The booking of Essendon ruckman David Hille and a double-goal play conceded by Carlton's Bret Thornton will be the major talking points out of Saturday night's thriller at the MCG.

The Bombers face a nervous wait to see whether Hille, their No.1 ruckman, will be available for next Sunday's clash with North Melbourne after he was reported in the third quarter.

Hille went into umpire Chris Donlon's book for making head-high contact on Carlton's Richard Hadley.

The Bombers can ill-afford to lose Hille, one of their best players, against the Kangaroos, who boast one of the best ruckman in the competition in Hamish McIntosh.

A seething Carlton coach Brett Ratten was tight-lipped on the incident in the third quarter which saw the Bombers kick two goals without the ball returning to the middle.

The first went to Essendon captain Matthew Lloyd - who won a free kick after Thornton, running with the flight of the ball, landed a spoil.

A subsequent 50-metre penalty, as players scuffled, saw Lloyd brought to the goal square for his shot.

The second free came after Thornton shouldered Alwyn Davey, who fell to the ground, as the ball was brought back to the middle of the ground.

Ratten said he did not see the second incident and refused to comment on the first.