That’s it from me, but thanks for joining us for what proved an absorbing game of Anzac Day football.
Bit of gusto in that ... pic.twitter.com/I6p2qAuW5S
— Sam Landsberger (@SamLandsberger) April 25, 2017
Joe Daniher wins the Anzac Day medal!
And there are no surprises here as the big forward steps up to receive his medal, paying tribute to Collingwood for their determined effort. “To our boys, a really proud effort,” he says, “and hopefully a big stepping stone going forward.”
Daniher had 16 possessions, eight marks, 3.4 in front of goal and did plenty of valuable work through the middle when he was dragged into the ruck. Zach Merrett was also yuuuge with 33 possessions, and Jobe Watson (28), Dyson Heppell (26) and Darcy Parish (25) all had special moments. Orazio Fantasia’s four goals and three for Josh Green also proved decisive.
The Bombers win it by three goals on Anzac Day!
Collingwood 11.16 (82) defeated by Essendon 15.10 (100)
And that is all she wrote! The Bombers win it by three goals and deserve their victory. They were the better side for much of the day, and in Joe Daniher and Orazio Fantasia, had the two standout forwards. “They’re a good side,” says Jobe Watson, being interviewed by his father Tim. “Sometimes you’ve just gotta grind it out and will yourself to win the game.”
Pies goal! 4th quarter (4:06 remaining): Collingwood 11.15 (81) vs Essendon 15.10 (100)
Jack Crisp gets one back for the Pies, but it’s too little too late at this point. The horse has bolted, and disappeared down Brunton Avenue. We have a crowd figure now, and I wasn’t too far off: 87,685.
Bombers goal! 4th quarter (6:18 remaining): Collingwood 10.14 (74) vs Essendon 15.10 (100)
Joe Daniher gets his third with a raking left foot shot on goal and surely that sews up the Anzac Day medal for him, right? He’s been superb today, covering every inch of the ground and looking like a potential great of the game.
No goal but here’s an update! 4th quarter (7:42 remaining): Collingwood 10.14 (74) vs Essendon 14.10 (94)
Wonderful scenes here as Josh Green lays off a handball, which is an event you don’t often get to witness. Like Allen Jakovich in the 90s, he’ll only ever do so if a defender has him in a sleeper hold. Jeremy Howe takes a screamer over Green’s head a few minutes later, but it’s about as useful as truffle oil on Heinz baked beans at this point.
Pies goal! 4th quarter (12:50 remaining): Collingwood 10.14 (74) vs Essendon 14.10 (94)
He’s received pretty dismal service again today, but Darcy Moore gets a decent run at the ball now and leaps over his man to mark strongly overhead and drill a set shot from 25 metres out. That’s his second, but the Pies are running out of time to stage another comeback.
Bombers goal! 4th quarter (13:49 remaining): Collingwood 9.14 (68) vs Essendon 14.10 (94)
Having kicked nine goals in three quarters of football the Pies basically need five now to win it in the final 20 minutes of the game. Unlikely? You’d think so. Actually, put down your glasses. Cale Hooker has just marked a few metres from goal on a slight angle and lived up to his name with a snap shot that curves through the middle. You can probably stick a fork in Nathan Buckley’s side now.
Bombers goal! 4th quarter (17:03 remaining): Collingwood 9.14 (68) vs Essendon 13.9 (87)
Now Josh Green goals! He’s got three, and he does so this time by crumbing a pack split by pint-sized Fantasia! Again it was Joe Daniher winning the ball in the middle. All three are having blinders in the last 20 minutes of play. The Bombers are surging.
Bombers goal! 4th quarter (17:44 remaining): Collingwood 9.13 (67) vs Essendon 12.9 (81)
OK, half an hour to play. No team since the Pies in ‘96 has come back from a three-quarter time deficit and won this game. Collingwood do at least go forward to start the term but Brodie Grundy’s hurried snap hooks right. Essendon go forward thereafter, and there is a role reversal: Daniher wins it through the middle and kicks long, where Fantasia outmuscles his man to mark 30 metres from goal. He goes back, eyes up the goals and nails it, before running at a few of his opponents and getting up in their grilles! Brilliant stuff, though perhaps an early crow.
