Blog log from R19 of 2024: Essendon vs Adelaide

Keane drops a long Redman speculator to the pocket in a four-man pack, Butts had lost touch with Jones and watches him skid through the first goal from 20m. (Q1 1:47)
Draper hits the lead of Langford in front of Murray 40m out on a slight angle, who tugs his drop punt left. (Q1 3:21)
Jones again loses Butts in transition and only has Sholl to contend against for a long pass by Martin to the fat side pocket 20m out, he boots his second goal. (Q1 6:13)
Cox loses Hinge on a hook lead from the square to the pocket, Keane chunters after Cox marks 25m out and steers through the next goal. Bit of a one-way street so far. (Q1 8:43)
Thilthorpe takes a link mark over McKay on outer wing and passes to Soligo in the pocket 30m out, who curls his set shot near side left. (Q1 12:08)
Keays flashes in to keep a ground ball alive in the pocket with a skilful tap to Fogarty, who feeds Rachele for the first Adelaide goal from 15m. (Q1 13:08)
Thilthorpe leaps in front of two tall defenders to clunk a mark at the hotspot for his first goal. (Q1 25:28)
Keays passes short to Dowling 40m out in front for the first goal of Q2 to give the Crows the lead back. (Q2 1:08)
Durham runs from the next bounce and slots the goal from 45m in front, after Stringer roves and rides a Dawson tackle to give out a bouncing handball. (Q2 2:58)
Langford hasn’t had a great run of it lately but the Dons are trying life without Peter Wright, he marks a Kelly pass on the lead 45m out on a slight angle and converts. (Q2 6:28)
Taylor catches Redman HTB 40m out in front and steers through his first senior goal. (Q2 8:41)
Caddy marks over Keane 45m out on the flank but misses across the face to the left. (Q2 10:32)
Adelaide goes coast to coast with two long kicks, Fogarty marks in stride and baulks away from Laverde to bounce through the goal from near the point of the centre square! (Q2 11:13)
McKay’s pressured handball from the back pocket bounces to Keays who snaps quickly off his left for another one from 20m! (Q2 13:03)
Keays snaps another opportunist goal from close range produced by Crow frontal pressure, this one a Kelly fumble of a Redman handball, Adelaide kicking away now! (Q2 17:59)
Durham is pinged for late contact on Michalanney for a long ball to the teeth of goal, Thilthorpe screws through the downfield free for his second! (Q2 21:19)
Dawson to Murphy after the next bounce but his rush of blood from 50m on a slight angle results in a poor snap that skews left. (Q2 22:28)
Fogarty marks on the lead just inside 50m near the boundary, tough kick from there but the Fog makes it look easy, six of the best from Adelaide! (Q2 23:27)
Another centre clearance to Adelaide, McKay roves in the pocket but coughs it up to Keays under Himmelberg pressure, Keays dribbles through his third goal of Q2! (Q2 24:39)
It’s a ski run from the centre for the Crows, Rachele roves and feeds Berry who has space to steady over a running snap from 30m on a slight angle, another one flies in! (Q2 25:54)
Keane encroaches to give away 50 to bring Stringer from centre wing to 40m on a slight angle, the Package unwraps a lovely drop punt to stem the bleeding. (Q2 28:52)
Redman runs to half forward and bangs through a trademark long goal, still a mountain of time in this game and Essendon are right in it. (Q2 32:14)
Dawson wobbles a pass inside 50 from the centre to 40m on a slight angle to O’Brien, whose kick is even worse for a point. (Q3 1:07)
Keays roves a ball up 30m out on a slight angle but his right-foot snap over the shoulder doesn’t curl enough. (Q3 4:19)
Gresham had an extremely quiet first half but he plays on to advantage into an open goal from a free to Cox. (Q3 5:23)
Next centre clearance to Essendon via Merrett, Butts is pinged for contact on Caddy 35m out in the corridor, Caddy kicks straight. (Q3 6:59)
Langford passes short to Merrett 40m out on the flank, Dowling had overcommitted to the spoil so Merrett plays on for a snap off the left across the body… narrow. (Q3 9:09)
