Round 6 – Collingwood v Essendon: The Dons are back (well at least on Anzac Day)

 

Fresh from their “drowning” in the swimming pool otherwise known as the Gabba last weekend the Dons emerged onto the “G” to face up to the dreaded Collingwood for the annual Anzac Day contest.

 

And what a crowd greeted them, over 75,000 barrackers, excited to be at the “G” and to watch the battle. I was a little surprised at the Collingwood jumper, but then I remembered the cost cutting that’s going on there and I suppose cleaning of jumpers is one of them. I know I haven’t A1 vision but I found it difficult to distinguish the sides, thankfully the Dons had sparkling white shorts and that made the big difference.

 

Collingwood jumped the gun and had 2 goals up in no time and I feared a long day ahead of me, but the Dons came back with a couple.  Both teams were moving the ball well and added two each although Essendon should have nailed a couple more goals by quarter time when their shots went wide. Darcy Parish was picking up kicks all over the ground and delivering them with pin point accuracy.

 

Second quarter, and I had the feeling that Essendon were the better team, they were combining really well and actually finding their team mates. They were growing in confidence and Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti was causing havoc every time he got near the ball. Darcy Parish and Zac Merrett were all over the place delivering the ball forward. It was only Collinwood’s accuracy and the Don’s inaccuracy that kept the scores close. Only 7 points in it at half time and I was quietly, very quietly a bit confident.

 

Son, a Collingwood supporter {don’t ask me how that happened} arrived at half time to continue a tradition started many years ago of Father/Son at this game, which made me happy, not only to see him, but that the Dons were on top.

 

Third quarter and Collingwood seemed to lift and put pressure on the Dons. Isaac Quaynor impressed me with his speed and ball handling, he thwarted the Dons on many occasions. It was a pretty even contest so by three quarter time there was only 5 points in it. My early quiet optimism had evaporated, I wasn’t looking forward to a tense last quarter.

 

Within a couple of minutes play, Collingwood actually hit the front and Son was excited, I wasn’t .   Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti continued to scare the Collingwood backline and shot truly for an equalizer. Some of the young guns were impressing Nik Cox, Archie Perkins and Peter Wright all jumped in to support Darcy Parish and Anthony Mcdonald-Tipungwuti. Collingwood scored another goal but Essendon added four more to score a decisive win. We had nine more scoring shots and so I reckon we should have won by at least 6 goals. However I’m not complaining any win is good, any win over Collingwood is bloody great .

 

Goals.

Essendon   McDonald-Tipungwuti 5, Wright 2, Parish 2, Snelling 2, Laverde, Redman, Stringer, Smith, Phillips

Collingwood Cameron 3,  McCreery 3, Crisp, Hoskin-Elliot, Moore, Brown, Mihocek, Grundy, Ruscoe.

 

Best

Essendon McDonald-Tipungwuti, Parish, Wright, Heppell, Merrett, Stringer, Redman and the other 16 players.

Collingwood Cameron, Grundy, Quaynor, Pendlebury, Cameron.

 

Crowd 78,113 at MCG.

 

 

 

For more from Rod, click HERE.

 

 

 

 

 

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