Three-quarter time: Essendon lead by nine points
Collingwood 9.12 (66) vs Essendon 11.9 (75)
Holy moly. This is a serious game of football, and well set for a classic Anzac Day footy finish. Daniel Wells almost played a part in another Pies goal late in the piece, when he arrowed a pass to Taylor Adams, but the former Giant misses his set shot from 30 metres out on a slight angle. That’s been the story of the day: neither side able to finish it off with their kicking at goal. Hang with us. We’ve got the close one.
Pies goal! 3rd quarter (1:50 remaining) Collingwood 9.11 (65) vs Essendon 11.9 (75)
Hoo boy. Now a holding-the-ball decision goes against Essendon, and it hands Phillips a shot at goal. Perhaps in the spirit of the moment, he hooks his snap to the right for a behind. That seems fair to me. But...you can’t deny Daniel Wells. It’s his first game for the Pies but he’s making a hero of himself, and now produces an Abblettesque snap out of a pack to peg back Essendon’s lead. As three-quarter time approaches he has two goals from his 21 possessions.
Bombers goal! 3rd quarter (3:59 remaining) Collingwood 8.10 (58) vs Essendon 11.9 (75)
Michael Hurley has a shocker here as a pass slides off the outside of his boot and out of bounds, but it must be said that the young Bombers are displaying admirable composure here. Especially so given the rub of the green has not always gone their way. Having missed a few chances in front of goal, Daniher has been moved into the ruck and now sprints down the wing with Lance Franklin-like grace before sending a bullet pass inside 50 for Josh Green. Green holds his ground to mark it, then calmly slots the conversion to make it three in a row for the Dons. Can Collingwood come back from this counter-punch?
Bombers goal! 3rd quarter (7:29 remaining) Collingwood 8.10 (58) vs Essendon 10.9 (69)
Essendon are being stuffed by the umpires here. Now Levi Greenwood gets caught holding the ball and it’s not given. At least they’re consistent, but you’d struggle to explain that one to any seasoned footy fan. With poetic justice, Fantasia gets a bit of body contact on Varcoe to find some space running towards goal, and having latched onto a looping pass he gathers the ball and snaps on his left foot to get his side back-to-back goals. Fantasia has three now. he’s been superb.
Bombers goal! 3rd quarter (10:06 remaining) Collingwood 8.10 (58) vs Essendon 9.9 (63)
Boom! Daniher gets a 70-metre goal within seconds of the bounce! He gets the ball in a bit of space as he lumbers through the middle and then boots it long over the top to skid the ball through from miles out. This game is a cracker!
Pies goal! 3rd quarter (10:23 remaining) Collingwood 8.10 (58) vs Essendon 8.9 (57)
Essendon are a bit unlucky here as Merrett brings Broomhead to the ground in a perfect tackle, but the umpire swallows his whistle. There are grave consequences for the Bombers; Darcy Parish bounces badly to be dispossessed, the Pies go forward, where Taylor Adams marks 40 metres from goal, and his short snap pas puts Darcy Moore through for an open goal on the run!
Pies goal! 3rd quarter (11:23 remaining) Collingwood 7.10 (52) vs Essendon 8.9 (57)
Now Daniel Wells gets one! It was scrappy stuff in the lead-up, so much so that Wells was like a Maserati slowly gliding its way through a dodgy part of town as he waltzed inside 50, leant back into his running shot and stroked the ball through the middle. The momentum is back with the Pies!
Pies goal! 3rd quarter (13:23 remaining) Collingwood 6.10 (46) vs Essendon 8.9 (57)
Jamie Elliott responds! The Pies would be struggling without him and Treloar. It’s a very quick reply this time, as Elliott hangs off a contest and stays free with his left boot swinging through a close-range snap.
