Live Updates - Essendon v West Coast Eagles - Round 12 at Telstra Dome

Posted by Jesse Penfold

June 13, 2008

For the most recent update please ensure you refresh this post on a regular basis

AFL Round 12 - Essendon v West Coast Eagles - 7.40pm AEST Live from the Telstra Dome

Two teams in turmoil. Two coaches in the gun. Two wins apiece. There will only be one winner. It’s the Bombers and the Eagles, and we’ll be bringing you all the action here live at Die Hard Footy.

Are the Bombers starting to turn the corner? They get into a winnable match tonight against a young Eagles side, who whilst improving over the last few weeks showed two weeks ago that Melbourne is still far from a happy hunting ground.

Here we go, GAME TIME!

- DISCLAIMER I am an Eagles fan and if at anytime I seem like a homer, well, I probably am.

The introduction is underway and amazingly it isn’t about Kevin Sheedy’s jacket waving, but the Fletcher’s equalling the Silvani’s record of total father/son games with 551.

Big loss for the Eagles as Kerr is out. Woosha is being interviewed as they open to Bruce - says it will be a good chance for the young guys…um every game has been.

Conditions are quite wet, but Woosha says they are ready for it.

Bombers win the toss.

IN fo Bombers - Laycock, Neagle, Ramanauskas, Watson
IN for Eagles - Ebert, Schofield, LeCras

Welsh has gone to Priddis with Kerr now out.

Buckley cannot understand why the roof wasn’t closed given the conditions - great point. Is there better special comments man that Nathan Buckley. No one, and I mean NO ONE makes more interesting observations.

1st Quarter

20:00 - The bounce in Friday Night Football, a clash between two bottom four sides!

18:00 - McPhee misses the first scoring shot of the night, he has already had 3 kicks, this is no worries for the Eagles considering what McPhee does with it.

Glass is playing on Lloyd who is playing up the ground.

17:30 - McPhee already meets up to his McPhee All Stars status with a deliberate out of bounds from about 30 metres away from the boundary.

What is are the McPhee All Stars? It actually deserves its own article which will get to in the future. But for now it is for players who despite having a great body or other genetic traits for the game, and at times being servicable in plugging a certain position because of these traits (i.e. a reasonable target, or a big body in defense), they mess up in a way that makes you laugh out loud on a regular basis. They are not the worst players in the league, but they often would not receive a game for elite teams unless they are lacking in the particular area the player offers.

Examples of McPhee All Stars:

- McPhee (Obviously the founder of the side, and captain. He can have short patches where he plays ok, or maybe like his goal of the year he just has some flukie patches. For the better part though whenever McPhee goes near the ball, well, something bad happens for the Bombers. PARTICULARLY if he is in the clear by about 20 metres).

- Presti (Vice captain. Another who finals the gap in defense at times due to his big body. Another who when he goes near the ball something bad happens for his team).

If you are still unsure keep your eye on McPhee this game and you will start to understand.

16:24 - Glass saves a goal on the line and hits the goal post. Comes up limping.

16:00 – Neagle takes a contested mark 20 meters out on a slight angle - another kick from McPhee. Goals – 8-0 Bombers.

15:00 – Lucas marks 20 meters out, plays on and gets rundown from the blind side. Somehow there is no ball call.

13:30 – Butler is getting a lot of it, back in his second game in over a year he is looking sharp.

12:00 – Bombers with another missed chance. 9-0.

11:00 – Eagles have only had 13 possessions at this point. Bombers are dominating play.

10:31 – Panda marks and goals from the pocket. He has been one of the Eagles best this year, and at his age Eagles must be hoping this isn’t his last yet. 9-6

Bucks mentions his skills in the wet, which is true, need a big game from him tonight.

10:02 – Lynch snaps for goal against 3 tacklers with his back to the sticks – typical move by Quinten, he is probably just too good for the McPhee all-stars, but tries to make a case every week.

9:00 – Lucas plays on for the third time – Is this the new tactic from Knights? ATTACK MORE!

The commentators question this also, one word they use sums it up - DUMB!

8:22 – Eagles run out of the Bombers forward line and finish with an Embley goal. 10-13 Eagles.

