Merrett clears from the first centre bounce to the lead of Perkins 45m out on a slight angle, Xerri leaps on the goal line but can’t reach the set shot, first goal Dons. (Q1 0:51)
Davies-Uniacke intercepts a kick on outer wing by Langford, he sets up Duursma to hit the lead of Larkey ahead of McKay 50m out on the flank… kick short for no score. (Q1 2:54)
Gresham pilfers a loose footy from the hands of Davies-Uniacke on members wing, he feeds Wright to pass to Langford behind Duursma 40m out in front, another goal Essendon. (Q1 3:44)
Martin delivers a long and accurate kick up the corridor from half back over Archer to Kako, Perkins marks again and goal again from 45m on a slight angle. (Q1 7:03)
Plenty of Bombers run to assist for a ground ball at half back, Larkey reefs out a handball to Zurhaar who is caught high by McKay 40m out on a slight angle, goal to North. (Q1 10:49)
Comben is pinged for resting his hand on the shoulder of Caddy in a marking contest, kick from 45m on the flank is across the face to the left. (Q1 15:00)
Parker bombs long from members wing to the pocket, big pack milling about at the fall 20m out but Maley leaps over them all for a mark and screws in his first goal! (Q1 16:55)
Martin marks a short Goldstein pass 40m out on a slight angle and kicks truly. (Q1 19:46)
Parker pokes a pass through CHF after the next centre bounce for Konstanty to mark in front of Prior 40m out. He tugs his set shot left. (Q1 21:15)
Merrett intercepts Davies-Uniacke’s handball on outer wing, on the counter Setterfield passes to Hobbs 40m out in front for another one for the Bombers. (Q1 25:16)
Caddy is one out with Dawson at the hotspot for a long Kako ball up the guts, no mark but the crumb falls for Caddy to gather and goal off the right. (Q1 27:50)
Maley catches McKay HTB 40m out in front but hoofs it to the left. (Q1 29:25)
Stephens receives from Sheezel at half forward, has only a moment but chooses a good option with a pass to the fat side for Duursma to mark over Goldstein 20m out, QT siren, miss. (Q1 32:28)
Sheezel intercepts in the centre but coughs it up under a tackle, Dons punishing midfield turnovers tonight, Wright marks in front of McDonald on the HFF but kicks OOTF. (Q2 1:58)
Hobbs has a mark touched at the hotspot, from the resultant ball up he gets a snap off but Sheezel touches it off the boot for a point. (Q2 3:55)
Dawson gives away a front on contact free to Wright 40m out in front going for a Martin kick up the middle from midfield after yet another North turnover. 2MP shoots left. (Q2 5:55)
Daniel’s kick in goes all the way coast to coast, Larkey roves on outer wing to set up Simpkin to bounce through the goal from 50m on a slight angle. (Q2 7:16)
Zane Duursma roves a pack in the square but his high snap is wide right from 10m out. (Q2 11:46)
Hobbs bends to try to spin out of a Dawson tackle 40m out on a slight angle and gets caught around the neck, he misses to the right. (Q2 22:47)
McKay barrels into Maley on outer wing to cause a turnover, Perkins kicks his third goal after marking 45m out. (Q2 25:12)
North have plenty of numbers in defence but cough it up yet again with untidy play, but it’s another set shot miss by Gresham 40m out. (Q2 28:47)
Prior is pinged for a slam tackle on Zurhaar 40m out near the boundary, that is what the rule is for. The Bull kicks short and wide, no direct score results. (Q3 0:54)
Merrett plays on after marking 50m out on the flank and shoots but Scott gets back at the last second to rush it. (Q3 1:55)
Menzie snaps from half forward, wide but lands in the arms of Caddy next to the behind post, he hits the goal post with his left foot set shot. (Q3 6:09)
McKercehr gets behind the high Essendon defensive line on outer wing and bounces twice ahead of Martin to 40m to skid through a classic slingshot goal. (Q3 7:44)
More space on outer wing for North as they get behind the Dons zone, Konstanty passes to Larkey 40m out near the boundary. Larkey steers through the goal, Roos back in it! (Q3 10:49)
Stephens spoils a rebound kick to Jones on the HFF for North, three Roos at the fall, Parker goes quickly to the square, Larkey gets a free on Prior for the goal! (Q3 15:21)
Simpkin shushes the Essendon supporters over the fence with a cracker of a set shot from 45m near the boundary, North only a point behind now! (Q3 20:55)
Dawson comes off Caddy to be third man up to spoil a long ball to the square but the crumb sits up with a bit of luck for Caddy to toepoke through for a settler. (Q3 23:55)
Zurhaar roves on the HFF, breaks a double tackle with brute strength from the driving quads then rolls through a Daicos special from fully 35m out! (Q3 26:35)
Larkey takes a link mark on outer wing and kicks to the pocket for Zurhaar to mark over Roberts 30m out but the screwing set shot turns too early, point levels the scores. (Q4 2:26)
Caddy marks 45m out on the flank but plays on for a rushed set shot, Wright on his own running to the square but the kick goes narrow to the right. (Q4 4:16)
Wright beats Larkey to intercept the rebound kick after the kick in, Kako roves and curls in the goal! (Q4 4:43)
Martin rifles a handball from a pack on outer wing to Duursma who passes to Wright 40m out on the flank, but the set shot is to the left and across the face. (Q4 7:57)
Larkey marks 30m out on the boundary, his set shot drop punt is no score across the face for a throw in. (Q4 13:46)
Durham speeds away from defence to start a rebound, Merrett delivers a sensational handball to send Langford away, grubber from 40m rolls left. (Q4 20:13)
North rebounds coast to coast via short passes around outer wing, Zane Duursma gets the running shot away from 40m on the flank and dobs it! North back within a kick! (Q4 21:12)
Kako sets up Perkins for a quick snap from 25m on a slight angle, doesn’t have a left boot so tries a checkside over McDonald but it screws across the face to the right. (Q4 23:10)
Again North rebounds coast to coast but this time Merrett intercepts at half back to prevent a score. Three minutes to play, it’s anyone’s. (Q4 23:46)
Xerri feeds McKenrcher for a high speculator to a big pack 40m out on a slight angle, Maley rises to juggle the mark! They call him Moose because he kicks like one, he kicks… (Q4 25:46)
Low and ugly, off hands to Darling on the behind line but he’s buffeted over for a point, one minute to go… (Q4 26:03)
Roberts marks the Redman rebound kick on the HBF, one more of those and North are cooked… (Q4 26:20)
O’Sullivan roves an members wing and bombs to the HFF, free to Merrett for a push, rightly so and he deserves to ice the win he set up. (Q4 26:46)
