Round 7 – Collingwood v Essendon: Pies ground Bombers in the wet

 

It was always going to be a hard ask for the Bombers to defeat Collingwood on ANZAC Day but on such an emotionally charged day anything can happen. Or so I was hoping!

 

Thankfully, where I was staying in Stanley, Tasmania, I was able to receive reception of the match on the TV in my hotel room, though when turned on I was dismayed to discover it was raining, and the Bombers don’t do rain well!

 

A slow start once again made things difficult for the Bombers. It had us playing catch up footy for most of the time. The Magpies were quick, very quick, they were slick and handled the damp conditions like a dry day, whereas we fumbled, got caught and turned the ball over. Turnovers really do hurt the Bombers. I don’t know whether other clubs create as many turnovers as we do but really they do hurt us. It is one area Essendon must work on, and improve on.

 

Missing Draper and Bryan for the season meant throwing Todd Goldstein into the team to ruck for the first time in some time and suggested he would be underdone. As the game progressed, and accounting for the wet conditions, it was quite a serviceable return for Goldy battling manfully in trying circumstances. Langford also looked a little underdone early in the game but will improve in the coming weeks.

 

Zach Reid played his best game for Essendon to date and showed the form we have been expecting of him and he looked very safe and secure in defence. His confidence will improve immensely after that fine effort.

 

Caddy and Kako flashed in and out of the game and are still finding their feet in the big time. That time is not too far away but Bomber fans are becoming impatient and it’s time to see what Nate and Isaac are really made of.

 

Essendon will have learnt many things from this game against Collingwood (at least I hope they have). Importantly Brad Scott needs to reinforce the good things that came out of the game especially our comeback. To hit the front in the third quarter we worked extremely hard to get there but how the Bombers got there, that’s what needs to be reinforced, and of course, those actions enabled, continued and maintained to their full extent in future matches. No letting up, we let Collingwood too easily back into the game when we were in the ascendency. We need a killer instinct and a foot on the accelerator to maintain momentum.

 

Collingwood are a very good team and must be early season favourites for the premiership. Although it was a 41 point loss, easy goals were kicked by the Pies towards the end of the game, the signs are encouraging for Essendon. Our young blokes are coming on, each week furthers their experience and develops their confidence in their abilities with games under their belts, we have too many critical and key injuries to cover but some players due for return soon should provide extra cover for the team.

 

With the topsy-turvy nature of the season the Bombers cannot be written off at this stage. We sit 12^th on the ladder just one game out of the eight though with a poor percentage, and one game less played.

 

A good performance against North Melbourne next week is important, it is a game we cannot afford to drop if we expect to continue to rise up the ladder.

 

COLLINGWOOD          3.4     6.5     11.9     16.11 (107)
ESSENDON                  1.1     5.3      8.3        10.6 (66)

 

GOALS
Collingwood: Elliott 5, Membrey 2, Perryman, Mihocek, Maynard, Long, Hoskin-Elliott, Hill, De Goey, N.Daicos, Cameron
Essendon: Wright 2, Durham 2, Caddy 2, Perkins, Langford, Kako, Hobbs

 

BEST
Collingwood: Sidebottom, J.Daicos, N.Daicos, Elliott, Pendlebury, Long
Essendon: Merrett, Setterfield, Reid, Shiel, Durham, Goldstein

 

INJURIES
Collingwood: McStay (knee)
Essendon: Jones (ankle)

 

SUBSTITUTES
Collingwood: Lachie Sullivan (replaced Dan McStay in the third quarter)
Essendon: Jye Menzie (replaced Harry Jones at three-quarter time)

 

Crowd: 92,044 at the MCG

Anzac Day Medal voting

12 – Steele Sidebottom
7 – Jamie Elliott
5 – Josh Daicos

 

 

More from Col Ritchie can be read Here

 

 

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