North Melbourne win, 13.15 (93) to Essendon 12.10 (82)
That’s done - it looked like North’s game for most of the night, the main thing against them being their inaccuracy in front of goal. But Essendon were persistent all night, and Jobe Watson did his best to drag them over the line late in the game. Not to be. North scored enough of their chances in the end, and they also had the better of a couple of key umpiring decisions. Essendon had their own chances late in the piece, and just couldn’t quite be clean enough going forward.
They’re fighting hard, Essendon, while North continue the slow build they’ve been on over the past few seasons.
North are into eighth spot on the ladder tonight, at least ahead of the weekend’s results, while Essendon stay in 11th but could lose a spot or two by Sunday night.
That’s it from us for this evening, thanks for your company.
4th quarter (00:40 remaining) Essendon 12.10 (82) - North Melbourne 13.15 (93)
Well, there wasn’t going to be enough time, but... Daniher took a great grab at full forward, except he put one hand in Petrie’s back before he took it, and Petrie put in a very cynical dive. The free was there - technically. And even if Daniher had kicked that goal, they might have had 25 seconds left to get another. But...
Essendon goal - 4th quarter (01:57 remaining) Essendon 12.10 (82) - North Melbourne 13.15 (93)
Bombers won’t quite go away though. Well set up by Dempsey at half back, he found Goddard through the centre, his pass clean-bowled its intended target but Watson was leading out at it, instead of taking possession he slapped it across to Z. Merrett who was running past toward goal, and Merrett kicks it.
North goal - 4th quarter (03:16 remaining) Essendon 11.10 (76) - North Melbourne 13.15 (93)
Two in 20 seconds of clock time for the Roos! Ziebell storms out of the centre, bangs a massive long kick, and Bastinac wrestles on the line to shepherd the bouncing ball home. Goal. Roos are clean and clear.
North goal - 4th quarter (03:36 remaining) Essendon 11.10 (76) - North Melbourne 12.15 (87)
There’s the counter, and it hurts. Essendon have had several chances going forward, and have just mucked up the possession chain somewhere along the line. Then Shaun Higgins marks, takes his time on the set shot, kicks from just inside 50, and hits the best shot by a North Melbourne player tonight.
Hurley has had a few big stoushes tonight. Twice when someone has tried to tackle him he’s just shoved them to the ground and run off. He does the same from deep in defence to clear a North scoring chance, gutsy work, would have been holding the ball in front of goal if the tackle had stuck.
That’s a big moment. A free kick awarded for high contact to Essendon, 40 metres out. But Z. Merrett took the loose ball and played on, advantage was paid, and his snap was hurried and went out on the full.
Essendon goal - 4th quarter (08:22 remaining) Essendon 11.10 (76) - North Melbourne 11.15 (81)
Got to admire this Essendon team’s spirit. The ball was locked in their forward 50 for a good couple of minutes, it seemed. They fought and fought for it. Finally it ended up with Brendon Goddard in the goalsquare, back to goal, being tackled. He skewed a handball loose to Ambrose, and the high snap sailed home.
Five points the difference!
Here’s that Daniher mark from earlier.
Essendon goal - 4th quarter (11:31 remaining) Essendon 10.10 (70) - North Melbourne 11.15 (81)
Melksham finally cheers up! He surges forward from the back half, marks at centre half forward, lines up the long bomb and sends it soaring home from 60.
Updated
North goal - 4th quarter (12:30 remaining) Essendon 9.10 (64) - North Melbourne 11.15 (81)
Finally they get one - Jarrad Waite couldn’t miss from the goalsquare. Nahas scrubbed a little kick under pressure, and it’s happened a few times tonight, but Essendon’s defenders were too slow getting back, and didn’t have anyone waiting back. Waite kicks off the deck.
4th quarter (14:50 remaining) Essendon 9.10 (64) - North Melbourne 10.15 (75)
Melksham is about to explode. Another free paid against him. Thomas did try to drop his knees and win the high contact, but Melksham was coming in too quickly and probably would have copped in anyway. He’s furious at the decision though.
Luckily for everyone within a hundred-metre radius, Thomas misses his set shot.
Gibson misses another soon afterwards for having his arms chopped. North still not getting far enough clear, Essendon can still come back.
North goal - 4th quarter (16:30 remaining) Essendon 9.10 (64) - North Melbourne 10.13 (73)
But North get their buffer back quickly. There’s a bounce-down in their forward line, Goldstein gives it a meaty slap toward the goals, and Nahas wins the foot race back to kick it over the line.
