Australian Football

Match Report

Against the odds, Collingwood has defeated Essendon in the traditional ANZAC Day clash between the two sides, leading for most of the afternoon in a low-scoring affair at the MCG and recording a 20-point win. The victory was the Magpies eighth in the last 10 ANZAC Day meetings between the two sides, and it propelled them into the top four, with a game against arch rivals Carlton to come next Friday.

The game started on a slightly controversial note. Jamie Elliott kicked a magnificent goal from the boundary to put the Pies ahead, but the replays showed clearly that he and the ball were outside the boundary when he kicked it. The officiating boundary umpire has tripped just before the kick was executed and was unable to call the ball out. Bomber Joe Daniher responded with a major a few minutes later but goals to Travis Cloke and Scott Pendlebury move to a 14-point lead and take control of the game before a late goal to Brent Stanton brought the Dons to within eight points at quarter time.

From Essendon's point of view, the first 20 minutes of the second quarter was the best of the match. The Bombers controlled the match from the five-minute mark until just before time on. However, they wasted their opportunities, goals to Dustin Fletcher and Stanton accompanied by seven behinds. This allowed the Dons to take a nine-point lead, but that could have been quite a bit greater with accurate kicking. The tide turned after that, Elliott adding his second goal and Collingwood taking its turn to kick a string of behinds. By half time, it was the Pies by a point, 4.9 to 4.8.

Dour football continued to be the order of the day in the third quarter. With both defences well on top, only four goals were kicked. Critically, three of those were to Collingwood, via Paul Seedsman, Jack Crisp and Dane Swan. The Bombers' only goal came at the seven-minute mark through David Zaharakis and it was Collingwood by 14 points at the last change of ends.

An early goal was needed by the Dons in the final term but it did not eventuate. The defences dominated again and when the first goal of the quarter finally came at the 12-minute mark it was to Travis Cloke, putting Collingwood 22 points clear. Sam Dwyer made the difference 27 with a major four minutes later, before Essendon got a consolation goal at the 23-minute mark, the second to Daniher, leaving the Magpies victors by 20 points.

Paul Seedsman was outstanding for the winners, taking out the ANZAC Medal for his 31-disposal, 6-mark effort. Swan (21 touches and a goal) and Crisp (also 21 possessions and a goal) were also very good players for the Pies. Best for Essendon included Dyson Heppell (33 possessions, eight tackles), Cale Hooker (21 disposals, 10 marks) and Brent Stanton (30 touches and nine marks). 

Collingwood will look to make it four wins from five and consolidate a top-four place against the Blues on Friday while the Bombers will look to return to the winners list against St Kilda at Docklands on Sunday.

GOALS
Essendon: Stanton, Daniher 2; Fletcher, Zaharakis
Collingwood: Elliott, Cloke 2; Pendlebury, Seedsman, Crisp, Swan, Dwyer

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Essendon: Hooker, Heppell, Stanton, Fletcher
Collingwood: Seedsman, Swan, Adams, Crisp, Brown, Frost, Pendlebury

BEST - THE SUNDAY AGE
Essendon: Heppell, Hooker, Stanton, Hibberd, Baguley, Fletcher
Collingwood: Seedsman, Crisp, Williams, Adams, Brown, Pendlebury, Frost. 

INJURIES
Essendon: Chapman (knee)
Collingwood: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Essendon: Will Hams replaced Paul Chapman in the third quarter
Collingwood: Sam Dwyer replaced Adam Oxley in the third quarter

UMPIRES: Stevic, Hay, Pannell

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network

COMMENTATORS: Bruce McAvaney, Dennis Cometti, Leigh Matthews, Wayne Carey, Andrew Welsh, Nick Maxwell