Blog log from R9 of 2024: Essendon vs Western Sydney

Durham passes to Goldstein 45m out in the corridor who is called to play on and misses. (Q1 1:48)
Haynes passes short to Daniels 40m out on the boundary, he centres for Coniglio to mark in front of Parish 40m out on the flank. Cogs misses across the face to the left. (Q1 3:44)
Greene has four blokes waving arms inside for a centring ball from the pocket but chooses Riccardi in the square, he marks over Laverde and kicks the first goal. (Q1 5:47)
Green clears from the next bounce, Hogan marks one-out with McKay at the hotspot and converts. (Q1 6:45)
Long ball to grass near the hotspot for Davey and Idun to chase, Idun gets a terrible bounce to allow Davey to gather and roll through the goal. (Q1 15:35)
Himmelberg receives from Whitfield in the centre and passes to the lead of Hogan 45m out in front, who tugs it left. (Q1 16:48)
Caldwell’s dump kick from a stoppage in the back pocket towards the centre is intercepted by Haynes 45m out on a slight angle, he kicks like a backman for a behind. (Q1 19:41)
Greene gathers a crumb from a Cadman contest on the HFF and tries a skidder from 40m… dropped after disposal by Laverde to gift Darcy Jones the goal from the square. (Q1 22:50)
Ward bombs down the flank towards Riccardi who draws two defenders but the ball clears them all for Stone to gather and stroll into the open goal! (Q1 25:03)
Stringer is involved in the first centre clearance of Q2 after delivering donuts to QT, Gresham also quiet but he snaps from close range… for a miss to the left. (Qtr Time)
Langford marks 40m out near the boundary but misses near side right. (Q2 4:43)
After a Green handball clanger on rebound, Langford passes to Stringer at the top of the square… but the Package unwraps an orange turd of a set shot for a point! (Q2 6:20)
Cox handballs to the ankles of Goldstein in the GWS goalsquare, Toby Greene pounces for the classic opportunist goal. (Q2 7:47)
Merrett feeds Perkins who kicks a running goal from 50m on a slight angle. (Q2 12:38)
Davey passes to Langford to mark behind Whitfield running back to the boundary 25m out. Langford’s screwing set shot is professionally executed. (Q2 15:00)
Ward hits the lead of Hogan 45m out in the corridor after the next centre bounce, whose set shot hooks to the left. (Q2 16:25)
Daniels sets up Coniglio for a running snap from 30m on the flank, needs a left foot but chooses a right-foot checkside that bounces into the right goalpost. (Q2 21:19)
Jake Kelly and Laverde are left sprawling on the turf as Riccardi marks a long ball by Callaghan to the pocket 20m out. Don fans boo as there were hands in the back. Poster. (Q2 23:03)
Again it’s Hogan who is the target inside 50 for GWS, Coniglio finds him 45m out on a slight angle. This drop punt sails through for his second goal. (Q2 24:20)
Essendon really missing Ridley today, he’d be just the sort of zone-off defender who could cut off these Hogan targets. (Q2 25:20)
Idun dumps a blind kick to the HBF but it tumbles in ugly fashion straight to Durham 45m out, who misses across the face to the right. (Q2 26:40)
Stringer snaps from a stoppage near the behind line, it’s a shank across the face but Langford marks in the opposite pocket 15m out and converts. Goal assist to the Package! (Q2 28:25)
Greene snaps on the turn from 40m for a typically high-quality goal after gathering a handball by Daniels, on the end of an orange tsunami rebound through midfield. (Q3 1:33)
Merrett hits the lead of Langford 40m out on the boundary after the next bounce, Langers plays on and kicks poorly but Guelfi marks over Callaghan 20m out for the goal. (Q3 2:31)
Buckley starts in front of Langford to spoil a Perkins kick to the hotspot but Langford darts in front of him to rove and snaps across the body for a lovely finish! (Q3 8:08)
Perkins from the centre bounce to Langford who beats Buckley for the mark 30m out on a slight angle for goal number four to level the scores! (Q3 9:23)
Goldsmith is pinged for high contact on Callaghan at the next bounce, GWS gets a loose man going, Kelly runs away from Heppell to slot the goal from 40m on the flank. (Q3 11:08)
Callaghan spills the crumb from a throw in in the pocket towards the corridor, Caldwell roves but blazes OOTF. (Q3 13:23)
Hind passes to the ankles of Stringer on the HFF but the Package relishes it when he can act on instinct, he gathers and snaps on the turn from 45m for the levelling goal! (Q3 17:43)
Hind spoils a long Ash ball to Greene for a point to prevent another tsunami score following a Gresham handball clanger on centre wing. (Q3 23:08)
Merrett passes from members wing to Harrison Jones to mark in front of a tired-looking Buckley 45m out on a slight angle. Jones tugs it left. (Q3 24:19)
Redman marks a centring ball by Merrett and roosts a huge set shot from 50m on a slight angle to put Essendon in front! (Q3 26:44)
Harrison Jones dives in front of Idun to mark a Caldwell pass 35m out on a slight angle after the Bombers boss the next centre bounce. Jones shanks it to the right. (Q3 27:49)
Martin marks in the forward pocket 25m out but shoots across the face for a behind. (Q3 29:29)
Guelfi roves a speculator to the hotspot in front of Whitfield and snaps blind over his left shoulder on the turn… that one falls in, it might be Essendon’s day! (Q4 0:43)
Bedford takes a contested grab leaping over Redman 40m out on a slight angle and converts despite a fusillade of hoots from the Dons faithful. (Q4 2:49)
Guelfi converts a long-range set shot from near CHF for a rare third goal, GWS running out of ideas at this point. (Q4 6:39)
Briggs hits the far right post from a set shot from 45m on the flank. (Q4 11:05)
On the end of a rebound, Hind is over the back to rove ahead of Callaghan and just about put the game out of reach of the orange team. (Q4 11:56)
McKay is pinged for an arm chop on Hogan at half forward, give off to Himmelberg who doesn’t score. (Q4 13:28)
Parish tumbles a clearance kick from half forward to the hotspot where Stringer marks in front of Idun to just about ice the game… but he sprays it right again. (Q4 18:05)
Dons playing tempo now, Giants are officially out of time. (Q4 25:05)
Martin intercepts Bedford’s dump kick 50m out on the flank but tries a pass that doesn’t work. (Q4 26:00)