In the Essendon defence, Michael Hartley is on Peter Wright and Mark Baguley is playing on Jack Martin.

Up the other end of the ground Steven May is playing on Joe Daniher and Jack Leslie is on Cale Hooker.

After the Suns booted the first two goals of the game, it was first gamer Josh Begley who sparked the Bombers.

He kicked a goal with his first kick in the AFL, and then set James Stewart up twice with spearing darts into the forward 50.

Begley nailed a second, again from a set shot, to round out an impressive first term from the debutant. He went to the quarter time huddle with seven possessions, four marks and two goals to his name.

In a ten-minute period during the middle of the first term the Bombers kicked four goals and used the ball at 90 per cent efficiency.

A late goal to Martin saw the Dons lead reduced to seven points at quarter time.

Essendon recorded eight of the first nine inside 50s of the second term, but could only generate one point in this time.

70 per cent of the opening 16 minutes of the second term was spent in the Dons attacking half but it was the Suns who kicked the opening three goals of the quarter to take the lead.

Josh Green laid a big tackle then followed up to level the scores.

Conor McKenna made it two in a row for the Bombers. The defender took four bounces and nailed the goal nearing half time.

Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti was goal bound when the half time siren rang so the Bombers had to settle for a seven point lead at the major break.

David Zaharakis is the leading ball winner for the Bombers with 17 possessions.  Mark Baguley and Dyson Heppell have 11 each.

The Bombers have an edge in the inside 50s 29-19 and contested possessions 69-59.