Essendon started the game with Matthew Leuenberger, Dyson Heppell, Zach Merrett and Jobe Watson in at the centre bounce.  Brendon Goddard and Travis Colyer are occupying the wings.

Darcy Parish and David Zaharakis are also part of the midfield rotation.

Joe Daniher and James Stewart are the key targets in attack.  Orazio Fantasia, Jayden Laverde, Kyle Langford and Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti are the small forwards.  

In defence Michael Hurley is on Tom Hawkins and Mitch Brown has the job on Harry Taylor. James Kelly, Patrick Ambrose, Andrew McGrath, Mark Baguley and Martin Gleeson are also in the backline.

Jobe Watson was active early for the Bombers collecting seven possessions in the first ten minutes of the game.  He was also involved in the passage that set James Stewart up for the opening goal of the game.

Matthew Leuenberger left the field midway through the first term with a hamstring injury and won't play again today.

The Dons first two goals came from rebounds in the defensive half of the ground, the third was launched from a stoppage with Joe Daniher converting his set shot.  Essendon added a fourth when Shaun McKernan gathered from a boundary throw in.

McKernan assumed the number one ruck responsibilities in the absence of Leuenberger.   In a 15 minute period either side of quarter time he gathered eight possessions and added a super goal to his earlier goal.

Stewart was impressive in the first term with four marks and two goals.

After leading by 16 points at quarter time, the lead quickly swelled to 35 points thanks to McKernan's super goal and a second super goal to Zach Merrett.

Between the 24th minute mark of the first term and the two minute mark of the second, Essendon kicked four goals from five forward half chains. 

Essendon created 60% of the forward 50's in the second quarter and kicked a goal from 33% of these entries.

Kyle Langford picked up 13 possessions and had three score involvements in the second term as the Bombers took a 40 point lead into the major break.