8:07 – Cox has gone forward to rest with Seaby in the ruck. Laycock immediately dominates the ruck contest.

7:31 – A shot of Kerr, he isn’t watching.

7:09 – McNamara to Lynch to Staker in stride. Another won for the Eagles, 11-9. The Bombers are wasting their opportunies. The Eagles are not.

6:35 – 5 rookies for West Coast. 8 have not yet played 10 senior games. Masten and Ebert are dominating play right now.

4:34 – Hunter gets a free in the 50 for the Kung Fu Panda chop of the arms. Eagles are walzing through the middle on the counter at the moment. Goal, 11-25. WHERE WAS THAT LAST WEEK ADAM??!!!

3:03 – Lucas marks inside 50 and finally doesn’t play on – Knights might drag him? Goal, 17-25 Eagles.

2:30 – Laycocks legs spin like a mouse on the wheel, he tripped halfway down the T-Dome.

1:53 – McPhee spins and wheels and snaps out on the full! MCPHEE ALL STARS IN FULL EFFECT.

1:30 – Lucas, unstoppable right now, marks again inside 50. Cannot kick.

1:00 - McPhee, 10 disposals (trying to get himself out of the McPhee All Stars right now, will I eat my words?). Thumps back into Laycock. Goal this time. 24-25.

Siren – Goal to Hill. Huge stinger from the Bombers who finally take advantage of their chances and take a 5 point lead at quarter time. 30-25.

2nd Quarter

18:37 – 50 metre penalty to Panda for too high contact after his mark. Goal and the Eagles are back in front 30-31.

The commentators didn’t like it at first, but the replay showed it was just and they shut up except for Bucks.

18:22 – Wilkes now on Lloyd and Glass goes to Lucas.

17:33 – Monfries point ties it at 31 a piece.

16:23 – McPhee gives away a stupid free HA!

16:10 – Q marks 100 meters from goal. He eyes off the goals.

15:24 – Embley running the wing again and fires to Panda who is not paid a clear mark. Eagles then cop a free against them for fending off. Shocking patch of umpiring right there.

14:40 – Panda marks inside 50 with no doubt this time. Then finds a clear Embley who is everywhere right now. Hits the post with a kick off the shin from a set shot. 32-32.

13:34 – Free for Lloyd (who is looking very good), goes to McVeigh inside 50. Kick on goal is short.

12:23 – Reimers smothers, then wheels and hits the post.

11:14 – Panda streaks through off a deflection up the other end and kicks his third goal. 33-38 Eagles.

10:56 – Crowd are not happy with another intentional out of bounds by the Eagles ignored.

10:35 – McPhee called for clubbing his opponent in the mark. Bucks is not happy and the crowd are into it as well. Come on, it is McPhee!

9-53 – Ridiculous ball call in front of the Bombers goal. Another Knights strategy special with a play on and miss.

8:40 – Bombers finally break through after peppering the goals for a while. Lovett-Murray had a sleek interception and slotted it though. Bombers are pressuring well in their own forward line a look on the brink of stinging together goals. 41-38

8:05 – Glass cannot run properly. Is there any other team in the league that continues to play injured players based on the claim that things can’t get any worse?? Seriously, even if that is true, can it get better while playing? And is it good to have people playing one leg the way Glass and Cox have been doing for the better part of this year (and as everyone knows, like Judd did last year).

Woosha this season is over, and really trying to get the 3rd win against the Dons in round 12 is not that important. Rest the injured players so they can get better.

What makes this even more intriguing is the way they wrap Kerr up in cotton wool with him constantly missing games (ie tonights soft miss).

7:34 – Eagles are first to every ball in after ruck contests but cannot clear. It is a mix of good pressure from the Bombers, and inexperience by the Eagles youngsters.

6:20 – Tense in front of Eagles Goal. Bombers clear and look dangerous.

Ball continues to ping-pong back and forward. You get the feeling something is going to happen right now - but it is more who can execute on the chance first than anything. Not the best footy.

5:41 – Free to Bombers inside 50. Neagle goals (his second). 47-38 Essendon.

