Key match ups

Back

Michael Hurley on Jack Riewoldt

Jake Carlisle on Ty Vickery

Midfield

Jake Melksham on Brett Deledio

Heath Hocking on Dustin Martin

Forward

Alex Rance on Cale Hooker

Troy Chaplin on Joe Daniher

In wet conditions, the Bombers had 11 more contested possessions in the first ten minutes.  It led to the Dons kicking the first two goals of the game, including one to Irish recruit, Conor McKenna.

The tigers clawed their way back either side of quarter time kicking three goals and taking the lead, before Shaun McKernan kicked a steadier.

Essendon had 18 inside 50’s, but still managed to kick five first half goals.

Brent Stanton (16 possessions) and Dyson Heppell (15) did a lot of grunt work in the first half, while Paul Chapman, Ben Howlett and Mark Baguley laid five tackles each.