Australian Football

Match Report

It took until the 191st game of a 198-game season but 2014 finally delivered its first draw at the MCG on Saturday when a see-sawing game between Carlton and Essendon ended with the scores locked together at 90 apiece when the final siren sounded.

The match pitted Essendon, seventh on the ladder and looking to tune up for its finals campaign, against Carlton, one of the seasons also-rans which had been thrashed by 103 points against Port Adelaide a week earlier. But fans watching the first term could have been forgiven it was the other way around. The Blues dominated every aspect of that first quarter, kicking six goals to one (with Matthew Watson booting two) to take an even five-goal lead into the first break.

Then, in the second term, the Bombers turned the game on its head, booting an amazing eight goals for the quarter - two of those to Joe Daniher - while Carlton could register only one, and went into the long break 14 points clear. Essendon extended that lead to 30 points with the first three goals of the third term before the game changed direction yet again. Troy Menzel goaled twice, and Chris Yarran and Kane Lucas once each before the three-quarter time siren sounded and the Blues were back within seven points at the last change of ends.

They reduced that to a one-point deficit within a minute of the start of the last term with a goal to Brock McLean, bit Brendon Goddard responded with a goal that restored a seven-point buffer for the Bombers. The Blues then kicked two in a row, one each to Matthew Watson an Cameron Wood and led by five points at the 18-minute mark. Martin Gleeson put the Dons back ahead just after that and then a behind after a mark to Zach Tuohy levelled the scores with just over a minute remaining.

Carlton the had a chance to seal the game when Bryce Gibbs mark on the 50-metre line but his set shot for goal failed to make the distance. Matthew Watson could perhaps have punched the ball through for a point but elected to try and mark Gibbs's kick. He couldn't complete the grab and the ball went out of bounds. The siren sounded shortly after with each side on 90.

Best for the Blues included Chris Judd (28 possessions, three tackles), Watson (16 touches and four goals) and Brock McLean (30 disposals, seven marks), while Essendon's standouts were Jobe Watson (21 disposals and two goals), Michael Hibberd (21 possessions and six marks) and Travis Colyer (19 touches and seven marks). 

A draw was as good as a win for the Bombers, in terms of ladder placement. They finish seventh and will take on North Melbourne in an Elimination Final at the MCG next Sunday. The Blues end the season in 13th place, with seven and a half wins, three and half fewer than last season.

GOALS
Carlton: Watson 4, Yarran 2, Menzel 2, Armfield, Bell, Waite, Lucas, McLean, Wood
Essendon: Daniher 2, Watson 2, Ryder 2, Ambrose, Merrett, Winderlich, Stanton, Chapman, Goddard, Gleeson

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Carlton: Judd, Watson, McLean, Docherty, Gibbs, Yarran,
Essendon: Watson, Hibberd, Daniher, Ryder, Stanton, Heppell

BEST - SPORTAL.COM.AU
Carlton: Watson, McLean, Judd, Docherty, Gibbs
Essendon: Watson, Hibberd, Colyer, Ryder, Stanton 

INJURIES
Carlton: Nil
Essendon: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Carlton: Patrick Cripps replaced Dennis Armfield in the fourth quarter
Essendon: Martin Gleeson replaced Orazio Fantasia at three-quarter time

UMPIRES: Dalgleish, Wenn, O'Gorman

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network

COMMENTATORS: Basil Zempilas, Hamish McLachlan, Tim Watson, Andrew Welsh