Round 6 – Essendon v Collingwood (Floreat Pica Society): A post-pandemic triumph

 

 

 

 

Floreat Pica Report of the Anzac Day Match.

 

A Post Pandemic Triumph.

 

Some pre-game thoughts:

 

It is 11.00 o’clock on Monday morning. Four hours and a few minutes before the big match begins.

 

On paper and form so far this season Collinwood should beat Essendon. Then again Anzac Day results do not always reflect the teams’ seasonal form. The big crowd and the big occasion can lift individual and team performances.

 

Injuries have had a bigger impact on Essendon’s season than ours. It will be good to get Ginnivan, McCreery and especially Mihocek back, but the return of Stringer and Merrett will be huge for the Bombers.

 

According to The (Friday) Age. 12 out of 14 “experts” tip a Pies‘ victory. Then again, we were also warm favourites for the match against West Coast.

 

So, I approach this game with great hopes but not great expectations.

 

Some post-game thoughts.

 

I was right that the big crowd (84,000 – biggest since the start of the pandemic) and the big occasion lifted both teams’ performances. Although there were mistakes and fumbles from some of the younger players it was a close exciting match with plenty of skill on display from both sides.

 

I was wrong however to worry that the return of Stringer and Merrett would have a bigger impact than the return of Mihocek and Ginnivan. Checkers and the kid scored nine goals between them and young Jack inspired the whole side.

 

I was more than a little disappointed to find that Callum Brown was the medi-sub. Last week the medi-sub was one of our shorter players Johnny Noble and he ended up replacing our second tallest player, Darcy Cameron. I wondered what would happen if Callum Brown had to replace a major Tall, and of course that it exactly what happened when Nathan Kreuger was injured in the second quarter. Surely Tom Wilson would have been a more flexible option as medi-sub.

 

 

Then the game began after the Anzac commemorations.  Ginnivan scored less than two minutes from the start. A well kicked round the corner set shot followed by what is rapidly becoming Jack’s signature celebrations. Some commentators have since complained about his flamboyant gestures, but if you can’t display the exuberance of youth at 19, then when can you? Mihocek then moved to centre stage with a one handed mark (probably on both sides of the boundary line) which didn’t lead to a goal but he was to score two before quarter time, the second a very timely soccer toe poke. Taylor Adams and Jordan de Goey sent the ball forwards on many occasions. Hoskin-Elliot and Sidebottom were also linking players although Sidey managed to turn the ball over twice and the second turn over led to a Bombers’ goal. Rewatching the game on TV I noticed that Beau McCreery did some fine defensive work in the forward line. Yesterday, watching the game live at the “G” I thought that he was a candidate for the DRs. It just shows the importance of watching what all 18 players are doing on the field, not just the player with the ball.

 

Quarter time. Pies 3.2.20. Bombers 2.4.16

 

Early in the second quarter Jeremy Howe took a fine intercept mark. It wasn’t the first that he had taken in the match and it wasn’t the last he would take in the second quarter. Not too long after Nathan Kreuger injured his shoulder (again) and my worst fears were realised as Brown replaced him for the rest of the match. Five minutes into the quarter Essendon scored a goal and the scores were level. Ginnivan was dragged across the line and given a free kick, much to the loud annoyance of the Essendon crowd. Jack kicked a goal from the free and then gestured to Bombers barrackers to shoosh up. Jack Crisp, who has been playing well, kicks a fine running goal. Both our small defenders, Noble and Quaynor were playing attacking football off the half back line and Quayner in fact kicked a very impressive goal. It was only Isaaac’s second goal in his four years at Collingwood. Reef McInnes did not touch the ball this quarter, he only had one possession in the first quarter and was not going to get a touch in the third quarter either. In his defence it should be pointed out that Collingwood recruited him as a big bodied forward. When we drafted him in 2020 the hype was that he was going to the Pendlebury of the next generation. Because of injuries and loss of form he has been played as a forward, in fact in this match he spent a lot of time at full forward. I wonder if he played any of his junior football as a key forward.

