Australian Football

Match Report

Another largely tortuous year for Essendon has ended on a high with a thrilling three-point win over arch rivals Collingwood at the MCG on Sunday in the very last game and away match of 2015. Though the lead only changed hands three times in the match, the result was in doubt from start to finish, with the Bombers the team that found themselves on the right side of the ledger when the final siren sounded. 

It was goal for goal throughout the first quarter as Alex Fasolo opened proceedings with a goal at the three-minute mark and Jackson Merrett responding for Essendon four minutes later. Taylor Adams put the Pies seven points ahead after 10 minutes but Cale Hooker's first goal had the Dons level with the Pies three minutes after that. Collingwood once again took the lead when Darcy Moore goaled but Essendon responded once more, this time via Shaun McKernan. Jesse White made it seven different goalkickers at the 19-minute mark and the Pies led by a goal at quarter time.

Essendon became the first side to score multiple successive goals, with Brendon Goddard, Jake Melksham and Brent Stanton giving the Dons a 13-point lead half way through the second term. The Pies hit back through Ben Kennedy and Jamie Elliott, but the Bombers scored three of the last five goals of the quarter to take an eight-point lead into the long break.

Heath Hocking extended the Bombers' lead to 14 with the first major of the second half, but the Magpies hit back with the next four goals - one each to White, Jarryd Blair, Jack Crisp and Levi Greenwood to lead by nine before Conor McKenna cut the margin back to four at the last change of ends.

Fasolo's second goal put Collingwood 11 points clear three minutes into the last quarter but Essendon hit back through Cale Hooker and the Bombers trailed by just four points at the eight-minute mark. Ben Reid's first goal extended the Pies' margin to 10 but that was to be Collingwood's last major of the match. Hocking's second cut the difference back to four, after which both sides had opportunities, but neither could nail a goal. Finally, at the 27-minute mark, Heath Hocking marked, played on and goaled to give Essendon a three-point lead. Collingwood went forward again but failed the score as the Bombers held on for a thrilling end-of-season win.

Adams was a star for the Magpies with 33 touches and seven marks, while Brent Stanton (30 possessions, three goals) and Hocking (three goals, 23 disposals) were stand-outs for the winners.

Essendon finish the season with six wins, in search of a new coach, and with the WADA appeal still hanging over the heads of many players. Collingwood, for the second year running, started the season strongly before fading badly to miss the top eight. The natives are starting to get a little restless at the Magpies' nest and coach Nathan Buckley will be under pressure to take his team back into the finals in 2016.

GOALS
Collingwood: Kennedy, White, Blair, Fasolo 2; Adams, Moore, Elliott, Crisp, Greenwood, Reid,
Essendon: Stanton, Hocking 3; Hooker 2; J Merrett, McKernan, Goddard, Melksham, Zaharakis, McKenna

BEST - THEAGE.COM.AU
Essendon: Hocking, Heppell, Baguley, Stanton, McKernan, Fantasia, Hurley
Collingwood: Adams, Sidebottom, Elliott, Pendlebury, Langdon.

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Collingwood: Adams, Sidebottom, White, Fasolo, Marsh, Reid
Essendon: Stanton, Heppell, McKernan, Hocking, Zaharakis, Fantasia

INJURIES
Collingwood: Brown (cut head)
Essendon: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Collingwood: Alan Toovey replaced Brodie Grundy in the third quarter
Essendon: Shaun Edwards replaced Elliott Kavanagh in the third quarter.

UMPIRES: O'Gorman, Deboy, Ryan, Armstrong

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network