ANZAC Day rewind 2007

[The Dustbin]

Collingwood
B: Lockyer Prestigiacomo Cox
HB:H Shaw Clement R Shaw
C: Pendlebury Toovey Thomas
HF:Maxwell Cloke Didak
F: Swan Rocca Johnson
FOLL: Fraser O'Bree
Rover: Dick
INT: Bryan O'Brien Burns Davis
EMERG: Richards Egan Iles
IN: Didak Bryan
OUT: Licuria (hamstring) Richards

Essendon
B: McVeigh Michael Slattery
HB: McPhee Fletcher Ryder
C: Dyson Stanton Heffernan
HF: M Johnson Lucas Hird
F: Davey Lloyd Monfries
FOLL: Laycock Peverill
Rover: Lovett
INT: Bradley Bolton Johns Watson
EMERG: Houli Jetta Lonergan
IN: Bradley Bolton
OUT: Hille (chest) Jetta (groin)

Summary
Both sides enter the 13th Anzac Day clash after three days between games, which should ensure there will be a lot of tired players late in the game. Although both played Saturday, the Bombers might gain an edge having beaten St Kilda under the Telstra Dome roof while Collingwood slogged it out in the wet against Port Adelaide. Fitness aside, the Dons also boast an edge in attack, where Scott Lucas and Matthew Lloyd have a combined 31 goals this season, and inspiration, as James Hird prepares for his last Anzac Day fixture. Magpies coach Mick Malthouse says he cannot afford to focus too much on just one opposition player, but Hird's record of three Anzac medals suggest whoever stands him has the biggest job of the afternoon. That role is usually reserved for the Pies' James Clement, but he is likely to be plugging another hole, standing either Lloyd or Lucas. The Magpies have named midfielders Scott Burns and Dale Thomas and fullback Simon Prestigiacomo, while the spark comes in the form of returning forward Alan Didak. The Bombers will be without ruck David Hille, but Patrick Ryder showed last week he could be a force at stoppages. Essendon holds a 6-5 record in this fixture since the memorable draw in 1995.

Key: Essendon have the forwards in form, the defensive options to combat Anthony Rocca and the quicker legs on what is forecast to be a fine day. The effects of the loss to Port will test Collingwood's midfield depth, which raises too many doubts.


AGE TIPS
Caroline Wilson Essendon 10
Jake Niall Essendon 23
Michael Gleeson Essendon 16
Robert Walls Essendon 30
Stephen Rielly Essendon 41
Geoff McClure Essendon 25
Grant Thomas Essendon 25
Martin Boulton Essendon 23
Rohan Connolly Essendon 6
Emma Quayle Essendon 20
Lyall Johnson Essendon 9
Greg Baum Essendon 28
Martin Blake Essendon 29
Samantha Lane Essendon 5
Len Johnson Essendon 17
Black Dog Collingwood 7

Collingwood 1.5 5.12 9.16 12.23 (95)
Essendon 3.4 6.6 8.10 11.13 (79)

GOALS
Collingwood: Didak 3, Rocca 3, Johnson, Pendlebury, Cloke, Lockyer, Dick
Essendon: Lloyd 3, Davey 3, Johns 2, Bolton, Johnson, Monfries

BEST
Collingwood: H Shaw S Burns J Clement T Lockyer R Shaw T Cloke H O'Brien
Essendon: D Peverill D Fletcher P Ryder A McPhee

Reports: Nil

Umpires: M Vozzo S Jeffery S McInerney

Official Crowd: 90,508 at MCG

Collingwood defied fatigue and bad finishing to beat Essendon by 16 points in an epic Anzac Day clash at the MCG.

The short break looked like it had an immediate effect on the Magpies, who conceded the first three goals inside nine minutes and appeared headed for a thrashing.

But a superb work rate and non-stop tackling helped them reel in the deficit and turn it into a two-goal buffer at the last change before winning 12.23 (95) to 11.13 (79).

The Magpies rose to the occasion when challenged in the final quarter by booting two quick goals after Essendon's Mark Johnson cut the deficit to six points.

Collingwood's win, played before a crowd of 90,508 in perfect conditions, levelled the record to 6-6 in this fixture after the 1995 draw, and leaves both sides with 3-2 records in 2007.

Anzac Medal winner Heath Shaw typified Collingwood's desperation with an inspiring game at half-back. His brother Rhyce also did well along with Tarkyn Lockyer, while Alan Didak and Anthony Rocca both booted three goals.

Lockyer kicked a decisive goal early in the last quarter when he intercepted a bad kick across the ground by Essendon's Kepler Bradley and ran into an open goal.

That major put the Magpies 18 points up, but Collingwood's greatest concern was their poor finishing for goal.

A string of bad misses kept the game open for far longer than it should have been, even when Rocca missed two shots late in the last quarter.

Collingwood's win was one of their greatest of recent years, given Essendon had two goals on the board within three minutes, one to Matthew Lloyd and one to young speedster Alwyn Davey, who ran around a pack, eluded a tackle and scored from 40 metres.

Collingwood settled and dominated general play for the rest of the attack, but their half-forward line functioned badly and they could not build on their advantage in play.

Davey then nabbed the goal of the day in the second quarter, when he pounced onto a loose ball, rolled out of a Scott Burns tackle and deftly sidestepped Harry O'Brien before kicking truly.

But a few inspiring moments aside, Essendon were outplayed and their key players shut out of the contest.

Essendon's best included fullback Dustin Fletcher, Adam McPhee, Damien Peverill and midfielder Mark McVeigh, while Davey and Lloyd both finished with three goals.

The monster crowd was just the eighth time in league history that a crowd of more than 90,000 watched a home and away game.

I've highlighted the players that have moved on from both clubs.

Still can't believe we lost that game by only 16 points.

 

[dave_27]

That interchange bench (bar jobe) is part of the reason we were so pathetic in that game last year.

 

[The Dustbin]

That interchange bench (bar jobe) is part of the reason we were so pathetic in that game last year.

Good ole Kep & Bolts!

 

[bOmBeR_BoY1]

They'll be a similar preview written about us this year prior to game writing us off, like the Pies were last year, and nobody will be tipping us...

Just goes to show anything can happen on the big day.

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

Jesus... that could have been the slowest ever team to grace the park in the history of VFL/AFL.

I still can't get over the selection policy in that game last year. Crazy