What is with his name? Not N-EE-GEL, but N-AY-GEL.

4:29 – Lloyd’s eyes are popping out of his head still – caffeine pills anyone? Seriously Lloyd looks like he might kill someone at any moment. He was definitely pulling a Tom Poe in the change rooms before the game:

“HE WAS IN THERE KICKING…KICKING THE WALL…AND THE WALL WAS BREAKING…HE WAS KICKING THE WALL DOWN!”

3:50 – Eagles struggle to close the quarter as they have all year. Bombers pick them apart up the field and Hill Goals. 53-39 Bombers.

3:07 – Typical Q again bangs an up and under snap from the pocket that goes out of the stadium. Oh…and misses (that isn’t a given?).

2:35 – Cox from Selwood to Embley running all over the field again. Misses another set shot. 53-41 Bombers.

1:10 – Glass is in serious trouble as the Eagles counter. Down on the field, looks like his ribs.

Jogs off in the end and seems more winded than anything.

0:16 – Embley misses another set shot after Jobe kicked it out of the full on the corner of the 50 metre mark for the Eagles.

HALF TIME
53-42 Essendon

Bombers have had 18 scoring shots to Eagles 12.

Back for the second half in a few.

3rd Quarter

Lloyd gives the boys a fair spray, ordering them to finish it in the 3rd quarter.

Kerr talks at the half. Says that he wanted to play and felt he could but the doctors ruled against it at the last minute - not typical Eagle style.

19:50 - Cox being beaten solidly by Hill around the ground, but he has 21 hitouts. Only problem for West Coast is the Bombers are roving to Cox.

19:23 - Lucas a strong mark and goal. 59-42.

18:42 - McPhee tackled and kicks out on the full - ALL STAR STAT.

18:09 - McNamara does well against Jetta and then Lecras plucks it out brilliantly in the pocket, kicking to Panda infront of goal. 4 for Panda, 59-48 Bombers.

17:22 - Reimers hits the post and Bucks questions his premature celebration.

16:47 - Hill crums and goals again (he has 3). Running rings around Cox up forward at the moment. 66-48.

15:45 - Does Q grunt like an ape at all times? He looks as if he does…right?

15:13 - Masten misses an opportunity. 66-49.

14:58 - Lloyd finds Monfries who is 100 metres in clear due to Embley’s lack of defense. Goals, 72-49 (Bombers looking good).

13:02 - Shocking handball by Jones, with a scarey turnover, Neagle marks and misses the set shot.

Commentators discuss Glass have no foot speed at the moment - you think? It has been like this all year. But hey as long as the injury cannot get worse Woosha.

11:20 - Q wastes too much time going OO OO - AH AH AH - OO OO and bangs it deep in the end instead of spotting the open forwards.

Bombers rebound straight away and Lucas missess a 50+ metre set shot.

9:53 - Hunter with a great one hander, then a stupid hand ball, but Priddis finds Wilkes who marks infront of goal. He kicks it, 74-55.

8:43 - Hunter another one handed specky. Misses the set shot, 74-56.

7:40 - McPhee All Stars play - Mcphee slips at the crucial moment and drops the mark.

7:20 - Shocking no call as Eagles hold the ball.

6:55 - Increadible goalie like save by Glass…WITH HIS FOOT. Swatzeresque.

6:13 - Rebound. This is a big play for West Coast. Panda misses a snap. 74-57 Bombers.

5:46 - McPhee!!! Plays on as per Knights Attacking Scheme 101 and runs right out of bounds. What is the McPhee All Star Stat Count at?? Hilarious.

4:48 - Reimers spins like a UFO in the tackle, no ball call as he slips a handball and a clever kick made into Lloyd. Yes CLEVERRRRRR from Bruce himself, his first for the night. Goal Lloyd, 80-57.

3:04 - Hunter receives a bit of a phantom free kick infront of goal and kicks it (finally), 80-63.

2:22 - Masten misses another easy opportunity. Hunter is just dominating right now.

1:30 - Hunter marks AGAIN! Is this against Sydney circa 2005?? Obviously not as he sprays another set shot.

Siren - 80-65 at 3/4 time.

