Blog log from R13 of 2023: Carlton vs Essendon

Young’s rebound kick under pressure from the back pocket goes over Cerra to Stringer 45m out on the flank, his kick is short for Young to punch it through for the first point. (Q1 1:12)
Merrett blazes wide after roving near the hotspot. (Q1 3:29)
Essendon have most of the play in the first five minutes but Cincotta ends up kicking the first goal of the night from outside CHF to an empty square. (Q1 6:05)
Wright marks strongly in front of Young 20m out on a slight angle from a Hobbs speculator that falls short of the pack in the square. 2MP kicks his first senior goal for a while. (Q1 8:00)
Wright is not paid a mark over Young that he had a lot of, eventually Langford reefs the ball away from Ed Curnow and snaps wide from the hotspot. (Q1 12:23)
Motlop kicks to grass in the pocket from half forward, Acres mops up and looks inside but decides to go himself… well short for Phillips to rush with ease. (Q1 13:10)
Charlie Curnow draws two for a contest on the point of centre square, crumb to the front for Owies who shoots from 60m… bounces wide right. (Q1 14:15)
A rare repeat inside 50 for Carlton, Charlie Curnow gets caught around the neck by Martin 40m out in front and hits the left goalpost. (Q1 14:42)
Ridley gets a bad bounce at half back, ball falls for Charlie Curnow who lets fly from 60m, that one also bounces harmlessly wide right for a behind. (Q1 16:04)
McGovern tackles Langford after the Don roves 40m out in front, ball had bobbled loose so it’s a holding free which Langford converts. (Q1 17:30)
Charlie Curnow marks on the HFF and has another lash from long range, again it’s wide right. (Q1 20:21)
Stringer snaps wide from a stoppage 25m out on the boundary under heavy pressure. (Q1 25:25)
Martin marks 30m out on the flank and also misses right. Is there a magnet at the Carlton end? (Q2 3:28)
McKay draws a contact free on Zerk-Thatcher 30m out on the flank, he tries a screwing set shot but it’s too low, Redman touches it through on the line! (Q2 4:42)
Ed Curnow rides a tackle to get a rebound going around members wing, switch inside by Kennedy, Martin draws an obvious free on Laverde in the square for the goal. (Q2 6:06)
Owies strips Redman at half forward after the next bounce, feed out to Martin again who curls a snap across the body from 35m… just not enough, stays left. (Q2 7:28)
Motlop’s chase forces a kick clanger by Hind running across goal, Charlie Curnow intercepts 45m out on the flank but misses to the right once again. (Q2 8:40)
Martin marks again inside 50, his skills may be rusty but his positioning has been elite. He tries a set up ball to the square, no direct score results. (Q2 10:25)
Nic Martin rises in front of Cerra to mark a pass from the wing by Weideman, he misses to the right. It’s a pandemic of right wing inaccuracy! (Q2 13:46)
Nic Martin to Menzie to Weideman running through half forward, the Weed has a moment to steady for a snap from 45m in front but scuffs it wide left. (Q2 17:15)
Cerra roves ahead of Perkins in the centre, turns and hits up McKay who draws another contact free on Zerk-Thatcher 40m out in front. His drop punt is a peach, a rarity for him! (Q2 19:40)
Phillips centres from the HFF to the hotspot, the ball clears the main pack and lands in the arms of Snelling who pops through the goal. (Q2 21:25)
In front of a near-capacity crowd at the G, this has been a poor quality match between two sides on the fringe of the top eight. At least we are getting some finishing now. (Q2 23:12)
Young is out of position for a kick over his head and gives an obvious contact free away to Wright 45m out on the flank. 2MP launches a lovely set shot for the goal. (Q2 24:20)
McKay slips over in possession and feeds Docherty who grubbers wide from 35m in front. (Q2 27:19)
Snelling passes short to Merrett 25m out in the pocket after a surge forward by the Dons to being Q3. Merrett curls in the set shot off the left. (Q3 0:44)
Stringer runs from a stoppage on the HFF and blazes wide off the left from 45m. (Q3 2:28)
Boyd is pinged for holding Guelfi after disposal at the hotspot, very little in that. Guelfi accepts the gift goal. (Q3 4:01)
Wright is over the back of Young to mark next to the behind post and screw in his third goal. (Q3 6:39)
De Koning is pinged for a teensy push in the back of Phillips at the hotspot, fair bit of mayo on that by Sauce. Phillips converts, Dons now in control. (Q3 9:02)
After Owies and Charlie Curnow get in each other’s way going for a Silvagni inside 50 kick, Bombers rebound with Wright marking 35m out on a slight angle for the twelve-point play. (Q3 13:32)
Essendon comes out the front of the next bounce and handballs through some witches hats all the way up the corridor to 20m, Menzie snaps another goal! (Q3 15:17)
Wright marks again in front of Silvagni 35m out on the flank, it’s all one-way traffic. But his set shot is wide and doesn’t score. (Q3 17:22)
Nic Martin’s dump kick from a stoppage in defence is straight to Charlie Curnow 45m out on a slight angle. The Egyptian swings through a goal to stop the rot. (Q3 19:47)
Redman storms through the centre on a rebound, his third touch in the chain is a pass over Silvagni to Wright in the pocket 25m out. Wright boots his fifth goal. (Q3 22:45)
Cerra passes inside 50 to Owies who marks despite a hard challenge from the side by Hind. Owies lines up from 35m in front and pops it through. (Q3 26:17)
Boyd centres for Kennedy 50m out on a slight angle after McGovern intercepts on the wing. Kennedy shanks horribly, Jack Martin roves and feeds Owies who also shanks OOTF. (Q3 28:45)
De Koning takes a pack mark in the square but it’s reversed for a push in the back on Draper. Carlton just abject. (Q4 1:23)
McKay marks just inside 50m on the flank, his drop punt is short for Draper to rush. (Q4 2:23)
Menzie catches Young HTB 35m out for another one. Essendon aren’t going to let up. (Q4 4:12)
Cripps waddles towards a crumb at the hotspot after a stoppage and gives wide to Kennedy who blazes OOTF. (Q4 5:56)
Kennedy roves on the HFF and pokes down the line for Ed Curnow 35m out, who misses. (Q4 8:38)
Charlie Curnow bounces through his second goal off the right from the hotspot, but we are well into junk time now. (Q4 11:50)
The Blues boss a stoppage at half forward, Kemp passes low and hard to Owies to mark in front of Hind 45m out in front. The set shot is short and rebounded. (Q4 16:08)
Stringer marks on the HFF, pretends to line up for goal then chips down the line for Weideman to mark on a short lead 25m out. The Weed misses to the right. (Q4 18:19)
Silvagni dribbles a quick snap from 15m in the pocket into the near right goalpost. (Q4 19:45)
Essendon played one good quarter and will win this easily. Carlton played no good quarters. Blues have dominated possession at times but their conversion is woeful. (Q4 20:58)
Motlop baulks away from McGrath running through half forward, the kick is pressured and skids behind Owies for a point from 45m. (Q4 21:39)
Boyd roves at half back but fails to baulk Caldwell and is caught HTB 45m out on a slight angle. Caldwell adds a cherry on top. (Q4 23:03)