Australian Football

Match Report

Melbourne had replaced Essendon in the top eight, after it defeated the Bombers by 38 points at Docklands on Sunday. The match was a lacklustre affair in the first half, marred by numerous mistakes and turnovers, but the Demons got their act together in the third quarter, kicking eight goals to two to set up what in the end proved to be a comfortable win. The Bombers' chances of winning were derailed by poor kicking for goal, with Joe Daniher the main offender, kicking 1.6.

The match got off to a slow start the first six minutes seeing only two behinds kicked by Melbourne before Darcy Parish broke the drought with a lovely roving goal to put Essendon four points ahead. The Demons responded with a goal to Jeff Garlett at the eight-minute mark, and when Jack Watts followed up with his first, it was Melbourne by eight points. The Bombers responded almost immediately through Orazio Fantasia, but the remainder of the quarter saw only behinds kicked, and it was Melbourne by two points at quarter time. 

Melbourne added another behind through Mitch Hannan in the first minute of the second term, and then extended its lead to nine points when Christian Petracca marked and goaled two minutes later. Joe Daniher's goalkicking nightmare then began. He had three shots at goal over the next 10 minutes, and missed them all. The Bombers finally hit the target when Fantasia kicked his second, but then missed two more through McDonald-Tipungwuti and Daniher again. The Demons them missed through Watts but a goal to Andrew McGrath - the first of his AFL career - had the Bombers ahead by seven points after 24 minutes. Petracca's second had the margin back to a point, but Daniher's fifth miss of the quarter had Essendon ahead by two at the long break.

Another Essendon behind marked the opening of the third quarter, but a goal to Garlett at the three-minute mark sparked the Demons, and follow-up majors from Tom McDonald and Watts saw them jump to a 16-point lead. Daniher missed yet another set shot but the umpire recalled his kick and he finally kicked accurately to cut the margin to 10 points. Each side added another goal over the next two minutes, but Melbourne exploded in the time-on period, with goals to Cameron Pedersen, Garlett, Hannan and Watts saw the Demons go into the last break in control and 33 points ahead. 

Many thoughts of an Essendon comeback in the final term were dispelled in the first four minutes when Jack Watts and Mitch Hannan kicked further majors to extend Melbourne's lead to 45 points. The Bombers fought out the match, kicking four goals to three over the remainder of the quarter but the Demons cruised to a win that saw the replace Essendon in eighth spot, the Dons slipping top 10th on the ladder.

Tom McDonald played a fine game for the Demons, collecting 26 touches and taking 12 marks. For the Bombers, Michael Hurley (13 marks, 23 disposals) was a key contributor.

Melbourne will fancy its chances against Hawthorn at the MCG on Sunday, the once mighty Hawks second-last on the ladder with just one win, while Essendon will travel to Perth to take on Fremantle at Subiaco on the same day. 

GOALS
Essendon: Fantasia, Hooker 2; Parish, McGrath, Daniher, McDonald-Tipungwuti, Colyer, Bellchambers
Melbourne: Petracca, Watts 4; Hannan, Garlett 3; McDonald, Pedersen, Lewis

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Essendon: Goddard, Hurley, Merrett, McGrath, Gleeson
Melbourne: T. McDonald, Petracca, Lewis, Oliver, Hibberd, Pedersen

BEST - THE AGE
Essendon: Hurley, Goddard, Dea, McGrath, Heppell, Merrett
Melbourne: Petracca, Watts, Oliver, Lewis, T. McDonald, Garlett, Pedersen, Hibberd

INJURIES
Essendon: Nil
Melbourne: Nil

UMPIRES: Haussen, Nicholls, Hay

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COMMENTATORS: Anthony Hudson, Jason Dunstall, Brad Johnson, Cameron Mooney