Essendon first played Carlton on the 24^th may 1897.  Essendon 12.6 (78) defeated Carlton 6.5 (41).  In the 1904 semi final at Victoria Park Carlton 6.7.43 def Essendon 6.4 40.  Other notable meetings between the two clubs include the 1908, 1947,1949,1962 and 1968 VFL Grand Finals and the 1993 AFL Grand Final. The teams share the record of 16 premierships, both sides are keen to become outright leader, or if out of the finals race, at least ensure the other doesn't.  They don’t like each other.

This Saturday they get a chance to renew hostilities, finish the year and make a statement. Not an immediate statement, but a future one. They get a chance to do both. Neither team will want to lose.

In recent years, the rivalry has thickened with Carlton beating the Dons in sensational circumstances in the 1999 Preliminary Final.  It was later revealed that Carlton had breached the salary cap restrictions for the year.  

The Bombers had their own breaches a little earlier.  This led to a bristling ‘Jack’ Elliott labelling the Dons cheats after the ’93 success.  

The Dons avenged the Preliminary Final loss in 2000 and went on to win the flag to draw level with the Blues on 16 flags.

After well documented slumps in the mid to late 2000’s both teams are rebuilding again.  The coaches are ‘outsiders’ (just like Sheedy and Parkin were) - but growing into their roles in developing both teams next premiership tilt.  They understand their teams and more importantly their ongoing roles.  Worsfold - experienced, balanced and measured.  Bolton -  long apprenticeship, great learning background.  Both teams are in good hands.  They will focus on the ‘now’ but both know what’s going on here.  In 112 years, the two clubs have been involved in over 20 finals against each other.  Worsfold and Bolton would be aware of the history.

So where did all this start?  The Blues and the Dons were great rivals in the late 1940’s. Carlton won the 1947 grand final by a point over Essendon (13.8.86 to 11.19.85).  In 1949 the Dons crushed the Blues by 73 points (18.17.125 to 6.16.52) which really set alight the rivalry that will spill over this weekend.

But it was the last game of the season in 1951 that is forever etched in the memories of all that is Essendon.  John Coleman's response to the ever-increasing level of provocation came to a head quite sensationally when Coleman was reported in the last minutes of the second quarter of Essendon's last match of the 1951 home-and-away season against Carlton at Princes Park.  He was reported for striking Carlton's back-pocket ruckman Harry Caspar.  Caspar was also reported for striking Coleman.  During the match bottles were thrown at Coleman, and as he came off the ground at half-time, and walked up the players race, a Carlton fan spat at him through gaps in the cyclone wired barriers that separated the spectators from the players.  Coleman snapped, there was a skirmish and he badly hurt his hand.  His anger boiled over as he went into the rooms.  He took off his jumper and had to be persuaded to return to the field.

At the tribunal, Caspar was suspended for four weeks.  

Coleman’s defence was simple - he had simply retaliated to two unprovoked punches.  The boundary umpire, Herb Kent, gave evidence that Coleman had retaliated only after he had been punched twice by Caspar.  If Coleman was to receive any penalty at all, it was expected to be no more than two weeks. But instead, he copped four weeks.

The Bombers went on, without Coleman and with Dick Reynolds coming out of retirement, to lose the Grand Final by 11 points to Geelong.  Essendon supporters blame Coleman's suspension for the team’s failure to win its third successive premiership.  Geelong won the ’51 and 52 premierships and will go down as one of the great sides.  Carlton’s Harry Caspar is remembered as the ‘Carlton bloke who cost Essendon the flag’.

John Coleman and Harry Caspar shape up in that infamous match in 1951.

The two sides met twice in grand finals in the 60’s.  Firstly in ’62 when Essendon dominated the Blues with a powerful side while Carlton squared up in the 1968 Grand final.  Led by the brilliance of Gary Crane on the wing and powerhouse John Nicholls, the Blues got home by three points.

There was no joy for the Dons during the 70’s but one game personified the boiling emotion and passion between the two rivals.  In what was labelled as the ‘Battle of Windy Hill’, eight players were reported in 1975.  Essendon’s Dean Hartigan and Carlton Craig Davis were knocked out behind play.  Hartigan went down first. The square up came.  The Blues smashed the Dons with a 14 goal 2^nd quarter.  ‘Swan’ McKay kicked eight.  Rod Ashman and Curly Austin copped four weeks.  Phil Pinnell, Robin Close and Laurie Moloney got two apiece.  Neville Fields, Ron Andrews (amazingly) and David McKay were let off.

In 1981, former Richmond player Kevin Sheedy took the role as coach at Essendon.  He brought his respectful dislike of Carlton with him to his new club.  Sheeds never forgot the embarrassment of Richmond’s loss to Carlton in the 1972 Grand Final.  That day, John Nicholls and Percy Jones never let him forget either.  

Sheeds arranged a practice game against Carlton at, of all places, Skinner Reserve, Sunshine. 10,000 people crammed in and Sheeds unleashed Ron Andrews.  That match was the second in a string of 12 consecutive wins by Essendon against Carlton that included the 1981 Escort Cup and the domination of Tim Watson.  Sheeds employed quite aggressive tactics to slow the brilliant Blues small men down -‘if you can catch them...slow them down’. 

Parkin and the Blues won the ’81 and 82’ premiership.  Winners can laugh.  We got bundled out in both elimination finals.  Sheeds was furious as the Blues ran laps with premiership cups.  That was also the year that current day Chairman of the AFL Commission Mike Fitzpatrick got pinged for wasting time at Princes Park.  The Dons were 26 points down with 12 minutes to go and got up to win when Neale Daniher beat Bruce Doull in one on one battles.  This time the Dons got a win by a point.

On the weekend, in his role as Chairman, ‘Fitzy’ will just be hoping for a good game of AFL football, no injuries to both sides and a great advertisement for the AFL…of course he is! Hope Sheeds gets an invite to the lunch! The Dons had to wait till the elimination final of ’83 to final catch the Blues in a final. They finally got to Carlton.

Paul Hills and Mil Hanna square up during the 1993 Grand Final.  The Bombers went on to win by 44 points.

Essendon took ’93 and Sean Denham and Diesel Williams took to each other.  The Blues bounced back to grab the lead in ’95.  ‘99 goes down in football folklore and Essendon had to get through them again in the 2000 Preliminary Final.  That was pressure.  Getting past that prelim meant Essendon would eventually draw level with the Blues on 16 premierships.  

Historically the Dons have relied on physical power and big man strength.  The Blues have had the class and the pace.  Both teams have sent out absolute champions of the game against each other.  The modern game means a lot has changed.  The future will be on show this week.

Harry Caspar has a lot to answer for.  He started it!?  Coleman responded and the rest is history.  Or as Matthew Lloyd (who’s dad John played for Carlton) said in his book; “when it comes to Essendon v Carlton ...you soon work it out’.

They say the only good thing about Royal Parade, Carlton is the tram to the Vic Market.