""This game on Anzac Day is like a final. We will have a couple of kids out there and they are there to find out how good they are going to be this year. That is why I think it is a great game from that point of view. Last year I felt that this game was a catalyst for Collingwood to have the year they did and get to a grand final. It seemed to me that Collingwood got a lot of confidence out of winning the Anzac Day match last year,"" Sheedy said. Malthouse was quick to add that the Anzac Day match is a very special day on the football calendar. ""I can see the envy of other sides wanting to be out there on Anzac Day. It is the greatest day to be there because of the nostalgia, because of the history of it and because of the moment and what it means for young men to perform,"" Malthouse said.
Collingwood went into the 2002 Anzac Day as underdogs however took the honours in miserable conditions. Malthouse believes there isn't a great deal of difference between the two sides this year even though Collingwood go into the match as favourites. ""I don't think we have gone beyond Essendon. I think Essendon are still one of those feared sides that you know when you are in a contest with them it will be a real contest. They still definitely have the best full forward in the competition and one of the all time greats running around in James Hird. Both clubs are very even and when you look at last year, we finished fourth and they finished fifth,"" Malthouse said.
Even though Dustin Fletcher has been named in the side for tomorrow's match, Sheedy was quick to point out that the dual premiership player is still only an 80% chance to play. Sheedy said if he is not right before the match they will not risk him. Paul Barnard comes into the side after being sidelined last week with suspension. Sheedy said he is lucky to come back into the side considering he will replace a player that played well last week.
""We see this game as a great opportunity to finding out where some of our players are. We lost a match against Carlton that everyone was very disappointed in and Collingwood had beaten Carlton. We are not far away from the top four but we still need to get there. We are two wins and two losses at the moment, sitting eighth on the ladder with a percentage of 100 so you couldn't get more middle-of-the-road than that,"" Sheedy said.
