Round 6 – Essendon v Collingwood: ANZAC Day at the ‘G

 

 

 

 

 

I was having a beer with a Tragic Magpie who happens to be good mate of mine, down on the West Coast a few days before the Essendon v Collingwood game, and we were both so disillusioned with our footy teams, that we thought a nil all draw would be a good outcome for the Anzac game.

 

I don’t care about Collingwood but the last time I watched the Dons they were absolutely hopeless against Geelong on the opening game of the season and last week against Fremantle. Well the less said about that, the better.

 

My Magpie son organised the tickets for the game and I got to the ground just as the ball was bounced. A magnificent warm Autumnal day and Sam Draper for the Dons climbed all over Brodie Grundy for the first bounce and showed he meant business. This looked like a new Essendon, we were doing well at stoppages with Darcy Parish and Zach Merrett making ‘hay’ from the good work of Draper.  It was a great quarter of footy, Collingwood had some guy with a mop of ‘White Kinged’ hair by name of Jack Ginnivan, and he was causing great problems for the Dons. At quarter time Collingwood by a goal.

 

The second quarter a continued in the same vein, fast creative footy from both sides, it was great to watch. Essendon missed a couple of goals they should have taken whereas Collingwood were more accurate.  Mr Ginnivan continued on his flashy way for the Pies while Alec Waterman was doing well for the Dons. The highlight for the quarter was the run, bounce,handball and back, bounce and goal by Jack Crisp of Collingwood from about 50 metres out. At half time the Magpies were 8 points up even though Essendon had two more scoring shots. I was impressed with the Dons, this was a different team to the previous weeks, dare I hope for a win?

 

After half time Essendon continued to do well in the ‘ball ups’ and ‘throw ins’. Sam Draper had energy to burn and provided plenty of ammunition for Merrett, Parish and McGrath but Collingwood had Isaac Quaynor, Jack Crisp and Jeremy Howe. The lead changed a few times and supporters of both sides were on the edge of their seats. At three quarter time there was only a point in it, Collingwood’s excellent goal kicking the difference.

 

Last quarter, two sides trying to turn their season around, to give their supporters some thing to cheer about.  Collingwood seemed to have more skill and teamwork when it was needed. Essendon kept up the pressure and even hit the front again in the last quarter when Alec Waterman goaled but it wasn’t to last for long. The Magpies moved Pendlebury onto the ball and his presence got things rolling on the scoreboard. Grundy was showing his class in the packs, that and the Magpies accurate kicking were the deciding issues. The siren sounded and even though Essendon had six more scoring shots than Collingwood they lost by eleven points. Bad kicking is bad footy.

 

It was a great game of footy to watch and I reckon if the Dons can play like this more often we might win a few more matches before the end of the season.

 

 

ESSENDON                2.2      4.6       8.8      12.10 (71)
COLLINGWOOD        3.2      6.2       9.3      15.3 (139)

 

 

GOALS  
Essendon: Waterman 4, Stringer 3, Perkins 2, Stringer 2, Guelfi 2, Wright
Collingwood: Ginnivan 5, Mihocek 4, Crisp, Quaynor, Adams, Cameron, Grundy, McInnes

 

 

BEST  
Essendon: Parish, Merrett, McGrath, Draper, Shiel, Waterman, Martin
Collingwood: Ginnivan, De Goey, Crisp, Pendlebury, Mihocek, Howe, N. Daicos, Moore

 

 

INJURIES
Essendon: Laverde (knee), Parish (ankle)
Collingwood: Kreuger (shoulder)

 

 

SUBSTITUTES
Essendon: Nick Hind replaced Jayden Laverde in the fourth quarter
Collingwood: Callum Brown replaced Nathan Kreuger in the second quarter

 

Crowd: 84,205

 

 

More from Rod Oaten can be read Here.  

 

 

 

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