Live: Hawks finals hopes rocked by Day injury news, Suns and Swans in control

Jack Buller has his arms outstretched after drilling a beauty from a tight angle!

Neither team had been able to get one through the big sticks, so of course Buller converts the toughest shot of the quarter.

A lovely kick inside 50 from Brodie Grundy to find him on the boundary as well.

The Swans out to a dangerous-looking 20-point lead now, particularly in this kind of weather.

That was not a particularly good quarter of footy.

It’s a goalless half for the Tigers, while the Suns toiled for large periods and managed only two majors for the term, the second of which coming from Ben Ainsworth with only seven seconds left on the clock.

The better team is leading without having to be particularly good. For the sake of the spectacle, let’s hope the Tiges can give it more of a shake after the long break.

Noah Anderson and Matt Rowell are dominating, as you might expect.

A big blow for the Hawks has just been confirmed, with Will Day ruled out for the rest of the year with stress fractures in his foot.

Day has endured a really tough year with injury, but the Hawks were banking on him being a real difference maker as they first bid for a finals spot and then look to make a splash in September.

“We know Will has put in a mountain of work to get back to playing, and indeed performing, at the elite level, and we are really disappointed for him,” said Hawthorn’s football manager Rob McCartney.

We’re still waiting for the first goal in the second quarter here a the SCG.

A couple of misses at either end of the ground to Brodie Grundy, Jake Lloyd, Braeden Campbell and Archie Roberts.

The Bombers just hanging around without playing their best football.

Meanwhile, it’s gotten REAL dark overhead, I reckon this ground is about to get hammered by rain very, very shortly.

The Swans take an 11-point lead into the first change after kicking the last three goals of the opening quarter.

Essendon battled hard and started well with goals to Archie Perkins and Matt Guelfi, but the Swans gradually got on top around the ground as the quarter wore on.

Nick Blakey is the leading ball-winner on the ground with 12 disposals, and looks at his damaging best running off halfback with no real Essendon forwards looking interested in marking him.

The leading ball-winner for Essendon is Sam Durham, who also has three clearances.

Brodie Grundy continuing his All-Australian form in the ruck as well, picking up eight disposals, seven hitouts and four clearances in the opening term.

The Swans have 16 inside 50s to Essendon’s 11 and lead the clearances 10-8.

They’ve also got 41 marks to nine. The Dons just haven’t been able to get their hands on the footy out there.

James Rowbottom missed a very gettable set shot a few minutes ago, but this time he makes no mistake on the run from 45m out!

Three in a row for the Swans now after that bright start for the Bombers.

I think the quarter-time break will come at a good time for the Dons.

Just one rushed behind on the board for the Tigers, which probably doesn’t quite reflect the effort they’ve put into that quarter.

But the Suns are battle-hardened now and look too quick and too physical for what is a very young Richmond team. Gold Coast looking dangerous here.

The Swans have just started to edge their way on top around the ground in the last five minutes.

After a couple of misses, Justin McInerney converts from directly in front on a set shot.

The Swans have an 8-4 edge in clearances at the moment.

More sloppy marking from the Bombers here as Braeden Campbell kicks his first of the afternoon!

Jack Buller takes a contested mark deep in the pocket, and hands it off to Campbell, who snaps truly on his left boot.

The Dons need to be more aware of situations like that when the ball is seemingly dead.

Matt Guelfi with an excellent finish in the goalsquare!

The Dons send a long one forward and it’s dribbling towards the goals and Guelfi gets a toe on it ahead of the diving Lewis Melican, who puts in a terrific defensive effort.

Dons with two goals in a row, they’ve made a good start here.

It’s only a matter of time until this guy starts dominating the league, in my opinion. I believe he is a future All Australian ruck-forward, and he’s showing why early here.

In the ruck he’s more than holding his own, but his running power there saw him push forward to mark in space inside 50. Then the set shot from 45 on a tight angle was sensational, especially for a player of his height. One to watch, if you’re not already.

This is something you don’t really see very often!

Play has been stopped as the groundsman comes out onto the ground to fill up a hole that has developed inside Essendon’s attacking 50.

No, that’s not the hole left by Matthew Lloyd’s retirement in 2009, there’s a legitimate hole in the ground.

The groundsman comes out as professional as ever and gets the job done and we can continue.

The Bombers are on the board after Archie Perkins converted following a push in the back free kick.

It’s been a game of turnovers so far, with Gold Coast’s edge coming in their physicality around the contest with Matt Rowell predictably leading the way.

Goals to Jy Farrar and now Ben King have Gold Coast up and running while pretty in pink.

Errol Gulden is playing in his 100th game today, and fittingly kicks the first goal of the afternoon!

Horrendous marking from the Bombers, who allow Gulden to get on the end of an easy handball to drill one on the run from 50m out.

What a 100 games it’s been for this man, arguably the best player to come out of the 2020 draft.

We’re just about to get underway here at the SCG as the Swans run out in their special Pride jumper this afternoon against the Bombers.

There was a slight concern earlier today that this match wouldn’t go forward due to some horrendous weather in Sydney, but it looks to have cleared up.

It’s a glorious afternoon at Carrara as the Suns prepare to take on the Tigers with eyes on a swift return to the top eight.

After a massive win over the Lions last week this is a must-win for Gold Coast to stay on track for a first finals campaign.

The Suns are in their Miami Vice pink kit, which is glorious. Let’s see how the Tigers can step up to this challenge today.

An absolute belting in the end as Melbourne responds to last weekend’s collapse in the best way possible.

The Eagles battled pretty hard in the first half, but proved to be no match in the end as Melbourne’s leaders all stood up in a big way.

It’s been a miserable old season for the Dees, but this will feel good for them for sure.

Christian Salem finishes as the game’s leading possession-getter with 30 touches off halfback for the Demons, while Ryan Maric led the Eagles with 29 touches.

It’s hard to believe that this match was truly in the balance at half-time, but the Demons put the result beyond doubt by kicking 15.6 to 5.5 in the second half, including 10 goals in the third quarter.

Melbourne skipper Max Gawn was imperious once again, finishing with 21 disposals, eight marks, 29 hitouts and a goal.

Jack Viney was a bulldozer in the middle of the ground with a game-high 13 clearances to go along with 25 disposals.

Bayley Fritsch led the way with four goals for the Dees, while Harry Petty, Harvey Langford, Jai Culley and Jacob van Rooyen all registered mutliple goals as well.

Christian Petracca makes it 20 goals for Melbourne and this score of 132 is now the Dees’ highest of the season.

Another horrible turnover inside defensive 50 for the Eagles.

That’s Petracca’s first goal of the afternoon and he’s also got 22 disposals.