In the build up to this year’s ANZAC Day clash, the Essendon website is giving fans the opportunity to vote in a special online poll for the awarding of retrospective ANZAC Day medals from 1995-1999.

Watch highlights from the 1997 here on BomberTV ?


In an Essendon Football Club initiative, officially Essendon, Collingwood and the AFL have come together to award retrospective ANZAC Medals.

A three-person panel was appointed to judge each game and the Herald Sun newspaper will reveal each of the five medal recipients over the next five days. Official medals will be awarded to each recipient at this year’s ANZAC Day match at the MCG on Monday.

The winner of the 1997 ANZAC Medal has been announced today, with former Collingwood ruckman Damian Monkhurst the recipient.

More than 83,000 fans witness the Magpies claim a 29 point vicotry in the 1997 ANZAC Day blockbuster between Essendon and Collingwood at the MCG. Collingwood held off a spirited Essendon fightback to close out convincing winners and once again record an impressive ANZAC Day victory.

The third ANZAC Day clash between the two teams could be remembered more for the skill errors than the exhilaration as inaccurate kicking almost cost the Magpies victory.


The Magpies dominated early proceedings through ruckman Damian Monkhurst in the centre square contests and the Rocca brothers, Saverio and Anthony inside the attacking 50m. This dominance was not reflected on the scoreboard as three goals nine behinds cost the Pies a big first quarter lead over an undermanned Essendon attack. Anthony Rocca’s torpedo punt goal from 70m in the first quarter was the highlight of the day and was a perfect exhibition of a dying art.

By half time the Magpies had stretched the lead to 31 points with Monkhurst continuing his dominance providing first use to midfielders Gavin Brown and Nathan Buckley. Essendon’s Peter Cransberg answered the call for a moving forward target kicking two goals to spark a Bomber comeback in the third term.

Essendon Coach Kevin Sheedy raced to his players at three-quarter time to reinforce they were very much still in the game and that the 19 point deficit could be overcome.

Collingwood livewire Robbie Ahmat stretched the lead to 25-points at the start of the last quarter but goals to David Calthorpe, Che Cockatoo-Collins and Cransberg brought the margin back to just five points.

The Magpies big man Monkhurst stepped up again to set up Richard Osborne with a goal and combined with Brown and Wild in the midfield to hold off the Bombers and run away with a 29 point victory.

SCORES:

Collingwood 14.15 (99)

Essendon 10.10 (70)


GOALS:

Collingwood: Patterson 2, Ahmat 2, A Rocca 2, S Rocca 2, Williams 2, Buckley, Wright, Crow, Osborne

Essendon: Cransberg 3, Cockatoo-Collins 2, Lloyd 2, Calthorpe, Fraser, Lucas


BEST:

Collingwood: Monkhurst, Brown, Buckley, Ahmat, A Rocca, Wild

Essendon: Calthorpe, Cransberg, Lloyd, Caracella, Misiti, Denham

Register your online vote below under the 3-2-1 system.

Please vote for the player who best exemplifies the ANZAC spirit – skill, courage, self-sacrifice, teamwork and fair play.

Results of fan voting for yesterday's 1996 poll:
 
ESSENDON - James Hird673
ESSENDON - Joe Misiti244
COLLINGWOOD - Saverio Rocca129
COLLINGWOOD - Tony Francis103
ESSENDON - Che Cockatoo-Collins84
ESSENDON - Mark Mecuri64
ESSENDON - Damian Hardwick60
ESSENDON - Michael Prior59
COLLINGWOOD - Scott Russell57
ESSENDON - Scott Cummings34