Essendon goal - 4th quarter (18:50 remaining) Essendon 9.10 (64) - North Melbourne 9.13 (67)
Again the fast start for Essendon in a new quarter. Bellchambers on the lead hauls down a strong mark, then nails the long angled shot from the pocket. Top kick, top quarter coming up.
Three-quarter time - Essendon 8.9 (58) - North Melbourne 9.11 (67)
A few misses to finish that quarter. Daniher, then Jake Melksham gave away a 50-metre penalty for encroaching on the mark, but Cunnington misses from 50. Then Lindsay Thomas takes another screamer with three seconds left in the quarter - a long ball into the forward pocket, Thomas running laterally to the ball, jumping into the contest and twisting his body in mid-air, and he almost ended up marking it over his shoulder with his back to the ball. Held it, landed it, but sprayed the shot after the siren.
It’s North by nine points, still looking slightly the stronger side, but the Bombers won’t go away.
3rd quarter (2:00 remaining), Essendon 8.9 (57) - North Melbourne 9.11 (65)
Inspired by Waite, Joe Daniher punches himself in the head after missing a shot from 20 out straight in front, after one of the best marks of his career. He soared for that ball, timed his leap beautifully and hauled it out of the competing arms of a big pack at full forward. Find that one on the highlight reel for sure.
Jarrad Waite has given away a free, a 50, and been reported after a bad spoil. Crashed into the back of his opponent and punched him in the back of the head after missing the ball.
North goal - 3rd quarter (3:20 remaining), Essendon 8.9 (57) - North Melbourne 9.11 (65)
Dempsey streaming forward after some smooth Essendon play has a chance to goal on the run but misses.
North goal - 3rd quarter (4:25 remaining), Essendon 8.8 (56) - North Melbourne 9.11 (65)
Two in quick time now - Cunnington leads into the pocket, and it’s a tricky set shot but he curves it home. North skip clear now.
Ben Brown is subbed off, and has a massive ice pack around his knee to go with this red vest. The second-gamer Langford was subbed off a while back for Essendon.
North goal - 3rd quarter (5:09 remaining), Essendon 8.8 (56) - North Melbourne 8.11 (59)
North back in front! It’s Thomas having his second shot in a minute after a quick clearance. He marks, kicks from 40, goals.
3rd quarter (6:07 remaining), Essendon 8.8 (56) - North Melbourne 7.11 (53)
7.11 for the Roos - if you can hear a Slurpee sound, it’s their goalkickers sucking.
Thomas wins a dodgy free but misses.
3rd quarter (7:15 remaining), Essendon 8.8 (56) - North Melbourne 7.10 (52)
Poster! Ziebell tries a desperate clearing kick, Heppell kicks from just outside 50 after marking it, but his shot fades late and thunks the timber.
Updated
3rd quarter (8:51 remaining), Essendon 8.7 (55) - North Melbourne 7.10 (52)
Collyer misses a snap for goal, Essendon go three points ahead. Ben Brown is struggling with what may be a hamstring strain.
Petrie gives away a free for holding Stanton off the ball. “Soft!” yells Petrie when the whistle blows. “He’s a diver, this bloke,” the North forward goes on as he mans the mark.
Says Dennis Cometti as the ball comes wide to Fletcher, “He’s an old stager himself.”
3rd quarter (12:30 remaining), Essendon 8.6 (54) - North Melbourne 7.10 (52)
It’s very willing, this game. A Bomber surge out of defence is smashed down in a wall of North tackles in midfield. Every North foray forward finds stout resistance. Eventually Petrie finds Nahas, but his disposal has been mostly awful tonight and his set shot is no exception.
Updated
Essendon goal - 3rd quarter (16:35 remaining), Essendon 8.4 (52) - North Melbourne 7.9 (51)
An Essendon free kick in the goalsquare as Daniher is held by the wrist. Watson had won that ball on the wing and kicked infield, Gleeson sent the long ball to the square. Daniher shanks the kick badly but he’s so close to goal that he scores regardless. Bombers up by a point.
Brilliant attack on the football from Dempsey on the wing - hit the bouncing ball at pace and tore away.
Essendon goal - 3rd quarter (19:31 remaining), Essendon 7.3 (45) - North Melbourne 7.9 (51)
The fast start for the Bombers! Quickly out of the centre, ball over the back, Hansen was running back to rush the behind but Ambrose stuck a foot out and toed it over the line. The margin is one goal.
Half time - Essendon 6.3 (39) - North Melbourne 7.9 (51)
North Melbourne found gear in that quarter - they’d been slightly on top even in the first quarter but couldn’t score. In the second they started kicking straight. They also got a couple of umpiring bonuses, with bad errors costing Essendon one goal and giving North another. North got a gap, but the Bombers have brought it back to two goals. It’s turning into a good game.