Bombers goal! 3rd quarter (13:47 remaining) Collingwood 5.10 (40) vs Essendon 8.9 (57)
Brendan Goddard is really asserting himself across half-back now for the Dons, and again cuts off another Pies forward move with an intercept mark. Collingwood reload, and Fasolo marks 35 metres out on the boundary. Unsurprisingly, he runs around an attempts a mercurial snap, and also unsurprisingly, I fear, he hooks it to the right. Essendon swing forward and Ben Reid has a shocker, over-running a ground ball, and Josh Green finally swoops to pilfer a goal, snapping truly on the left and pumping his fists like it’s red time in a grand final. Good stuff.
Bombers goal! 3rd quarter (15:34 remaining) Collingwood 5.9 (39) vs Essendon 7.9 (51)
We’re off and away in the second half, and the game is being played under far darker skies than we saw in the first. Brendan Goddard sends the Dons inside 50 with a superbly-weighted pass and Zak Merrett floats in to take an uncontested mark. Not so good: he shanks the set shot right for a minor score.
Moments later it appears that McDonald-Tipungwuti and Daniher will raffle a goal as they sprint towards goal together, but neither actually buys a ticket and Collingwood somehow rushes a behind. Soon after, smart passes from Stanton and then Darcy Parish work the Dons forward again and Daniher gets the sit to mark strongly over Goldsack. Also not so good: he hooks it off his instep for a behind. No such problems for Cale Hooker, who shoots straight and benefits from some lax work on the goal line by the Pies, whose Ben Reid probably should have got a hand to it.
The one stat that says it all: Collingwood are now +5 for inside-50s. They peppered the goals late in that second term, and really could have taken greater advantage of it. They’re also +3 for tackles and have almost drawn level on contested possession. It was a significant turnaround from the tone of the game in it’s first 45-50 minutes. A key contributor there has been Adam Treloar. Half of his 18 possessions have been contested ones, plus he’s had seven tackles and kicked a team-lifting goal to finish the first half. If he continues on this path he could prove a game-winner.
Updated
Half-time - Essendon lead by three points!
Collingwood 5.9 (39) vs Essendon 6.6 (42)
Well, that was a turn up for the books. The Pies ended up with four goals to two in that second term, and it could have been far worse for Essendon as Collingwood had all the momentum in the last ten minutes but couldn’t quite finish off their work. The Dons were perfectly comfortable until then, but they’ll be very happy to trot off for what might prove another momentum-shifting break. The Pies certainly finished with all the running.
Updated
Pies goal! 2nd quarter (0:43 remaining) Collingwood 5.9 (39) vs Essendon 6.6 (42)
Oh my word this game has gone up a notch. It’s getting a bit careless now by the Dons. They get lucky when Taylor Adams misses a 35m set shot to the right, and with inside five minutes to go in the first half the Pies are actually a chance of drawing close at the main break. After Treloar goes inside 50 to a contest, a mad scramble for the crumbs ends up with Jack Crisp marking a short pass 35 metres from goal. It’s a chance he has to nail, but he fluffs it, and Jamie Elliott hits the post soon after.
Varcoe puts them inside 50 again with a hit and hope kick, and he’s vindicated when Fasolo leaps into the air and takes the mark on his chest. Fasolo is barely 3o metres from goal, but rushes his set shot and misses another! This is getting ridiculous, but the Pies are right in it, and finally they get reward when Treloar snaps accurately. A goal! A goal! What is going on out there?
Pies goal! 2nd quarter (6:00 remaining) Collingwood 4.4 (28) vs Essendon 6.6 (42)
The Bombers continue to keep Collingwood in it, bless ‘em. Now it’s Fantasia who forgoes a 40-metre set shot to try and hit Hooker on the chest in the goal square, but the kick is shanked right and the tall Bomber is covered by the time he’s been able to gather it. Again the Pies go forward and appear to immediately score an utterly random goal when Fasolo half-volleys one through from the goal square, and replays confirm that Michael Hurley didn’t get a touch on it. John Worsfold must be spitting chips up in the box. His side has been dominant, but they lead by only 14 points.
