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 1996 battle 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 1995 ANZAC Medal has been announced today, with former Collingwood midfielder Scott Russell the recipient.
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Essendon is now giving fans the opportunity to have their say and compare the results of the online vote with the so called experts.
A massive 87,549 fans packed the MCG for the 1996 ANZAC Day clash between Essendon and Collingwood to witness one of the great Collingwood comebacks.

Collingwood stormed home to overpower a depleted Essendon line-up to win by 12 points in what Magpies captain Gavin Brown described as “right up there with the best wins” in the club’s rich history.

The Magpies personified the ANZAC spirit fighting from six goals down early in the second quarter to record an emphatic victory over arch rivals Essendon.

The Bombers went into the game without classy midfielder Michael Long and experienced veterans Mark Harvey and Gavin Wanganeen but started the game in emphatic fashion booting seven goals in the first quarter to lead by 27 points at the quarter time break. James Hird, Scott Cummings and Mark Mercuri all kicked first quarter goals, while ‘smoking’ Joe Misiti and Che Cockatoo-Collins were dominant in the midfield.

The Bombers continued their dominance early in the second quarter before Collingwood fought back through Tony Francis and a three goal burst by full forward Saverio Rocca to minimize the half time deficit to 23 points.

After the main break, the teams were evenly matched with Rocca and Hird each kicking three third quarter goals to set the stage for an enthralling final quarter.

As the last quarter started, the Bombers looked in trouble as they began to lose midfield dominance coupled by an inability to convert opportunities inside attacking 50m, left them vulnerable to a Collingwood fight back. It was only a matter of time before the Magpies took control of the game which they did through Francis, Scott Russell and Andrew Schauble.

Nathan Buckley’s goal at the eight minute mark of the final term put the Magpies in front with captain Brown’s goal at the 25 minute mark of the final quarter sealing the victory for the Magpies and record a impressive ANZAC Day comeback.

SCORES:

Essendon 16.9 (105)

Collingwood 17.15 (117)

 

GOALS:

Essendon: Hird 4, Cummings 4, Mercuri 2, Calthorpe 2, O’Connor, Cockatoo-Collins, Doolan, Fraser

Collingwood: S Rocca 6, Brown 3, T Francis, Buckley, Patterson, M Francis, Williams, Curran, Russell, McGuane

 

BEST:

Essendon: Hird, Prior, Doolan, Hardwick, Cummings, Young

Collingwood: Francis, Russell, Schauble, Williams, Rocca, Wright
 
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 1995 poll:

COLLINGWOOD - Saverio Rocca611
ESSENDON - Joe Misiti481
ESSENDON - James Hird288
ESSENDON - Che Cockatoo-Collins279
ESSENDON - Gary O'Donnell189
COLLINGWOOD - Nathan Buckley140
ESSENDON - Dustin Fletcher126
ESSENDON - Mark Harvey  77
ESSENDON - Michael Long  63
ESSENDON - Mark Mercuri  59