ESSENDON has bid goodbye to outgoing coach Natalie Wood on a high, with a hard-fought win over an equally fraught Collingwood on Sunday afternoon.

Some late attack from the Pies kept things interesting, but the Bombers ultimately ran out 4.14 (38) to 4.7 (31) victors on the Windy Hill deck.

BOMBERS v MAGPIES Full match coverage and stats

It was fast, pinging footy. After all, what was there to lose? The problem for Collingwood was it lacked the polish on the end of those transitions to get dangerous on the scoreboard. Meanwhile, Essendon relished the vocal crowd camped in the grandstand and saluted the fans whenever possible.

Ill-discipline at the other end of the ground handed goals to the Bombers on a platter, compounding the Pies' impotence.

But Ash Centra reminded everyone why she was the No.1 pick back in 2024, with 25 disposals, seven clearances, and a goal, and clearly the most composed playmaker on the ground. And as Centra so often does, she spent a large part of the match with her bleeding nose strapped.

Essendon dominated the bulk of the match, defending well through the middle of the ground and hemming the Pies in dangerous positions. Some inaccuracy, however, prevented the margin from ballooning out across the first half.

Captain Bonnie Toogood was one of the culprits, struggling to make good connection with her first few set shots, before slamming a big goal home in the third term.

Carrying heavy strapping on her right quad, Maddy Prespakis (34 disposals, five clearances) was immense through the middle, and Amy Gaylor's aerial game was on show with nine marks.

It was clear that Collingwood wanted to get the ball moving by hand through the middle, keeping speed on the ball and create space in attack. It was unfortunate, however, the skill errors repeatedly caused neat attacking runs to be turned over and sent back over their heads.

It was midfielders Ash Centra and Tarni White – who reprised her onball role from last week – who slid forward to be most dangerous in front of goal, while Imogen Barnett struggled to get clean possession against tall defender Matilda Dyke.

But Irish debutant Ellie Brady gave the Pies something to cheer about, getting on the end of a final-quarter forward entry, and able to use her dash to kick her first career goal. The Pies' top draft pick back in December, Imogen Trengove, kicked her first goal after some near misses in recent weeks.

Young Bomber Maggie Johnstone brought her strength for the last game of her debut season, out-marking taller opponents, laying clean bumps to exert herself, and earning plenty of adoration from the heaving crowd.

Sabrina Frederick started her 103rd and final AFLW game in the ruck, but when sliding forward was often forced to compete in an outnumber – Essendon wasn't joining in on the retirement party.

Still a lot of fight in 16th v 17th
Literally. Although these teams were playing for nothing but a positive finish to their season, the physicality between the sides was on show from the opening stoppage. Pies ruck Josie Bamford handed Steph Cain a goal by way of a 50m penalty in the Bombers' attacking arc for a retaliatory bump. Brit Bonnici left Cain on her haunches with a heavy hip and shoulder in the middle of the ground. Moments like this were rife as the clubs fought for a modicum of pride after difficult years.  

Up next
Both clubs now head into what is set to be a tumultuous off-season, with the sides already on the hunt for a new head coach and with a host of other change expected to follow.

ESSENDON                  3.3    3.5    4.10    4.14 (38)
COLLINGWOOD          0.1    0.3    2.5       4.7 (31)

GOALS 
Essendon: Gough, Busch, Cain, Toogood
Collingwood: White, Centra, Brady, Trengove

BEST 
Essendon: Prespakis, Gay, Wales, Johnstone, Gaylor, Toogood
Collingwood: Centra, White, Runnalls, Bamford, Hetherington

INJURIES 
Essendon: Bannister (right ankle)
Collingwood: Nil

LATE CHANGES
Essendon: Nil
Collingwood: Sarah Rowe (illness) replaced in the selected side by Charlotte Brewer

Crowd: 2668 at Windy Hill