Papley rams through the first goal of the afternoon with a snap from the hotspot after a long kick to open grass by Warner. (Q1 1:28)
Warner roves Hickey at a stoppage in the pocket, tries an unlikely left-foot snap from the boundary 25m out under Merrett pressure and wobbles it through! (Q1 6:46)
Shiel roves the next centre bounce, has a bounce himself and draws a man for a pass to Heppell who plays on for the first goal for Essendon from the hotspot. (Q1 7:51)
Franklin marks a Gulden pass in front of Kelly just inside 50m on a slight angle. This is Buddy’s range… he hooks it through in classic style. (Q1 9:11)
Parker’s dump kick from a stoppage in defence turns over, Hind passes to the lead of Wright 30m out in the pocket, he hits the post. (Q1 13:41)
The Bombers work the footy from a stoppage behind the wing to Hind scooting through the centre, he passes to Jones 40m out on the flank who misses. (Q1 16:51)
Kelly is pinged on the stand rule to bring Heeney from centre wing to 35m on a slight angle, he kicks truly. (Q1 18:51)
Blakey is involved twice in a rebound, Papley goes over the back of the Don defence to Reid on his own at the top of the square, another goal for Sydney. (Q1 21:21)
Zerk-Thatcher volleys OOTF 45m out, Campbell plays on and misses. (Q1 23:04)
Frontal pressure by Essendon has been mostly lacking so far but they apply it here to force a crumb for Stringer to feed Merrett to snap for the goal from 25m in the pocket. (Q1 27:23)
Snelling gets mown down on the wing to cause a counter attack, Franklin marks on the HFF within range but goes inboard to Papley 40m out on a slight angle, he misses. (Q1 29:15)
Franklin beats Laverde to mark 20m out in front for his second goal, rather too easily. (Q2 1:39)
Paddy McCartin is on the fat side wing on a rebound, he has a lazy bounce and bullets a pass to Papley 30m out on a slight angle, who tugs his set shot left. (Q2 5:18)
Reid marks deep in the pocket 30m out and hits the post. (Q2 6:23)
Reid catches Durham high in a tackle 20m out in the pocket, who curls in a lovely set shot. (Q2 8:18)
Papley roves Durham at the next bounce and kicks inside 50, Franklin can’t mark but Papley follows up and gets fallen on by Parish 40m out on the flank… shank, no score. (Q2 10:21)
Jones marks in the pocket 20m out and repeats the dose with a screwing set shot. (Q2 11:34)
Wright intercepts a dump kick by Blakey to 50m on a slight angle. The goal umpire stands stock still to watch the set shot sail over his head! (Q2 14:19)
Sydney’s lead was built on the back of a lack of defensive effort by the Bombers… the comeback has been built by a lift in that area by Essendon. (Q2 14:34)
Parish runs away from the next centre bounce and kicks the flank where Hobbs takes a nice mark behind Paddy McCartin 40m out and converts! (Q2 15:34)
The Dons get a handball chain going after Shiel sharks a Stephens clanger on the wing, but Parish is under pressure at the hotspot and shoots OOTF. (Q2 18:05)
Langford marks on the HFF, his set shot drifts across the face… Wright flies on the behind line to take the grab and kick the Bombers in front with his second goal! (Q2 20:18)
Draper engineers the next centre clearance with a volley, Caldwell marks 45m out in the corridor but his kick is short and does not score. (Q2 21:59)
Redman is pinged for a high fend on Papley in the centre to stop a rebound, Hayward passes to the lead of McDonald 40m out on a slight angle who hits the post. (Q2 24:34)
Parker beats Shiel to mark on the HFF, waits then sees Reid matched up on Heppell and passes to him in the pocket 20m out. Reid screws through the goal, Swans lead again. (Q2 27:04)
Reid gets a contact free in a pack 50m out on the flank but hooks left. (Q3 0:52)