Any thoughts, drop me an email: geoff.lemon@theguardian.com, or get me on Twitter @GeoffLemonSport.
Essendon goal - 2nd quarter (0:03 remaining), Essendon 6.3 (39) - North Melbourne 7.9 (51)
Essendon needed that one! North had the numbers at half back but Heppell gets in a little toe-poke forward, Collyer sweeps to Goddard all on his own. The veteran makes an error in trying to spot up a teammate rather than shooting himself from 40, but the ball stays live in the forward line, and a few contests later Goddard accidentally has his head ripped off and wins the clear free. He keeps his side in touch at the break.
North goal - 2nd quarter (03:19 remaining), Essendon 5.3 (33) - North Melbourne 7.9 (51)
They’re putting the foot down now, North. Swallow fights for a ball in the pocket, centres in a crowded forward line and finds Ziebell, whose set shot is shaky but hobbles through.
North goal - 2nd quarter (04:45 remaining), Essendon 5.3 (33) - North Melbourne 6.9 (45)
More rage for Bomber fans as Lindsay Thomas leaps to early onto a pack at half forward, unbalances several players but doesn’t take the mark, then keeps his feet as the ball comes over the back into open space. Should have conceded a free but instead runs into an open goal.
2nd quarter (05:03 remaining), Essendon 5.3 (33) - North Melbourne 5.9 (39)
North survive some sloppy play - first Daniher gets a free kick for a chop-out, then the centred ball is due to be marked by Goldstein in the defensive goalsquare but his teammate Brown spoiled him. Heppell misses the snap from 15 out.
North goal - 2nd quarter (07:04 remaining), Essendon 5.2 (32) - North Melbourne 5.9 (39)
Essendon fans are frothing. Jobe Watson is denied a free kick in their forward line when he fairly heavily handled. Some good North play gets the ball the length of the field, then Waite is ironed out by Baguley trying to spoil, but probably fairly. Waite gets a free because of the heavy contact and finally kicks straight. North skip clear.
North goal - 2nd quarter (08:40 remaining), Essendon 5.2 (32) - North Melbourne 4.9 (33)
Know who can remember how to kick a goal? Boomer Harvey. McKernan nearly had a mark in the Essendon goalsquare, should have been paid probably but he wasn’t in total control as he brought it down to his hip, then he dropped it. Umpire calls play on and the ball zooms down the outer wing. Finds Harvey outside 50 and he runs on to drill the goal from the left pocket.
Bomber fans hate it. Kangaroos in front.
Updated
2nd quarter (10:35 remaining), Essendon 5.2 (32) - North Melbourne 3.9 (27)
Another miss from North. Ziebell wins a shocker of a free kick for high contact against Ashby. The call was clearly wrong, but Ziebell can’t take advantage.
Petrie then fumbles a ball diving into the goalsquare and it’s knocked over for another behind. Three times as many points as goals now.
2nd quarter (13:45 remaining), Essendon 5.2 (32) - North Melbourne 3.7 (25)
Frenetic pace but no composure, this is good entertaining football at the moment. Players are bashing into each other, Bellchambers is decked, Hurley decks Waite, lots of willing contests. Daniher is spoiled right in front at one end, Nahas marks at the other but hands on to Ziebell who misses. All happening.
Fact: Brendon Goddard’s low 50-metre pass is the most attractive thing in modern football.
North goal - 2nd quarter (17:23 remaining), Essendon 5.0 (31) - North Melbourne 3.6 (24)
It’s Dustin Fletcher’s 399th game tonight, but his scrambled snap is offline. As the ball comes back out Fletcher is involved on the wing and wins it for his team, but Dempsey coughs it up with an errant handball, and when it goes forward the ball finds Petrie in the square. Plays on, goal.
Quarter time is also time to play a fun game called Weird Isn’t It How Different Brad Scott’s Accent is to Chris Scott’s Accent. Twin brothers, played at the same club, speak like strangers.
Interesting vision from the stands: Essendon chairman Paul Little and AFL CEO Gill McLachlan deep in conversation. They would have plenty to talk about.
Quarter time Essendon 5.0 (30) - North Melbourne 2.6 (18)
Tale of the first quarter? Essendon haven’t missed a shot yet. North Melbourne have missed six. All you need to know.
Essendon goal - 1st quarter (0:50 remaining), Essendon 5.0 (30) - North Melbourne 2.6 (18)
The Bombers reply again. Watson takes a straightforward mark to an excellent long pass, goes back and kicks a straightforward goal. Straightforward when Watson is doing it, anyway.