4th Quarter

19:22 - Bombers are away in the fourth with a goal in the first 40 seconds. 86-65, handy lead now.

19:00 - McVeigh gets away with holding the ball.

18:37 - Lynch is in the ruck. This is the first time tonight I think as Seaby has been playing (with ZERO success mind you). A pity as we haven’t been able to play over/under on the number of times Lynch takes it out of the air in the ruck. If there is a selfish play available that is the option Lynch takes everytime it is incredible, his decision making is as follows:
- within goal range (say within 100 metres)? take a shot
- just out of goal range? bang it as far forward as you can
- touch the ball inside 50? take a shot, even an up and under snap from the boundary if required
- picks the ball up mid feild with tacklers approaching? duck the head and take them on
- in the ruck? try and grab it out of the air for a possession and risk giving away the free

Anyway… enough with that tangent.

17:44 - Butler scrapes out a quick shot but misses.

Jetta has gone off with an ugly looking knee incident.

17:15 - Lucas plays on again and misses.

16:40 - AMAZING, Lynch takes it out of the ruck! His first time tonight, out of just TWO RUCKS he has been in.

16:00 - Lecras crumbs and goals. 87-71 Dons.

15:53 - Lloyd is officially BACK!!! Possible mark of the year as he leapt out of T-Dome (lucky they didn’t have the roof on Bucks). Goals and he is pumped, as is the crowd. BIG BIG reply from the captain. 93-72.

14:15 - Lucas with a freakish snap and the Bombers almost look home at 99-72.

13:50 - Lecras wtih goal of the night as the Eagles answer, 99-78.

Lecras has 2 goals and looks quite good in his return from a lenghy injury.

13:23 - Panda from Masten, great chase on Fletcher to set it up. Masten showed a lot of class. Panda just misses and it is probably the biggest miss of the night so far. 99-79.

12:13 - McPhee!! Drops a wide open mark which should be costly. It isn’t as Eagles fail to capitalise again.

11:09 - Lloyds eyes are still BULDGING!

9:19 - Huges pattern of O Oh this is bad, O Oh this is good, for both teams. Shocking decision making from both teams means no one is capitalising. Clearly two bottom four sides at work here.

7:40 - Bombers fire it in nicely. Reimers mark and goal. Very difficult now for the Eagles. 106-79.

6:40 - Tap down and amazing snap from N - AY - GEL. Game over you would think. 112-79.

6:20 - Priddis has been disgusting tonight. Welsh has just owned him.

5:26 - Hunter another free infront of goal 10 out. Bucks says he will kick, I am not so sure yet. Goal. 112-85.

5:00 - Lynch takes it out of the ruch again (2nd time this quarter) and has a fresh airy infront of goal, a Lynchy comb that is known as “Lynch in the ruck in the forward line”.

4:00 - MCPHEE WIDE OPEN! SLIPS WITH THE BALL. Another McPhee All Stars effort for the kid.

3:00 - Questionable high tackle agains the Eagles and Monfries hits the post. 113-91 Bombers.

2:10 - Crucial miss-fire again from West Coast, and the Bombers start winding down the clock. This one is in the books.

END OF GAME
Essendon
16 17 113
West Coast
13 13 91

Both teams missed easy opportunities and made silly mistakes. In the end the result was just with Essendon the better team throughout the game. Umpires had several shockers but in no real favour of either side.

Interesting Stats

Player of the Game - David Hille (27 possessions, 9 marks, 22 hit outs, 3 goals against arguably the best ruckman in the competition)

Old time answering the critiques, showing there is still something left in the tank, possibly redefining his role on the team, and jumping out of the building award - Matthew Lloyd (21 possessions, 9 marks, 2 goals)

Andrew Welsh - 13 posies and 14 tackles, just blanketing Priddis all night.

Number of times I laughed out loud at the McPhee All Star Blunders by Adam McPhee - 12 or 13

Number of times Q made ape noises and went the selfish option - um.. he had 20 possessions so we will go with 20.

Now that is done, Essendon have won 3 games for the year, and West Coast still just 2. I am off to drown the sorrows in moonshine, actually might need some ice (just kidding Benny C!!! Keep your shit on).