By Rod Oaten
I was having a beer with a Tragic Magpie who happens to be good mate of mine, down on the west coast a few days before the Essendon v Collingwood game, and we were both so disillusioned with our footy teams that we thought a nil-all draw would be a good outcome for the ANZAC Day game.
I don’t care about Collingwood but the last few times I’ve watched the Dons they were absolutely hopeless, sadly (and worryingly) against Geelong during the opening game of the season and last week against Fremantle. The less said about that, the better.
My Magpie son (how did that happen?) organised the tickets for the game and I got to the ground just as the ball was bounced. A magnificent warm Autumnal day and, when Sam Draper for the Dons climbed all over Brodie Grundy for the first bounce, he showed us the Dons meant business. This looked like a new Essendon, we were doing well at stoppages with Darcy Parish and Zach Merrett making ‘hay’ from the good work of Draper. It was a great quarter of footy, Collingwood had some guy with a mop of ‘White Kinged’ hair by name of Jack Ginnivan, and he was causing great problems for the Dons. At quarter time Collingwood by a goal.
The second quarter continued in the same vein, fast creative footy from both sides. It was great to watch. Essendon missed a couple of goals they should have snaffled whereas Collingwood were more accurate. Mr Ginnivan continued on his flashy way for the Pies while Alec Waterman was doing well for the Dons. The highlight for the quarter was the run, bounce, handball and back, bounce and goal by Jack Crisp of Collingwood from about 50 metres out. At half time the Magpies were eight points up even though Essendon had two more scoring shots. I was impressed with the Dons, this was a different team to the previous weeks, dare I hope for a win?
After half time Essendon continued to do well in the ball-ups and throw-ins. Sam Draper had energy to burn and provided plenty of ammunition for Merrett, Parish and McGrath but Collingwood had Isaac Quaynor, Jack Crisp and Jeremy Howe. The lead changed a few times and supporters of both sides were on the edge of their seats. At three quarter time there was only a point in it, Collingwood’s excellent goal kicking being the difference.
Last quarter, two sides trying to turn their season around, to give their supporters something to cheer about. Collingwood seemed to have more skill and teamwork when it was needed. Essendon kept up the pressure and even hit the front again in the last quarter when Alec Waterman goaled but it wasn’t to last for long. The Magpies moved Pendlebury onto the ball and his presence got things rolling on the scoreboard. Grundy was showing his class in the packs, and the Magpies just kept kicking accurately. The siren sounded and even though Essendon had six more scoring shots than Collingwood they lost by eleven points. Bad kicking is bad footy.
It was a great game of footy to watch and I reckon if the Dons can play like this more often we might win a few more matches before the end of the season.
ESSENDON 2.2 4.6 8.8 12.10 (71)
COLLINGWOOD 3.2 6.2 9.3 15.3 (139)
Essendon: Waterman 4, Stringer 3, Perkins 2, Stringer 2, Guelfi 2, Wright
Collingwood: Ginnivan 5, Mihocek 4, Crisp, Quaynor, Adams, Cameron, Grundy, McInnes
Essendon: Parish, Merrett, McGrath, Draper, Shiel, Waterman, Martin
Collingwood: Ginnivan, De Goey, Crisp, Pendlebury, Mihocek, Howe, N. Daicos, Moore
Essendon: Laverde (knee), Parish (ankle)
Collingwood: Kreuger (shoulder)
Essendon: Nick Hind replaced Jayden Laverde in the fourth quarter
Collingwood: Callum Brown replaced Nathan Kreuger in the second quarter
Crowd: 84,205
I was having a beer with a Tragic Magpie who happens to be good mate of mine, down on the west coast a few days before the Essendon v Collingwood game, and we were both so disillusioned with our footy teams that we thought a nil-all draw would be a good outcome for the ANZAC Day game.
I don’t care about Collingwood but the last few times I’ve watched the Dons they were absolutely hopeless, sadly (and worryingly) against Geelong during the opening game of the season and last week against Fremantle. The less said about that, the better.
My Magpie son (how did that happen?) organised the tickets for the game and I got to the ground just as the ball was bounced. A magnificent warm Autumnal day and, when Sam Draper for the Dons climbed all over Brodie Grundy for the first bounce, he showed us the Dons meant business. This looked like a new Essendon, we were doing well at stoppages with Darcy Parish and Zach Merrett making ‘hay’ from the good work of Draper. It was a great quarter of footy, Collingwood had some guy with a mop of ‘White Kinged’ hair by name of Jack Ginnivan, and he was causing great problems for the Dons. At quarter time Collingwood by a goal.
The second quarter continued in the same vein, fast creative footy from both sides. It was great to watch. Essendon missed a couple of goals they should have snaffled whereas Collingwood were more accurate. Mr Ginnivan continued on his flashy way for the Pies while Alec Waterman was doing well for the Dons. The highlight for the quarter was the run, bounce, handball and back, bounce and goal by Jack Crisp of Collingwood from about 50 metres out. At half time the Magpies were eight points up even though Essendon had two more scoring shots. I was impressed with the Dons, this was a different team to the previous weeks, dare I hope for a win?
After half time Essendon continued to do well in the ball-ups and throw-ins. Sam Draper had energy to burn and provided plenty of ammunition for Merrett, Parish and McGrath but Collingwood had Isaac Quaynor, Jack Crisp and Jeremy Howe. The lead changed a few times and supporters of both sides were on the edge of their seats. At three quarter time there was only a point in it, Collingwood’s excellent goal kicking being the difference.
Last quarter, two sides trying to turn their season around, to give their supporters something to cheer about. Collingwood seemed to have more skill and teamwork when it was needed. Essendon kept up the pressure and even hit the front again in the last quarter when Alec Waterman goaled but it wasn’t to last for long. The Magpies moved Pendlebury onto the ball and his presence got things rolling on the scoreboard. Grundy was showing his class in the packs, and the Magpies just kept kicking accurately. The siren sounded and even though Essendon had six more scoring shots than Collingwood they lost by eleven points. Bad kicking is bad footy.
It was a great game of footy to watch and I reckon if the Dons can play like this more often we might win a few more matches before the end of the season.
Results
COLLINGWOOD 3.2 6.2 9.3 15.3 (139)
GOALS
Collingwood: Ginnivan 5, Mihocek 4, Crisp, Quaynor, Adams, Cameron, Grundy, McInnes
BEST
Collingwood: Ginnivan, De Goey, Crisp, Pendlebury, Mihocek, Howe, N. Daicos, Moore
INJURIES
Collingwood: Kreuger (shoulder)
SUBSTITUTES
Collingwood: Callum Brown replaced Nathan Kreuger in the second quarter
Crowd: 84,205
Tragic Don Rod Oaten is descended from four generations of Essendon supporters. His great grandfather was always helping around the football and cricket club back in the late 1880s, cleaning, painting, nailing and doing anything that might be helpful to the Same Old's cause. Rod's own sporting career spanned tennis, badminton, squash and football. He still plods around running tracks and along beaches in an effort to stay fit.