North goal - 1st quarter (2:36 remaining), Essendon 4.0 (24) - North Melbourne 2.6 (18)
Finally they get one straight - quickly out of the centre, Sam Gibson takes a juggling mark, Essendon’s protests about touching the ball are ignored, and Gibson tumbles the kick through.
Essendon goal - 1st quarter (2:36 remaining), Essendon 4.0 (24) - North Melbourne 1.6 (12)
North do pay for it, as Essendon once more move quickly down the field and Collyer takes a fingertipper tumbling backward close to goal. Great grab, not as good as Higgins’, but Collyer kicks straight afterwards.
Updated
1st quarter (4:07 remaining), Essendon 3.0 (18) - North Melbourne 1.6 (12)
Shaun Higgins takes an absolute corker of a mark - short man, but he sprints at the pack, leaps, plants a knee, gets first hands to the ball, and tumbles over the pack with it firmly in his hands. Majestic leap.
Then he scrubs the easy set shot completely, and North have a collected a goal in six slices. They’ll pay for this.
1st quarter (5:17 remaining), Essendon 3.0 (18) - North Melbourne 1.5 (11)
The Roos are peppering. Delicious. Ben Cunnington scrubs through a point, then Higgins misses a set shot, just.
1st quarter (8:20 remaining), Essendon 3.0 (18) - North Melbourne 1.3 (9)
Waite misses another set shot - this one hits the post from about 30 metres out, on an angle.
Updated
Essendon needing a big response this weekend, after the news that WADA would appeal the decision that found the players not guilty of taking banned substances. Both these teams are 3-3 with their win-loss record.
North goal - 1st quarter (10:29 remaining), Essendon 3.0 (18) - North Melbourne 1.2 (8)
The Roos are on the board in the simplest possible way - quick centre clearance, a kick to Petrie on the lead, and a long bomb set shot for a goal.
Updated
Essendon goal - 1st quarter (11:19 remaining), Essendon 3.0 (18) - North Melbourne 0.2 (2)
They add another in no time! This time it’s Dyson Heppell, the ball was pinballing around inside their forward line, Daniher squeezed a handball out, Collyer attacked it and knocked it to Heppell, and the spiky-haired star snapped from 40 out - it bounced in front of the men wrestling on the goal line, but landed on its point and cleared them.
Essendon goal - 1st quarter (12:04 remaining), Essendon 2.0 (12) - North Melbourne 0.2 (2)
Kick to kick on the wing for a minute or so, until finally McKernan marks a teammate’s kick, turns quickly and nails a good long pass to Watson in the pocket. That’s a tricky set shot but the Essendon captain sends a drop punt sweetly through.
Essendon goal - 1st quarter (16:00 remaining), Essendon 1.0 (6) - North Melbourne 0.2 (2)
Young Langford is in trouble, he’s been ironed out in a marking contest on the wing after backing into the oncoming players. He’s in his second game but that was brave. The ball gets forward nonethless but Waite misses his set shot from the pocket. Essendon make him pay by again getting the ball down the other end quickly, Collyer swoops on a ground ball from a contest, and runs from 60 metres out into the 50 to goal on the run.
North: Macmillan in, Wood out
Essendon: McKernan, Langford, Ashby, Fletcher in
Gwilt, Carlisle, Hams, Zaharakis out
1st quarter (18:30 remaining), Essendon 0.0 (0) - North Melbourne 0.1 (1)
First score of the night is a rushed behind punched through as Brown tried to mark. Bombers flood down to the other end but they’re held up by congested play in their left forward pocket.
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Hello world, Geoff Lemon indeed arriving at the keys to take your hand through this Friday night footballing waltz. We’re counting down to the first bounce.
Geoff will be at his keyboard in due course charged with bringing you, dear readers, closer to the action at Etihad Stadium. Russell Jackson has already laid out a few thoughts on the game so why not take a read while we await Master Lemon’s arrival?
We still haven’t had a Friday night game worth crowing about yet, but there’s at least some hope that tonight’s clash between Essendon and North Melbourne will reach the heights of their absorbing duel in last season’s elimination final. Going against North Melbourne, who won comfortably against Richmond last week, is that they’re yet to string two wins together this season. The Bombers couldn’t handle Fremantle’s stifling pressure in Perth last week and they’re battling their own problems on multiple fronts. Brad Scott probably wishes his club could make bigger headlines than ones about their coach clashing with security guards.
Read the rest of Russell’s weekend preview, here.