Bombers goal! 2nd quarter (7:52 remaining) Collingwood 3.4 (22) vs Essendon 6.6 (42)
Matthew Richardson is calling this game a “50/50 contest” now, but surely it’s a case of Essendon simply finishing their solid work? The Pies are hanging in there, but only just. Right on cue, Dyson Heppell spins Adam Treloar in a tackle to force an incorrect disposal, and Nathan Buckley duly drops his phone onto the desk and throws his head back like he’s just received a call from a telemarketing company. Heppell is 25 metres from goal on a slight angle and jails it. Twenty points is a handy lead in these conditions.
Pies goal! 2nd quarter (9:22 remaining) Collingwood 3.4 (22) vs Essendon 5.6 (36)
Alex Fasolo’s dirty day continues when he climbs all over Michael Hurley’s back and head as the Dons defender runs into the goal square to relieve pressure, earning himself a free kick for the illegal contact as he dives for the ball. Essendon swing it forward through Colyer and Daniher marks strongly again, but he’s on another very unkind angle and sends his banana kick across the face of goal for a minor score. That takes him to 1.3, but he’s looked lively throughout this half.
Completely against the run of play, for the third time in the game, Collingwood jag a goal when nobody expects it. This time it’s Sidebottom, who fumbles and then fetches the ball before ballooning a long snap through the middle from around 45 metres out. The crowd is a little stunned the Pies have pulled it off.
Updated
Bombers goal! 2nd quarter (12:58 remaining) Collingwood 2.4 (16) vs Essendon 5.4 (34)
It’s not all polished, but Collingwood are actually getting first use of the ball here. They’ve thrown Daniel Wells into the centre square and he’s having a genuine impact. A dinky little kick from him releases a team-mate who gets it forward, and moments later Mason Cox snaps accurately for a goal. Or does he? Zak Merrett thinks he’s touched it off the boot so we get a score review. It gets the red light! Pies fans are not happy!
Treloar pumps them deep inside 50 again and there is a mad scramble in the goal square, but Mitch Brown dives across the line to rush it through for a behind. Now it’s Essendon fumbling it and turning it over, and it takes an age for them to clear the threat and move the ball to their own half-forward region. Fantasia has a running shot from outside 50 but it skids through on a leg-break angle for a behind. It takes a few minutes more but he nails his next chance, getting on the end of a Jobe Watson hand ball and poking through a snap shot on his left foot. The Pies have been gallant in this quarter, but you can’t leave a man like Fantasia free 20 metres from goal.
Pies goal! 2nd quarter (18:37 remaining) Collingwood 2.2 (14) vs Essendon 4.3 (27)
As we get under way in the second term, here are some stats from the first: Essendon were +5 clearances for clearances, +2 for inside-50s (it really wasn’t more than that?), +23 for disposals and +8 for contested possessions. Plus-19 on the scoreboard is what counts, but right as I say that, Travis Varcoe makes a slight side-step and arrows an accurate pass to Jamie Elliott. Elliott has one already, and makes no mistake with his 40-metre set shot. Boy did Collingwood need that start.
Quarter time - Essendon lead by 19 points
Collingwood 1.2 (8) vs Essendon 4.3 (27)
And that’ll do us for the first quarter, one that has been dominated by Essendon for a 19-point lead that might have been a little more. The Dons are sharper, faster, cleaner with the ball, and have lacked only for a little polish in finishing their hard work. Nathan Buckley has a lot of thinking to do here.
Updated
No goal but here’s an update! 1st quarter (1:10 remaining) Collingwood 1.2 (8) vs Essendon 4.3 (27)
Geez, Alex Fasolo must frustrate Pies fans. Here he gets on the end of Scott Pendlebury’s attempted shot at goal and marks at the top of the square, but he did so because he’d given Michael Hurley a very obvious shove in the back. No dice, Faz. The Bombers swing back into attack immediately and towering Joe Daniher slides into a diving mark just outside the 50-metre arc. He elects to take the set shot but hooks it right. He’s frustrated, but might have a monster day the way this is going.
The pattern just keeps repeating too; now Colyer is the beneficiary of a quick rebound from the defensive 50, but also misses his chance from 20 metres on a tight angle. The Dons trap it inside 50 and build a wall across half-back, but they just can’t quite finish their hard work. Otherwise they’re dominant; seven marks inside 50 to two.
