Blog log from R19 of 2025: Essendon vs Western Sydney

Kako’s chase forces Ash to hurry a kick across the backline, Clarke chips in front of Himmelberg to mark 30m out in front but misses to the right. (Q1 1:32)
Greene roves at half back but gets caught HTB by Merrett 40m out, Merrett gives back to Greene’s man Redman who blazes to the left. (Q1 4:39)
Guelfi marks 50m out on the flank in front of Whitfield, his set shot looks as good as he can make it but falls in the square to be rushed. (Q1 9:15)
Clarke takes a Greene tackle a bit too meekly in the back pocket and gets penalised for HTB, Greene plays on inside and curls in the opening goal of the night from 35m.. (Q1 11:35)
Smarrt is in the right spot at the front of a May contest 35m out and tries a snap off a step that bounces in the square but it takes an unlucky off break to the right. (Q1 14:15)
Visentini misses a handball target on the HFF, ball squirts behind the pack for Cadman who shoots off a step from 50m… narrow to the right. (Q1 17:00)
Clarke is pinged again on the HBF for HTB, another dubious decision, Green passes to the lead of Cadman 20m out on the boundary who threads the goal. (Q1 18:11)
Merrett dumps Brown at half back to start a counter around outer wing, Duursma kicks long to the flank 40m out where Guelfi bodies Whitfield early to mark but miss to the left. (Q1 21:11)
Wright marks 35m out on the flank, his punching set shot floats across the face to the left just on the QT siren. (Q1 27:17)
Jones burns off McGrath on members wing to get to the crumb from a Greene contest on the HFF and pass to Riccardi in the pocket 30m out, who checksides a quality long-range finish. (Q2 2:43)
Wright flies in front of Buckley to clunk a Kako pass 40m out on a slight angle, a minute after being unlucky not to get an arm chop near the same spot. 2MP misses to the right. (Q2 6:33)
Durham rolls through another behind from a pack in the pocket. (Q2 9:58)
Greene is penalised for encroachment after bludging too near Ridley on members wing, mark brought to 35m on a slight angle where Ridley misses. (Q2 11:35)
Greene provides a crumb at the hotspot, Perkins chases but only succeeds in toepoking it to Gruzewski who snaps over his shoulder for the goal. (Q2 13:20)
Briggs sends Stringer out the front of a stoppage 30m out on the flank, he trundles to the square and gives a Joe the Goose special to Gruzewski. (Q2 15:33)
Prior it was who got caught the wrong side of the Package and watched him deliver. (Q2 16:11)
Green checksides a pass from the next bounce to Stringer 45m out on a slight angle, Bomber fans hoot their former darling then shush as the Package kicks straight. (Q2 17:22)
Riccardi roves and dribbles a goal from the top of the square, another goal set up by Green’s clearance. (Q2 19:53)
Greene misses a snap from a pack 25m out on the flank. (Q2 21:52)
Briggs gets a rather soft holding free on Visentini in ruck 30m out and steers through another stoppage goal. (Q2 24:03)
Idun gives away a holding free on the first-gamer McMahon who belatedly kicks the first goal for Essendon from the hotspot. (Q2 29:27)
Riccardi misses a set shot from the HFF on the HT siren. (Q2 33:12)
Gresham passes from outer wing to McMahon 45m out who thumps through another impressive set shot for his second goal. (Q3 2:16)
Green roves a throw-in to 20m and snaps his first goal. (Q3 3:54)
Stringer delivers a lovely inside pass off his left from the HFF to Brown 35m out on a slight angle, after Briggs bustles Visentini off a ball up. Brown misses. (Q3 6:05)
Two Giants fly to spoil a long McGrath ball to May at the top of the square, Kako stayed down to rove and goal. Fonti it was who left Kako free. (Q3 8:15)
Stringer has the sit on his old mate Laverde to take a specky 20m out on a slight angle, Bomber fans chunter, the Package curls in the goal. (Q3 11:03)
Jones releases Brown to run down the flank to 35m and punch through a low snap. (Q3 13:30)
May waits under a centring ball and marks despite a late lunge by Whitfield 40m out, but misses. (Q3 15:25)
Perkins marks over Briggs 40m out in front but tugs his set shot to the left. (Q3 16:44)
Jones runs around outer wing with a bounce and spots up Stringer 45m out in front with a nice inside pass. This set shot is a shocker to the right. (Q3 18:33)
May gives to Perkins who checksides under pressure from 35m on the flank, that one floats through. (Q3 19:15)
Stringer marks on the HFF and plays on quickly to hit the fat side for Brown to mark over Duursma 20m out for another one. (Q3 24:11)
Stringer curls in another set shot for his third goal from 35m. Vultures are feasting. (Q3 27:18)
Wright bangs through some garbage from long range. (Q3 29:56)
Cadman is tunnelled by Laverde to earn a free after landing on his back 45m out on a slight angle, his kick is wide for no score. (Q4 1:23)
O’Halloran roosts a lovely set shot from 50m on a slight angle for some garbage. (Q4 6:18)
Durham roves near CHF and gives outside to Duursma to roll through the goal from 20m. (Q4 8:35)
Greene curls in his second goal from the pocket. (Q4 9:52)
Wright takes another contested grab from a long speculator by McMahon to a pack 35m out, he gets some more junk. (Q4 12:19)
Wright marks over Briggs 40m out on the flank but shoots narrow to the left. (Q4 17:05)
O’Halloran misses off a step from 40m. (Q4 19:24)
Smartt marks in front of Aleer 45m out on a slight angle and shoots for his first senior goal…. well to the left. (Q4 20:19)
Smartt marks again 45m out on the flank, this set shot is closer but across the face to the right. (Q4 23:00)
Redman takes a relieving mark at half back but his rebound kick it too short towards Gresham and allows Bedford to intercept 40m out for a cheap set shot… but that misses. (Q4 24:49)
Perkins skids a snap across the face to the right from 45m on the flank. (Q4 26:49)
Jones marks a long Callaghan pass near the hotspot and converts. (Q4 27:59)