Match Report

[Mike]

Copied from the newsgroup: rec.sport.football.australian

By Tim Murphy

At the MCG:
Essendon 7.3 8.8 14.12 15.18.108
Collingwood 1.1 6.2 11.4 15.10.100

The Anzac Day clash saw the Pies (or "The Bye" as they're referred to now, as in "I see we've got the bye this week") put on their best performance this season to date in a tough, entertaining game for 73,000, but they still failed and Essendon won for the first time in these games. The Dons reacted to their falling down a foxhole last week by dropping Bolton, McVeigh and Ukovic, Long was out with bruised ribs. Replacements were Eastaugh, Denham, Moorcroft and Dean Rioli. Five changes for the trenchbound Pies, Wasley and McDonald missed with knee and hip injuries respectively and the axe fell on Schauble, Wild and veteran Monkhorst. Selected for the rifle charge were Burns, back from suspension, Tape, Godden, Fuller and debutant Craig Jacotine from Springvale.

The start confirmed the worst fears as Essendon rolled all over the hapless, hopeless Maggies. Lloyd, Moorcroft and Lucas kicked 2 goals each in the first term as the Pies couldn't even get the ball. Worse still, Sav Rocca who usually has a day out against the Dons departed after 10 minutes with back spasms. Eastaugh dominated the ruck, Mercuri and Fraser had the ball on a string and Wellman stopped any Magpie attack. Shawry made a few moves at the first break, putting Crosisca onto Lucas and moving Williams into the centre and whaddaya know, the Pies woke up. Patterson slotted on the run and Williams bombed a beauty. The Bombers postered three times, then Willo roosted another, Jacotine snapped truly from the boundary line and young Davis passed nicely for Lane and the Maggies went in at the long break just 18 points down.

The Bombers put the hammer down with three quick goals to open the third term, including a long bomb from Mercuri and a superb solo effort from Lloyd, twisting away from the battling Prestigiacomo. But still the Pies wouldn't roll over, Williams kicked another trademark 50m-roost while running full tilt and Gav Brown, shifted to full forward, marked and goaled a couple of times after out-bustling Fletcher. But further goals to Lloyd and Lucas made the margin as good as 5 goals at the final change. Scrappy opening to the final quarter saw the Dons blow a few chances before, predictably, Williams banged another sausage for the Pies and they trailed by 24 points. Fuller snapped truly on the run and it was 18. A uncharacterisitic wayward handpass from Mercuri was picked off by Burns, he goaled and it was 11 points. Anthony Rocca moved from CHB to CHF. He dropped a mark nearby the goals. Missed a tough shot from the boundary. Strongly marked Jacotine's centering kick just 30m out directly in front, and missed that too with a woeful toe-poke. Scotland's long shot also missed and the Dons had hung on a little unconvincingly.

Despite his late mistake the classy Mercuri was excellent for the Dons with 29 possessions and 2 goals from the centre. Lloyd kicked 6 goals from 9 marks and 15 kicks, Lucas booted 3 majors and took 10 marks, 20 disposals. Fraser (24 touches) and Blumfield were also handy midfielders, at the back Wellman showed his All-Australian credentials although the Pies are hardly bursting with key forwards. Moorcroft also kicked 2 goals. For Collingwood Paul Williams stood tall - well, as tall as he can - for 16 disposals and 5 excellent goals. Crosisca played well at the back after quarter time and finished with 26 disposals, A. Rocca did well back there too. Spindly rover King had 23 touches, Tape (21 disposals) also played well. For some reason he's been in the reserves all year before today. Young Davis continues to impress and Jacotine (11 touches, a goal) wasn't bad on debut. Two goals each for Burns, Brown and Patterson. "I think early if their (Essendon's) kicking was a little better we mightn't have got back in the game. The only positive thing we can take from the game was that our kids were terrific again," said Shaw. Sheedy patronised. "We could have played better but some of our boys needed the run, to be quite honest. We were a little bit down in the on-baller area, in regards to playing out a while match after losing the boys that we did (Symons, Long)".