Martin passes to Langford at half forward, he plays on and kicks very high to the square, Caddy flies and draws a front-on contact free on Nankervis for another one for the Dons! (Q3 10:39)
Cook misses a snap from the HFF. (Q3 11:24)
Langford marks easily over Hinge 40m out on the flank, this kick to almost level the scores after Essendon were five goals down less than a quarter ago… it’s good! (Q3 12:39)
After Guelfi mows down Berry in midfield for another turnover, Cox marks over Cook near the hotspot, Bombers hit the lead with that goal! (Q3 15:09)
Rachele marks in the pocket 30m out and screws in the goal to restore Adelaide’s lead. (Q3 19:28)
Keays gets to a crumb first in the pocket ahead of Redman and 30m out and volleys it all the way for his fourth goal! (Q3 21:39)
Merrett passes to Draper leading in front of O’Brien 40m out in front. The gawky ruckman makes the set shot look simple. (Q3 23:39)
Bond comes in hot on Cox and catches him high 15m out on a slight angle, Cox kicks straight again, Dons regain the lead. (Q3 26:53)
Caldwell marks in stride 45m out in front after the next bounce, plays on and rams through another one to the northern end! (Q3 28:13)
Caldwell roves Merrett’s centre clearance on the HFF and centres to the corridor 20m out for Draper to mark… but the big galoot shanks into the post. (Q4 0:45)
Fogarty marks 40m out on the flank, already has one from here but this one fades across the face to be rushed. (Q4 6:30)
Merrett earns a free for contact in the back and converts from 35m in front. (Q4 9:35)
Fogarty gathers on the HFF and gives over the top to Rachele who swerves inside of McGrath and shoots across the body off the left from 30m… across the face. (Q4 10:59)
Keays gets a free at a throw-in 40m out on the flank, he shoots for a personal best fifth goal… it’s a chip shot but it’s straight and long enough! (Q4 11:57)
Durham runs away from the next bounce after beating Berry to the crumb, and hits the lead of Langford 30m out on the flank. Langford shanks OOTF to the left. (Q4 13:31)
Gresham has done very little tonight but his role requires only a few moments, his one arrives as he roves a throw-in and checksides a crucial goal from 30m. (Q4 18:41)
Laird feeds Fogarty who curls in a lovely snap from half forward after the next bounce, this game has been a rollercoaster and there may be a twirl left in it. (Q4 19:45)
Caddy has a chance to ice the game on the run 30m out on the flank but decides to checkside and gets it all wrong, the ball skews right and OOTF. (Q4 23:35)
Keays roves a stoppage on members wing and sails a high ball to the hotspot, Thilthorpe provides the crumb and it’s Fogarty who snaps under a tackle, only a kick in it with 3:18 to go! (Q4 25:21)
Murphy roves in the pocket and gives to Thilthorpe who snaps hurriedly off his left from 20m… just narrow! (Q4 26:27)
Two points in it, 2:47 to play. (Q4 26:27)
Dowling clears from a throw-in on members wing inside 50 but Langford intercepts to stop the attack, 1:50 to go. (Q4 27:50)
O’Brien intercepts again on the wing, Laird back inside 50, ball up 40m out on the flank, 1:32. (Q4 28:18)
Keays can’t get the handle on a Rachele handball, throw-in 25m out, 1:21. (Q4 28:30)
Surge outside 50 for another stoppage 60m out, 1:07. (Q4 29:05)
Keays pumps it back in to a pack 30m out on the flank, Rachele skids through the go-ahead goal! (Q4 29:30)
51 seconds to go and the Bombers need one last heroic act to pull this one out! (Q4 29:46)
Draper to Merrett, Martin roves and shoots from 35m but Hinge touches it through, 37 seconds left at the kick in! (Q4 30:44)
Long kick to members wing for a throw in, 26 seconds. (Q4 30:44)
Stringer gets a chance from 50m on a slight angle, goes long to the square but Caddy can’t mark, rushed by Cook, 12 seconds! (Q4 31:32)
Another long kick to the wing touched over for a throw in, four seconds left. (Q4 31:49)
Siren goes with ball loose, Crows hang on! (Q4 32:01)