Bombers goal! 1st quarter (6:10 remaining) Collingwood 1.2 (8) vs Essendon 4.1 (25)
When the Pies go forward it looks chancy, when Essendon do they look like they’ll definitely score, and here Orazio Fantasia gets on the end of a toe-poke as the Dons outnumber their opponents streaming inside 50. Fantasia goes back to take his kick, which is 30 metres from goal and directly in front, and he makes no mistake with his conversion. At seven attempts he’s still to miss a set shot this season. He’s batting 1000!
No goal but here’s an update anyway! 1st quarter (7:21 remaining) Collingwood 1.2 (8) vs Essendon 3.1 (19)
Travis Colyer’s pace is a real problem for Collingwood, but his last two possessions have actually resulted in the ball being turned over, because he has confidence to match. Sometimes that can be a little reckless, but he’s taking the game on. Again, out of nowhere, the Pies tumble the ball forward to create a scoring opportunity. This time it’s Tim Broomhead screwing the ball across his body before Alex Fasolo slides into a chest mark, but his 30 metre set shot is off target. If Collingwood are to stand a chance today he’s got to nail those.
For the Bombers, McDonald-Tipungwuti is providing plenty of forward pressure, and makes everything Collingwood do in defence look hurried and slightly shambolic. Again Broomhead is the architect of a scoring opportunity for the Pies when he forces James Kelly into a deliberate out of bounds, but the Pies’ 35-metre snap is hooked left for a behind.
Bombers goal! 1st quarter (12:21 remaining) Collingwood 1.0 (6) vs Essendon 3.1 (19)
So far so good as far as the contest is concerned. It’s greasy and the ball hard to handle, but the play is remarkably free-flowing. Mason Cox made a star of himself on debut in this game last year, but makes a hash of a one-handed mark inside 50 for the Pies. Essendon rebound and James Kelly sends them inside 50, where Joe Daniher picks up the loose ball and displays some nimble footwork, but his long-range snap sails left for a minor score.
No matter. Jobe Watson pumps the ball towards the top of the goal square and Cale Hooker out-muscles Tyson Goldsack to mark, before swinging around on his left and dobbing his chance with a snap. Essendon are looking very threatening so far, and a fast start like this is exactly what they spoke about before the game.
Pies goal! 1st quarter (15:20 remaining) Collingwood 1.0 (6) vs Essendon 2.0 (12)
Essendon go hammering forward again from the centre bounce, but Ben Reid takes a relieving mark and then sets the Pies off on a spree of their own; a series of clean disposals moves them inside 50 and Jamie Elliott runs into space, Pagan’s paddock style, marking Alex Fasolo’s final pass and booting a running goal from the top of the square to life the Collingwood cheer squad to their feet. The Pies have responded.
Bombers goal! 1st quarter (16:01 remaining) Collingwood 0.0 (0) vs Essendon 2.0 (12)
Daniel Wells is wearing the No3 guernsey in his first game for the Pies and gets buried in a tackle after slightly fumbling his first touch of the game. That done, Jobe Watson is trotting off the ground with blood trickling down from above his eye and when play resumes, Collingwood are deep into their forward 50. Sidebottom almost marks but Essendon clear the danger.
Daniher is in everything at the moment, but the conditions are certainly testing the skills of both sides: there are turnovers aplenty. Hurley gets a pass to Heppell at half-forward, and the Essendon skipper hits Aaron Francis on the chest with a lace-out pass. Francis is 40 metres from goal on a slight angle, and could be forgiven for big-game nerves, but he goes back and drills his chance!
Updated
Bombers goal! 1st quarter (18:24 remaining) Collingwood 0.0 (0) vs Essendon 1.0 (6)
After Dyson Heppell wins the toss and elects to kick towards the Punt Road end, Brodie Grundy gets the first hit-out, and Collingwood edge their way forward on the southern side of the ground. Light rain continues to fall at the MCG, and these conditions will not favour accurate use of the ball.
