AFL LIVE: Dean Cox lays down the law to his leaders and Warner, Heeney and Grundy respond big-time

2.54pm Essendon nails three on the trot

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Another two goals to the Bombers. Their first back-to-back-to-back majors of the game.

Hussien El Achkar nails a set shot after a beautiful hit up from Ben McKay, then Sullivan Robey bobs up with a goal from the general run of play. He just bangs the ball on his boot in the middle of traffic and it wobbles through.

Then Nate Caddy takes a mark but can’t convert, the shot drifting to the right.

But this is great from Essendon. They have clawed the lead back to 22 points.

The first of their three goals was a snap from Nik Cox.

2.47pm Lifeless Bombers need a lift

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The second half has started at the MCG and hopefully Dean Solomon has lit a rocket under the Bombers.

They sat too deep in the first half against a powerful Melbourne outfit and find themselves trailing by 31 points. It must be a nightmare for key forward Nate Caddy who has been fed limited supply.

Sam Durham (left), Nik Cox and Harrison Jones (right) celebrate Cox’s goal. AFL Photos Here we go. They’ve nailed a goal. The first of the third quarter – a snap from Nik Cox.

That’s the spirit, Bombers.

2.22pm HT: Pickett on track for more Brownlow votes

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Kysaiah Pickett is running rings around the Bombers. He has kicked his third goal of the match in the second term and already has 18 disposals as the half-time siren sounds.

Surprising that Bombers coach Dean Solomon is allowing him to run around without a tag.

HT: The Demons lead 9.10 (64) to the Bombers 3.5 (23)

2.18pm Double injury blow at the MCG

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Two big injury concerns at the MCG.

Essendon’s Archie Roberts has been taken straight from the ground and into the rooms with a dislocated shoulder. He did not go off through the interchange, so that’s his afternoon done.

Archie Roberts is helped from the ground with a shoulder injury. Getty Images In a separate incident, Melbourne’s Lukas Cooke has been ruled out of the game with a cheekbone injury. He suffered the knock during a marking contest that also left Ben McKay with a gash to the head.

McKay came off because of the blood rule, but has returned with a sizeable bandage.

But he faces another concern – namely MRO scrutiny. McKay appears to shove Jake Lever into a marking contest, knocking the stuffing out of Ed Langdon.

Taylor Walker copped a match for such an action.

2.13pm Roberts suffers shoulder injury

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Dean Solomon has swung Zach Merrett back into the midfield looking for some drive.

The interim coach has played the former skipper off half-back in recent weeks, but he has been wasted there today. The Bombers need drive forward of the centre.

Archie Roberts’ day is done because of a shoulder injury. Getty Images But while Merrett looks to add some bite, there is big trouble for his teammate Archie Roberts who has come from the ground with what looks to be a dislocated shoulder.

Roberts did not even come through the interchange. He was walked straight to the boundary by Essendon medics and taken to the rooms.

He will take no further part in this game.

Moments earlier, Ben McKay returned to the field with his head heavily bandaged.

2.09pm Crowd celebrates Neale Daniher

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It was a touching moment at the six-minute mark of the first quarter at the MCG.

The crowd stood to applaud the late, great Neale Daniher, who wore No.6 for the Bombers.

The MCG crowd stands to applaud Neale Daniher at the six-minute mark of the first quarter. AFL Photos via Getty Images Fans applaud Neale Daniher at the six-minute mark. Getty Images Neale Daniher’s No.6 hangs in the Essendon rooms before the game. AFL Photos Essendon greats: Neale’s brother Terry Daniher (left) with Mark Harvey. AFL Photos

2.08pm McKay off with blood rule

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Nate Caddy has bounced back after being robbed of a big pack mark.

He snaps a goal from the forward pocket to keep Essendon in this match. They have three goals for the game, and trail the Demons by 24 points.

Ben McKay earlier kicked a goal for the Bombers. Getty Images As he was taking the shot, teammate Ben McKay came from the ground because of the blood rule. He copped a knock to the head and might need a few stitches.

2.02pm Caddy is robbed of shot at goal

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Gee, Nate Caddy can’t take a trick at the moment.

He appears to take a big pack mark, dragging the ball to the ground about 30m from goal, but the umpire rules his opponent, Lukas Cooke, marks the ball instead.

Not sure about that one, umps. It looks every bit Caddy’s mark from the stands.

The Demons lead Essendon by 28 points in the second term.

2.00pm Double joy for big Max

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Max Gawn a goalkicker? Who would have thought?

Max Gawn is booting goals at the ’G against Essendon. Getty Images But big Max is on song at the MCG today, nailing his second major with a thumping 55-metre drop punt.

Now Gawn and Kysaiah Pickett have two each. Gawn kicked the first of the game.

1.57pm Welcome return for Melksham

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Jake Melksham gets ahead of the Bombers’ Jaxon Prior. AFL Photos It’s great to see Jake Melksham back in the action after…