jones beats Petty to mark… he plays on but shanks for a behind. (Q2 3:27)
Van Rooyen gets a ruck free on Draper near the hotspot, Draper laughs openly at the decision but shuts up when the kid kicks the goal. (Q2 6:28)
Durham takes a strong pack mark on the HFF and gives off to Redman who shoots long… but just not long enough, falls on the line for Grundy to rush. (Q2 8:10)
Pickett draws a high contact free on a rather agricultural Durham 35m out on the flank, he converts for goal number two. (Q2 9:43)
Petracca holds off the ball to give away 50m to bring Jones from the centre to the hotspot, he kicks truly. (Q2 14:03)
Chandler roves Fritsch’s contest in the pocket and gives back to Fritsch who snaps off the left with two Bombers closing from 25m… narrow. (Q2 15:47)
Phillips juggles a mark over Grundy from a long Langford speculator to the pocket 25m out, he converts to restore Essendon’s lead. (Q2 17:05)
Redman baulks past Sparrow on the wing and goes long to Langford 45m out on a slight angle, he goals as well. (Q2 19:51)
Tomlinson is rightly pinged for an obviously deliberate handball OOB from a pack 25m out. The Package steps up for the free, his drop punt is narrow. (Q2 21:54)
Petracca taps down a McGrath handball on the wing to start an attack then runs to receive from Neal-Bullen 35m out on the flank, he plays on but misses. (Q2 23:47)
McGrath sharks a Viney handball on the wing and bombs long off a step, Langford roves and feeds Draper who snaps across his body from the hotspot for his third goal! (Q2 27:10)
Durham roves at half forward and gives behind to Parish who pokes a pass over Chandler for Caldwell 40m out in the corridor… who misses. (Q2 29:44)
Setterfield sharks Petty at a stoppage 25m out on a slight angle but his quick snap is wide. (Q2 31:15)
Setterfield roves and gives to Shiel who misses off the left from the hotspot. (Q2 33:09)
Chandler hasn’t done much today but he marks 45m out on the flank just before the HT siren… set shot is short for no score. (Q2 34:14)
Petracca releases Grundy to gallop up the flank to 35m with two bounces, he gives off again to Neal-Bullen who blazes wide. (Q3 1:40)
Heavy rain falling at the start of Q3. (Q3 1:40)
Caldwell marks a scrubbing Parish kick to the hotspot but misses. (Q3 4:01)
Tomlinson roves in defence but his handball is up in the air, Stringer taps it away from Hunter and regathers for a big goal from the square! (Q3 5:26)
May fumbles on the HBF but his man Langdon keeps his feet to gather and skid through a fabulous finish from 45m! (Q3 8:43)
Shiel kicks high from a stoppage on the HFF, the ball bounces into Petty and for a behind. (Q3 12:22)
Snelling passes to Perkins in the pocket 20m out, he screws through another one for the Dons! (Q3 14:09)
Essendon is playing total football in this game, pressure has been high all day and they are building their lead in the rain. (Q3 15:07)
Actually the rain is not falling at the moment, but enough has already fallen that things are very slippery. (Q3 16:07)
Bowey coughs the ball up at half back but Stringer’s snap from the hotspot is wide. (Q3 18:24)
Oliver wins the footy on the wing with skill and passes to the HFF to Fritsch who finds Melksham 30m out in the pocket… who misses. (Q3 25:07)
Brayshaw roves on the HFF playing on to advantage from a free to Oliver, and passes to Petracca 30m out on a slight angle. Trac kicks truly. (Q4 1:47)
Neal-Bullen hits the behind post OOTF on the run from 40m on the flank. (Q4 2:45)
Repeat inside 50s for the Bombers, Hind is on the end of a handball chain and snaps a fine goal off the right from 25m on a slight angle! (Q4 5:09)
Oliver clears from the next bounce, Van Rooyen provides the crumb for Chandler who jinks onto his left for a nice finish from 30m on a slight angle. (Q4 6:42)
Hind is playing forward after coming off the subs bench and he marks35m out on the flank for his second goal. That’s the ball game, if it was still in doubt. (Q4 10:31)
Fritsch gathers a soccer kick by Zerk-Thatcher 40m out on a slight angle, teammates call for it but he goes himself off the left… well wide. (Q4 12:07)
Stringer hanbdballs to grass near the square on another surge play by the Dons, Martin has a man on him so volleys home from 15m! (Q4 13:10)
Van Rooyen roves in the centre and gives to Fritsch who sends Neal-Bullen off for a run and skidded goal from half forward. (Q4 17:28)
Oliver passes to Jordon who punches through a nice drop punt from 40m near the boundary. (Q4 18:48)
Pickett roves a Petty contest on the boundary 20m out and tries an unlikely banana under a tackle… narrow. (Q4 25:45)
Rivers slides to mark a pressured Petracca kick to 45m in front. Deep in junk time now, Rivers’s kick drops on the line to be touched through by Redman, confirmed on review. (Q4 28:03)
Viney snaps a garbage time goal from 35m on the flank after Bowey roves the kick in on the wing. (Q4 29:26)
Ah, but a late review shows a snick on the goalpost on Edge, Viney’s score changed to a point. (Q4 30:23)
