ABC Thursday scoreboard
Jake Stringer sets up GWS goal
The Giants are just too strong here.
Jake Stringer is having a decent night against his old side.
He has missed couple of set shots, but he is proving very hard to stop.
He just was hit up for a mark in the left forward pocket – but instead of going for goal, he looked up and drilled a kick across 50 to land perfectly in Callum Brown’s arms.
Brown kicked his second of the quarter and the lead is back to 39 points.
Archie Perkins gets one back for the Bombers
It’s tough sledding right now for the home side, but that was good play.
A great mark on the wing by Oskar Smartt, who kicks to the pocket, the Bombers’ Dylan Shiel runs inboard and is almost run down but gets it to Archer May and then to Archie Perkins, who kicks Essendon’s fourth of the night.
The margin is 37 points, seven minutes to go in the third.
Big issue for Sam Durham
Uh oh.
Essendon will be holding the breath for a while.
Sam Durham just got tackled by Kieren Briggs, or rather the Giants’ big man fell on Durham – and the Bombers midfielder doesn’t look in great shape.
He is coming off, and down to the rooms for a HIA.
Giants are irresistible right now
That was a bit of Orange Tsunami there!
The Giants used a bit of chaos ball, forcing the ball forward and using their speed to set up a chance.
Darcy Jones got on the end of things, handballing clear to Callum Brown and the Irishman kicked truly.
This threatens to blow right out, right now.
Spectacular Stringer adds to GWS lead
That was something!
Tom Green kicked a checkside pass to Toby Greene on the wing, the GWS skipper found Toby Bedford, who kicked long to the hotspot.
Who is there? The Package is there! Jake Stringer uses a Bombers defender as a stepladder and takes a great mark.
He lands perfectly and goes back and kicks it, as the grumbles of the Essendon fans grow louder.
Giants by 38.
Isaac Kako kicks one for the Bombers
Well, at least the Bombers haven’t gone into their shell.
They went through the corridor, the ball went to a contest, and Isaac Kako was there at the drop to pick up and run in for Essendon’s third goal of the night.
Tom Green answers for GWS
Wow that is disappointing for Essendon.
GWS had a forward 50 stoppage, and that went like clockwork for the visitors.
Kieren Briggs got the tap down to Tom Green – who picked up his 10th clearance of the night – and the Giants’ midfield beast ran free and snapped an answering goal for GWS.
The visitors have the answers, and someone needs to try and stop Green.
Debutant gives Bombers a fast start
Well, that was exactly what was needed by the home side!
A minute gone on the clock in the third term, and after a missed chance from a first entry, the Bombers get it in fast and Liam McMahon marks.
And the debutant’s kick is long, and straight and through!
His teammates are up and about, another big celebration for the Bombers. They need to do more than kick one, but that’s a great start. The lead is 31.
Another kicking debacle for Bombers
Why all the fuss re. Roof for new TASSIE STADIUM……SINCE IT OPENED DOCKLANDS KICKING FOR GOALS. HAS HAD DISMAL RESULT…..THE POINTS KICKED SO OFTEN OUT DOES GOALS….FIRST QUARTER. BOMBERS 5 POINTS
– Brian Cox
Brian,
It doesn’t really seem to matter what ground Essendon kicks on right now.
Last week they kicked 1.13 after quarter time against Richmond, and this week they have added another 1.8 under the roof.
It doesn’t take an expert to work out that 2.21 in four quarters of football is not going to get it done, wherever you are playing.
Maybe they can try to remedy things in this coming half of football – but it’s far from their only issue.
That clearance figure
GWS leads the clearances 27-13, or to put another way – Tom Green on his own has only four clearances less than the entire Bombers side for a half of football.
HT: GWS 8.3 (51) leads Essendon 1.8 (14)

The siren sounds, seconds after Jake Ricciardi misses a chance to boost GWS’ lead even further.
But that was an impressive quarter from the Giants, kicking 6.3 to 1.3.
Essendon don’t seem to have an answer at the clearances, with Tom Green leading the way with nine.
Better kicking wouldn’t go astray either for the Bombers, but they need to hold the line early when play resumes, otherwise this could get out of control.
Liam McMahon kicks a goal on debut for Essendon
Finally! The Bombers have a goal, after a long kick to a contest drew a free kick.
It’s Essendon’s 13th debutant of the season, Liam McMahon, and he goes back and kicks it straight down the middle.
Everyone runs to him, and the Bombers have something to cheer about. Well done, Liam.
GWS’ lead is growing rapidly
Toby Green had marred the Giants’ perfect kicking record with a behind, but the Giants are not for stopping.
Kieren Briggs wins a ruck free kick against Vigo Visentini, and the ruckman slots his side’s eighth goal.
The lead is out to 41 points in time on.
Giants have five for the quarter
Tom Green is driving the Giants here.
He has just grabbed his eighth clearance of the half, and set up another goal to Jake Ricciardi.
The Bombers have no answer here, and the Giants could be setting up a huge percentage boost if the home side can’t find one soon.
Jake Stringer kicks one against his old side
This could get ugly here.
The Giants are rolling, and they get the ball forward to Jake Stringer, who marks inside 50.
The crowd aren’t impressed with the former Bomber, even less so when he steers through the sixth of the night for GWS.
It’s 6.0 to 0.8, and the Giants are away.
Grezewski adds another for GWS
GWS is just taking the proverbial here.
They get forward 50 stoppage and win the clearance, it comes out to Jake Stringer who is clear in on goal, and instead of kicking he bounces a pass across to Max Grezewski, who scores from the goalsquare.
Cue the groans and boos at Docklands from disgruntled Essendon fans.
Grezewski extends the Giants’ lead
And that is just a cooler for Essendon.
They’re doing a lot right but they can’t finish, but GWS can.
And they have again. A ball to a contest in forward 50, and Max Grezewski snaps around his body for a beautiful kick that splits the goal posts.
The lead is 16 points, nearly halfway through the second term.
Bombers in goalkicking strife
Essendon has not kicked a goal since quarter-time last week – and it’s showing.
It’s not as if the Bombers aren’t creating chances, but they can’t take them.
Essendon just had another one, thanks to a 50 metre penalty. Jordan Ridley was the man with the set shot – but his kick slid right. That’s 0.8 so far.
Yet another miss from the Bombers
Great play by the Bombers – but it doesn’t pay off!
The home side went down the near side and Isaac Kako burst free before spotting up Peter Wright with a brilliant kick.
The ball sticks for Two Metre Peter. He had the chance to get his team’s first, but yet again a shot from the Bombers goes wide.
You have to think there’s a confidence issue at play – they’re under the roof and there are no excuses.
Essendon 0.6, GWS 3.0. The contrast is stark.