Bombers newbie Ben McNiece gets an early free kick and nails his first in league footy, switching the play and starting a chain of passes from which Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti marks 35 metres from goal on a 45-degree angle. Remarkable, Joe Daniher gets free another 20 metres close to goal and after marking uncontested, goes back and improves the angle before slotting the first goal of the game. The Bombers are away!
Pre-match commemorative ceremonies are now under way... with RSL president Robert Webster reading the ode of remembrance. The stands are packed with fans, who rise to their feet in silence and remove their hats for the last post. The crowd must be 90,000 + by the look of it, and light rain is now falling at the MCG.
Today’s joint team banner
Lest We Forget.#ANZACDay pic.twitter.com/4frtQJ849P
— Collingwood FC (@CollingwoodFC) April 25, 2017
We see some vision from the Essendon rooms
“Self-sacrifice is about playing a role for the team,” says John Worsfold, addressing his men. He’s actually talking about football, to be fair to him, but the broadcaster has played it twice in an apparent attempt to tie it all in with Anzac Day. No dice, guys. Back live, Essendon are out on the ground and Ben McNiece is taking some deep, nerve-settling breaths as he works through his pre-game warm-up. I’m very much looking forward to seeing his piercing left-foot passes, which is what everyone is raving about before his debut.
Mark Seymour is now belting out a few tunes for the MCG crowd. Actually, “belting out” mightn’t be the word for it. It’s all a bit tame. Thrown in before “Do you see what I see?” and “Throw your arms around me” is a new one called “Tobruk Pin”. It goes down like a bit of sound-check noodling. At time of writing there has been no “Holy Grail”, but it can’t be far away. Update: no Holy Grail. Ripped off.
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Our teams today
The Pies have dropped jesse White, Josh Smith and Jarryd Blair in reaction to last week’s loss, and what was so glaring about that one was their atrocious field kicking. Of the inclusions, at least Wells should offer greater composure as Collingwood head forward.
Collingwood: Jeremy Howe, Henry Schade, Tom Phillips, Jackson Ramsay, Ben Reid, Brayden Maynard, Steele Sidebottom, Scott Pendlebury, Daniel Wells, Travis Varcoe, Darcy Moore, Will Hoskin-Elliott, Alex Fasolo, Tim Broomhead, Jamie Elliott, Brodie Grundy, Adam Treloar, Taylor Adams. Bench: Tyson Goldsack, Levi Greenwood, Jack Crisp, Mason Cox.
Essendon: Patrick Ambrose, Michael Hurley, Brendon Goddard, Mark Baguley, Mitch Brown, Zach Merrett, Andrew McGrath, Jobe Watson, Aaron Francis, Orazio Fantasia, Cale Hooker, Travis Colyer, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, Joe Daniher, Ben McNiece, Matthew Leuenberger, David Zaharakis, Dyson Heppell. Bench: Brent Stanton, Darcy Parish, Josh Green, James Kelly.
Preamble
Hello all and welcome to Anzac Day AFL from the MCG, where Collingwood take on Essendon in the now-traditional blockbuster. The Pies have won two of the last three instalments of this game, but should have a far harder task on their hands in today’s game. The Bombers currently sit three ladder places above 13th-placed Collingwood, but there are decent hopes for a tight game. Weather? A Mark McGough-friendly downpour forced closure of the MCG car park, but it’s cleared a little in the last hour and the sun is coming out.
“There’s a lot of pride on the line, and it’s a big occasion, but it’s going to be good,” says Daniel Wells, who will make his Pies debut today at the age of 32, making him the fourth-oldest ever first-time Collingwood player. What a moment to do it. Essendon have a mature-aged debutant too in 25-year-old Ben McNiece – Indian born, a small defender, and something of a latecomer to elite football via the Essendon VFL side. He’s been named as a forward but might take one of Collingwood’s livewire small forwards, possibly Alex Fasolo.
Back soon with the teams.
Updated
Russell will be here shortly. But first, have a read of his excellent, personal story on the comparisons all too often made on this day each year:
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