 

Half Time. Pies 6.2.38 Bombers 4.6.30

 

Early in the third quarter Collingwood defenders, who appear to be guarding territory rather than men, give Stringer too much space so he goals and makes it a two point ball game. The Pies get the goal break back when McCreery passes to Mihocek who goals. Despite the looseness Collingwood is having the better of the defence as Moore runs the ball out of the backline. However, as the quarter progresses the Bombers kick two goals and hit the lead for the first time in the match. Collingwood has the chance to get the lead back but Cameron misses a set shot. A series of passes ends up with Ginnivan, a fair way from goal but Jack can do no wrong today so of course he kicks the goal and the Pies are back in front. It doesn’t last, Waterman intercepts a Noble kick that could have been longer and higher and the lead changes again. Not for long though, a long kick ends up with Ginnivan  and Collingwood leads by a point at three quarter time.

 

 

Three Quarter Time.  Pies 9.3.57 Bombers 8.8. 56

 

 

Just before the end of the third quarter Grundy appeared to be limping but then he ran off so it didn’t appear to be anything to worry about, particularly since Brodie played his best football in the final quarter. It was a surprise then to read on the AFL website tonight (Tuesday) that Grundy has injured his knee (PCL) and will be missing for 10-12 weeks. He must have played the final quarter on pure adrenalin!

 

Less  than two minutes into the last quarter there is another lead change as Essendon kicks its ninth goal. Mihocek kicks his fourth goal after some nice play by Nick Daicos. This proves to be the final lead change as Collingwood extends it lead through Ginnivan’s fifth goal. McInnes kicks a goal with his second kick for the match. Pendlebury is everywhere in the final quarter. He still very much the club captain.

 

Wright of Essendon infringes against Darcy Moore but Wright gets the free kick and goals. Shortly after Darcy Cameron gets a very generous free. Perhaps it was an umpire payback – rob one Magpie Darcy and gift the other. John Noble saves an Essendon goal with a punched point on the backline. That’s payback for his turnover in the third quarter. Grundy (on Pendlebury’s advice) eats up time before a set shot, which instead turns into a pass to Taylor Adams. Adams kicks a fifty metre goal, you don’t see that too often Taylor. Shortly after Grundy actually does kick a goal topping off an excellent last quarter. Appropriately Howe blunts the final Essendon attack with a classic mark.

Final Score Pies. 15.3. 93. Bombers 12.10. 82

 

After the Game:

 

Jack Ginnivan won the Anzac Day medal, which added to the satisfaction of the day although I felt a bit sorry for Darcy Parrish, 44 possessions would normally win you best on ground. Jack’s Anzac Day match was spectacular,and all Pies supporters are thrilled at the performance of the 19 year old from Bendigo. I just wish I didn’t keep thinking of another teenage recruit from the country. Mark McGough from Mulwala won the Anzac medal at the age of 17 in his second match for Collingwood in 2002. He played his last game for the Pies in 2004 and his last game in the AFL in 2006.

 

But one shouldn’t be negative. It was a great game and a great result.

 

The Horsbrough Medal Votes.

 

3 votes (and the Des Tuddenham Medal)  Jack Ginnivan. He may not have been best on ground but he was certainly our best player and he will be even better as he gets more experience.

2 votes Jeremy Howe. All our defenders played well but Jeremy with 13 marks was outstanding.

1 vote Jordan De Goey.

Apologies to Brody Mihocek and Scott Pendlebury (in particular) Also Quaynor, Adams, Moore and the Daicos brothers.

 

 

 

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

 

 

Anzac Medal voting

11 – Jack Ginnivan, Collingwood – 3,3,3,2
7 – Darcy Parish, Essendon – 3,2,2
2 – Scott Pendlebury, Collingwood – 1,1
2 – Jordan De Goey, Collingwood – 2
1 – Jeremy Howe, Collingwood – 1
1 – Zach Merrett, Essendon – 1

 

Judges’ 3-2-1 votes

Michael Gleeson, The Age (Chair) – J Ginnivan, D Parish, S Pendlebury
Jobe Watson, Channel 7 – J Ginnivan, J De Goey, J Howe
Lauren Wood, Herald Sun – J Ginnivan, D Parish, S Pendlebury
Josh Gabelich, AFL Media – D Parish, J Ginnivan, Z Merrett

 

 

 

 

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