Whilst Essendon will wear a jumper fairly similar to its current style Port Power will wear a jumper once worn by SANFL club Port Adelaide Magpies. It’s a little known fact that Essendon has played the South Australian Magpies four times in the past 25 years.
On two occasions it has been on the way to premierships. As part of the Heritage Round we take the opportunity to look back at these forgotten games.
ESCORT CUP – March 14th, 1980
Port Adelaide Magpies v Essendon at VFL Park
In the pre-season night series of that year all VFL, South Australian and West Australian club sides competed in a knockout series of games. Essendon’s opening round match was against Port Adelaide. The Magpies side had some familiar names including Mark Williams, Brian Cunningham and Russell Ebert.
Essendon’s team:
B: Gary Foulds, Robert Shaw, Max Crow
HB: Ken Fletcher, Ron Andrews, Neale Daniher
C: Ian Marsh, Stephen Robins, Glen Hawker
HF: Alan Stoneham, Pal Van Der Haar, Terry Daniher
F: Barry Day, Simon Madden, Michael Sheldon
RU: Peter Keenan, Phil Carman, Ken Mansfield
I/C: Mervyn Neagle, Shane Heard
Essendon 18-10-118 defeated Port Magpies 12-14-86
Goalkickers: Van der Haar 5, Day 4, N Daniher 3, Robins 2, Carman 1, Heard 1, Keenan 1, and Madden 1.
ESCORT CUP – April 7th, 1981
Port Adelaide Magpies v Essendon at VFL Park
The competition featured the same clubs and same format as the previous year. Essendon defeated Fitzroy in the opening round under rookie coach Kevin Sheedy and progressed to Round 2 against Port Magpies on the path to the night premiership.
Essendon team:
B: Neil Clarke, Brad Nimmo, Denis Scanlon
HB: Neil Besanko, Neale Daniher, Stephen Carey
C: Gary Foulds, Mervyn Neagle, Geoff Burdett
HF: Glen Hawker, Roger Merrett, Phil Carman
F: Grant Fowler, Terry Daniher, Stephen Taubert
RU: Max Crow, Wayne Foreman, Tony Buhugiar
I/C: Alan Reid, Peter Bennett
Essendon 15-17-107 defeated Port Magpies 8-10-58
Goalkickers: T Daniher 5, Carman 3, Buhugiar 3, Hawker 1, Merrett 1, Neagle 1 and Taubert 1.
EXHIBITION MATCH – May 7th, 1993
Port Adelaide Magpies v Essendon at Football Park
In the mid nineties when fifteen teams made up the AFL there were two byes for each club during the year. The first bye that Essendon had, coincided with Port Adelaide’s bye - the Magpies played in the nine-team SANFL competition.
On Friday, May 7th 1993 in Adelaide the two sides met. The most notable inclusion for Essendon was the comeback of Tim Watson who retired at the end of 1991 and returned via the 1993 pre season draft. This match was another step forward to the 1993 AFL premiership.
Essendon 10-16-76 defeated Port Magpies 9-10-64
Goalkickers: Michael Symons 3, Lachlan Ross 3, David Calthorpe 1, Joe Misiti 1, Darren Bewick 1 and Tim Watson 1.
PRACTICE MATCH – February 26th, 1994
Port Adelaide Magpies v Essendon at Football Park
Essendon played nine practice and Fosters Cup matches before the 1994 home and away season commenced. It started in Darwin and ended with a night premiership. On the last weekend in February the senior list was divided into two squads with the more senior side playing St Kilda in Koroit and the rest going to Football Park to play Port Adelaide.
Port Magpies 17-17-119 defeated Essendon 7-2-44
Goalkickers: Scott Mollard 3, Peter Cransberg 1, Danny Morgan 1, Michael Symons 1 and Che Cockatoo-Collins 1.
( 1993 National Draftee)
