No Real Sign of a Contest

It’s hard to know where to start when you try to write e report about such an incredibly one sided game as we witnessed on Friday night.    At least it started off on a positive mood when I attended the Asylum Seekers rally at the State Library. An enthusiastic crowd supporting such a just cause had me walking to the “G” feeling pretty good about the night ahead.  I was going by myself because I had mixed up the dates of the footy and a mates birthday, resulting in my son heading off to do a bit of skiing because I told him I couldn’t make it for the game.  I  obviously need a remedial course on how to read a calendar and put the right dates in the diary.

Even before the game started Harry O’Brien won me over.  When  the Collingwood team were about to run through the banner ,he noticed the little mascot standing on the side not knowing what to do, so he went back and held his hand , ran through the banner and took him on a short run with the rest of the team. Well done Harry, what a top bloke you are.

The first few minutes of the game looked good for the Don’s, a great movement of the ball from the centre bounce from newcomer Crameri, number 45 to Neagle  kick the first goal this first goal of the game, Collingwood came back with a reply and then Essendon scored again so five minutes into the game we were leading. I should have called out ring the bell because that is as close as it got to a competitive game of footy. Collingwood had this pocket dynamo Blair, number 47 (I do like footballers with big numbers) who was in everything and causing Essendon big headaches.  Essendon fell back into the old bad habit of three or four hand passes too many resulting in continual turn overs. You could see it about to happen and the groan from supporters must have been heard by the Essendon brain trust. Why not risk a kick forward as opposed to hand passing to someone who is about to be tackled?

And what about the Essendon tackling? Did Collingwood spray their jumpers with graphite before the game? The numbers of times Collingwood just broke free from tackles and launched yet another attack forward left me bewildered/perplexed or just bloody annoyed. By the way Collingwood weren’t handicapped the same way, their tackles stuck like glue usually resulting in a free kick and another resulting goal.  Collingwood combined so well as a team ,their backing up, their foot skills and their hand passing was  just too good for the Dons.  It was so apparent that at quarter time I actually wished I was home.

The game continued, with Collingwwod thrashing Essendon in every position and every contest. At this stage I couldn’t find one Essendon footballer who was actually was winning. McVeigh was holding Didak , Monfries was presenting on the very odd occasion the ball was near the Esendon forward line and Watson was giving his best in the crushes. The game at  times resembled cross country wrestling, but then Collingwood would get the ball out and blast it forward. I did appreciate the fitness  and speed of the Essendon team  players as they sprinted off to the inter change area, they were really fast, no doubt happy to get off the ground to spare further embarrassment.

The “contest” continued for another 60 minutes of agony. At least Essendon kicked straight, imagine if it had have been 4.10. I think Travis Cloke took pity on us by kicking 5 behinds in the last quarter, just think of the scoreline if he had have kicked accurately. I reckon that’s my last game for Essendon this year, I’m no lover of “Empty Head Stadium” and another two losses I can do without seeing.  And tonight we venture into “enemy territory” for the mates birthday.  I have a sneaking suspicion my beloved Don’s will be the butt of many jokes, I’ll try  to keep a low profile.

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