What a game of football! 62,589 people were treated to a display of sheer brilliance at the MCG today between arch rivals Essendon and Collingwood. It was football at its absolute best – in fact it was Essendon at its best led by its captain James Hird. The skipper was unstoppable and his best on ground performance was the catalyst of the Bombers’ 66-point win over the Magpies. It was a game all Essendon supporters will remember for a very long time to come.
Essendon attacked the ball like a team fighting for survival. It played 120-minutes of passionate, ferocious, determined and hungry football. It was a team effort and there were many star performers. Matthew Lloyd booted six goals, Damian Cupido and Hird both finished with five majors and Dean Rioli added three goals to the mammoth 23 goal scoreline. Danny Jacobs and Mark Bolton led an inspired defence that kept star Collingwood forwards Chris Tarrant and Anthony Rocca to one goal between them. The tackling by the Essendon players was ferocious – Dean Solomon, Mark McVeigh, Joe Misiti and Damien Peverill were serial offenders.
The Anzac Day match tradition started in 1995 between Essendon and Collingwood and this game will go down as one of the most memorable encounters. Essendon headed into the blockbuster clash as the underdog – this title was confirmed even further with the late withdrawal of dual premiership players Dustin Fletcher and Mark Mercuri. However, the team showed no sign of missing the duo and All Australian defender Sean Wellman who also missed with injury.
Essendon’s performance in the first quarter was clearly the team’s best start to a game so far this season. The intensity was high from the opening bounce. Collingwood kicked the first two goals and were the better side for the first ten minutes, however didn’t capitalise on the scoreboard. From then on it was Essendon that dominated the play. The players were chasing and attacking the ball like a side desperate for the four points. They ran in numbers, put pressure on Collingwood and attacked every contest.
Cupido was dynamic up forward and finished the term with two goals. His second came late in the quarter when he soccered the ball off the ground to put his team 12-points up at the quarter time break. In his second game back from suspension Bolton proved what a valuable player he is. He gave the team drive off the half-back line and on two occasions drilled the ball into the forward line that resulted in goals. Bolton had tremendous support from Scott Lucas, Jacobs and Adam McPhee who were all busy stopping Collingwood’s forward attacks and effective in rebounding the ball forward for the team.
The second quarter started in the same fashion as the first. Essendon’s intensity lifted even higher and the Collingwood defence had its hands full containing spearhead Lloyd. The dual Coleman Medallist was unstoppable and kicked four goals for the term. His fourth was on the half-time siren, which gave his side great momentum heading into the second half.
After jumping out to a 31-point lead, Collingwood fought its way back into the game midway through the quarter to get within two straight kicks of the Bombers. The standard of the game continued to lift and just when you thought the game couldn’t get any quicker or more intense, the players continued to raise the standard. Essendon finished the quarter with two late goals, which gave them a 25-point advantage at the main break. Essendon left the ground with a standing ovation from the black and red faithful.
Can this game get any better? The standard of the match continued to rise in the third quarter. Collingwood fought back early in the term with two quick goals to peg the margin back to two goals. Essendon answered the Magpies early challenge with two steadying goals midway in the quarter through Cupido and Lucas. Collingwood failed to lie down and when Rocca snapped at the 17 minute mark, the margin was reduced to 18-points.
The arm wrestle between the two sides continued in the last 10 minutes of the quarter. Collingwood booted two quick goals and looked in danger of hitting the lead for the first time since the ten minute mark of the first quarter until Cupido stopped the Magpies fightback. The 21-year-old kicked his fifth for the game with two minutes remaining in the quarter. Hird immediately followed suit and then Rioli put the Bombers 25-points up at the final change when he booted the Bombers 15th goal for the game.
Such was the pressure and tightness of the third quarter any error was magnified and any turnover costly. Both teams finished the third quarter kicking the same scoreline – five goals and three behinds a piece – despite each team dominating play at certain stages of the quarter. Jacobs and Bolton continued to star in defence for the Bombers – both have played blinders. Hird was back to his brilliant best and he gave his team first usage of the ball with his silky smooth skills.
It was all one way traffic in the final term. Essendon came out with all cylinders firing and kicked eight goals for the quarter. The Bombers’ ran over the top of Collingwood who managed just one goal for the term. Hird was again brilliant and finished his good work with three goals for the quarter to bring his tally to five for the match. Essendon kept its foot on the accelerator right up to the final siren and the performance was clearly one of the Bombers’ best of the last few years – they played a confident, determined and inspired brand of football. A fitting end to the epic match was Hird being awarded the Anzac Medal for his best on field performance.
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