Rowbottom roves a Heeney contest at half forward, baulks clear and pokes a pass to Hayward 40m out in front, who misses. (Q3 3:11)
Parish kicks intelligently to space from half forward for Guelfi to run in and mark 25m out on a slight angle but the set shot is poor for a point. (Q3 4:26)
Stephens goes to ground to allow Guelfi to rove at half forward, the ball goes through a chain of hands ending with Langford feeding Merrett for the goal from 20m. (Q3 6:56)
Warner roves at CHF and passes very short to Papley, no mark paid so he plays on and rushes the snap which flies wide right from 35m. (Q3 8:00)
Durham’s diagonal kick to the centre on a rebound sets up Kelly for a running snap from 40m in the corridor, that one sails through for a rare goal from the defender! (Q3 8:50)
Campbell roves a Papley contest at CHF and snaps wide. (Q3 9:52)
Stringer’s kick clanger leads to a counter by Sydney but it breaks down at half forward and Franklin’s snap is wayward. (Q3 12:26)
Heeney’s tackle forces a crumb for Warner on the boundary 20m out but the snap is narrow. (Q3 16:11)
Warner lowers his eyes for a pass to Heeney 40m out on a slight angle, but the set shot goes wide left. (Q3 20:26)
Fox intercepts a rebound kick and sends it back to the hotspot, Parker runs interference on Redman to allow Heeney to mark unopposed for his second goal, Swans lead finally. (Q3 25:12)
Hayward snaps a goal just before the 3QT siren from mid-range to give some justice on the scoreboard to territorial dominance in Q3. (3 Qtr Time)
Merrett catches a fending Rowbottom HTB in a pack 45m out on a slight angle, but shanks OOTF to the left. (Q4 1:08)
Hard ball get by Guelfi after a stoppage, Merrett receives outside a pack near the hotspot and snaps the goal off his left boot. (Q4 4:04)
Warner roves Draper at a stoppage near the hotspot, his right-foot snap is high and curling… falls over the goal line for his second! (Q4 5:19)
McInerney kicks from the wing to grass on the HFF, Heeney turns and gathers for the give to Mills who does the rest from the hotspot. (Q4 8:17)
Sydney have been very inaccurate since Q1 but have outworked Essendon since HT and should go on with it from here against a lesser side. (Q4 9:20)
Parish gives to Hind who blazes wide to an empty goalface from 55m on a slight anggle. (Q4 11:44)
Stringer has been anonymous most of the day but he performs an outrageous party trick with a checkside from 45m on the flank that falls in! (Q4 12:44)
Durham beats Paddy McCartin to a crumb on the wing and starts a handball chain that ends with Stringer who goals from 40m on the flank! (Q4 15:54)
The Bombers keep attacking the corridor and this time it pays off with Redman marking 50m out on a slight angle, getting a shepherd and banging through the go-ahead goal! (Q4 21:19)
7:08 to go and now it’s Sydney who has to respond. (Q4 21:39)
Stephens catches a dithering Martin HTB at a stoppage on the wing and the Swans sweep forward, Franklin marks 40m out in the corridor but shanks OOTF. (Q4 23:44)
The Dons stream forward from a stoppage on the wing, Stringer places a lovely long pass to the advantage of Langford to mark in the pocket 25m out and kick truly! (Q4 25:45)
Repeat stoppage at the Swans hotspot, but Redman starts a rebound, time running out for Sydney with the clock at 2:30… (Q4 28:21)
Stringer tries to slow Warner down after a mark in the centre but gets pinged for 50m to gift a goal! (Q4 28:43)
2:14 to go and what the Package giveth, the Pacakge may yet taketh away… (Q4 29:20)
Stringer gets a free on Hickey at the next bounce, Dons play it slow… (Q4 29:46)
Clock down to 1:30 as Hind wastes time on the wing, eventually kicks to the HFF, stoppage. (Q4 30:17)
Repeat stoppages inside 50 for the Bombers, clock under a minute… Hind rams through the sealer to bring the home crowd into raptures! (Q4 31:20)
