1. Brendon Goddard's big night one to forget
The 80th player in VFL/AFL history to reach the milestone, Goddard spent most of his 300th game on the outer wing at Spotless Stadium, and struggled to have an influence. Goddard's disposal by foot is deadly at its best, but the veteran was handball happy against the Giants, kicking with just seven of his 21 possessions. The always-passionate Bomber was visibly angered at half-time and took his frustrations out on an innocent tray of lollies, leaving his skipper Dyson Heppell bemused (see below). Despite the result and his own performance, Goddard was chaired off the ground through a guard of honour formed by players of both sides, in a fitting tribute to what has been a wonderful career. 

2. Josh Kelly maintains his Brownlow medal form
The star Giant's peers voted him the AFLPA most valuable player for May, but the Bombers' votes must have gone elsewhere, judging by the lack of respect they paid him. Allowed to roam Spotless Stadium unchecked for the most part, Kelly started with 10 disposals in the first term, and racked up 22 by half-time, to go with seven inside 50s, three clearances and a goal. Free of a tag, the 22-year-old was a class above the rest of the midfielders on the ground and finished with a game-high 38 touches, 10 tackles, 10 inside 50s, seven clearances and a goal. He's in high demand from several Victorian clubs with his current deal to expire at the end of the season, and the way he's playing he's adding extra zeroes to the offers with every best-on-ground performance he churns out. 

3. GWS breaks through for yet another milestone
The Giants' win over Essendon will see them on top of the premiership ladder at the completion of a round for the first time in their history, after getting close last year when they were second after rounds 18 and 19. The victory was the home side's ninth for the year and fourth in a row, despite a host of injury troubles, and they can now lay claim to being flag favourite. After reaching 20,000 members during the week, things are going just as well off the field as they are off it, and in another good sign for the Giants, 13,671 fans turned up to see them take on the Bombers, the best crowd at Spotless Stadium for the year. With one more game against Carlton next week at Etihad Stadium before the mid-season bye, Leon Cameron's men are perfectly placed to have a real crack at a flag, with several of their injured big names due back on the park in the next month. 

4. It was an unhappy return to Sydney for James Stewart
The former GWS forward was traded to Essendon last year in search of more opportunity after playing just 18 games in four years, but he found slim pickings at his former home ground. Stewart was totally blanketed by the in-form Adam Tomlinson. It was a promising start for the athletic big man with four first-quarter possessions and two marks, but he touched the footy just five more times for the night, such was Tomlinson's dominance, especially in one-on-one contests. Cale Hooker kicked two goals from eight marks to at least provide a target for Essendon, but with Joe Daniher kept reasonably quiet by GWS co-captain Phil Davis, the tall Bombers didn't give their team the return they needed. 

Full match coverage and statistics

5. Battle of the top two draftees was a fizzer
Essendon made Andrew McGrath the nation's best young player when they took him with pick No.1 in last year's NAB AFL Draft, while the Giants nabbed McGrath's Sandringham Dragons teammate, Tim Taranto, with the second selection. McGrath has enjoyed a fine debut season across half-back for the Bombers, and Taranto has done some great work in the forward half for his side, so there was some hope that the pair would go head to head in round 11. It wasn't to be, with the two talented youngsters steering clear of each other for most of the game, apart from a couple of brief encounters in the first half. Both teenagers played their part without being outstanding:  McGrath finished with 15 possessions and four tackles compared to Taranto's 17 touches, five clearances and four tackles. By the way they've started this season, both look set for long and successful careers.