Bombers roll past North in high-scoring contest
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PRE- AND POST-MATCH: 3AW app or website
MATCH STREAM: AFL app or website
TODAY’S LINE-UP from 2PM: Matthew Richardson, Cameron Ling, Matt Granland, Tony Leonard, and Mick Warner.
Photo: David Crosling / AAP
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FULL TIME
Essendon has won a high-scoring clash by 17 points.
It was an entertaining, end-to-end clash, with the Bombers’ firepower in attack winning out.
Orazio Fantasia and Shaun McKernan both booted four goals.
Zach Merrett (32 disposals, 12 clearances) was a star in midfield, no doubt aided by the late withdrawal of North’s tagger Ben Jacobs.
Merrett told 3AW he would have liked Jacobs to play.
“To get to line up against the best tagger in the game would have been a great challenge for me and something to learn off,” he said.
“Ultimately, I’m not going to complain if he doesn’t play!”
Click PLAY to hear from Merrett in the rooms
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WAITE’S WAIT
Injured North forward Jarrad Waite spoke to 3AW before the game.
He said he will have another scan on his injured calf on Monday and expects to miss another 2 to 3 weeks.
Richo: “Are you amazed by Ben Brown’s improvement?”
Jarrad Waite: “Well, he’s finally had a pre-season. He’d never even done a time trial.”
Lingy: “You sound jealous.”
Waite: “Oh, 100 per cent!”
— 3AW Football (@3AWisfootball) July 1, 2018
Waite paid tribute to a former teammate, Kade Simpson, who played his 300th game this weekend.
Simpson’s poor start to his career – he did not register a disposal until his fourth game – earned him the nickname “donuts” from his teammates at the time.
Somehow, donuts found their way onto Simpson’s locker, but Waite denied he had any involvement in the prank.
“I wasn’t a part of that!” he said.
“He’s obviously made up for it since then.”
Click PLAY for the full interview
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LATE CHANGE
North has made a late change.
Tagger Ben Jacobs is out, with Paul Ahern coming in.
Essendon will line up as selected.
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THE BUILD-UP
With the Roos and Dons sitting 9th and 12th on the ladder, this is a true eight-point game.
A bumper crowd is expected at Etihad Stadium for this one, and 3AW has all the action covered.
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