It was an Anzac Day to remember for Collingwood as they backed up their big win in Adelaide last week with a convincing 49-point win over old rivals Essendon.
Adam Treloar was electric in an Anzac Medal winning performance, leading a dominant Collingwood midfield with 34 disposals and two goals.
In the biggest game of home and away season, it was a hot start at the MCG as two of the competition's most evenly matched teams felt their way into a fierce Anzac Day contest.
Last year’s medal winner, Joe Daniher, got proceedings underway with a strong mark and snap to give the Bombers the perfect start.
It wouldn’t take Collingwood long to respond however, as a classy Will Hoskin-Elliott finish would level things up 10 minutes into the first term.
With the Magpies getting on top of their Bomber counterparts around the ground, they just couldn’t quite capitalise early with some strong counterattack play seeing Jake Stringer make his mark on the historic Anzac Day clash.
An incredible piece of athleticism and a freakish goal by Jordan De Goey would again put Collingwood back in front as the fans settled in for an epic contest.
A second goal to Stringer would again give the Bombers an advantage, before a two-goal burst by Steele Sidebottom late in the term would give Collingwood a critical seven-point margin at the first change.
Essendon started the second quarter strongly, dominating the clearances early with the first seven of the term.
But the Bombers couldn’t turn these into scores however, as Collingwood remained solid in defence and set up a lot of attacking movement through their genuine leg speed and slick ball movement.
With the first five scores of the quarter being behinds, it would take first-year speedster Jaidyn Stephenson to break the drought with a clever snap from the goal square.
A running goal from Treloar soon after would push the Collingwood lead out further as the Bombers almost looked at breaking point late in the second.
But a late goal by captain Dyson Heppell would spring life back into the Bombers who trailed by 17 points at the main break.
Needing to respond early in the second half, Essendon began the third quarter strongly, winning a number of clearances and getting the ball forward.
However, a strong mark by Stringer close to goal could not be converted into a major, allowing the Magpies go coast to coast as Stephenson put through his second goal from within 10 metres.
It would ultimately break the spirit of the Bombers, who simply could not stop the speed and spread of the Magpies or move the ball with any sort of purpose and danger.
Despite their all-round dominance, Collingwood couldn’t quite put their opposition away, managing just one more goal for the quarter, courtesy of a big Mason Cox, along with four behinds.
With the door slightly ajar at the start of the last quarter, Collingwood were quick to slam it shut early in the last as they finally managed to gain some poise in front of the sticks and pile on some pain for Essendon.
Treloar would kick off proceedings in the last courtesy of a 50 metre penalty to put the result beyond doubt for the in-form Magpies.
The Bombers looked sluggish and almost disinterested in the early stages of the final term, with Collingwood constantly having numbers around the contest to allow them to move the ball with absolute ease.
Goals to Ben Reid and a second to Cox would stretch the margin out beyond 50 points as it was turning into an embarrassing Anzac Day for the Bombers.
James Stewart would finally break the goal drought for Essendon, but it would only be short-term relief for the Bombers and Collingwood continued their dominance with Tom Phillips and Sidebottom sending the Pies fans into a frenzy.
Two consolation goals late to Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti and Cale Hooker on the siren would push the final margin below 50, with Collingwood continuing their excellent form with a convincing 49-point Anzac Day win.
Both sides must now look forward to blockbuster clashes on extremely short turnarounds.
Essendon look to bounce back against a struggling Melbourne side at Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon, while the in-form Collingwood take on Richmond down the road at the MCG, in what is shaping up to be one of the biggest games of the year.
COLLINGWOOD 4.4 6.9 8.14 14.17 (101)
ESSENDON 3.3 4.4 4.8 7.10 (52)
GOALS
Collingwood: Sidebottom 3, Hoskin-Elliott 2, Cox 2, Stephenson 2, Treloar 2, Reid, Phillips, De Goey
Essendon: Stringer 2, Stewart, McDonald-Tipungwuti, Daniher, Hooker, Heppell
BEST
Collingwood: Treloar, Pendlebury, Sidebottom, Grundy, De Goey, Stephenson
Essendon: Goddard, Zaharakis, Heppell, Merrett, Hurley, Parish
INJURIES
Collingwood: Nil
Essendon: Begley (knee), Green (hamstring)
ANZAC MEDAL VOTES (four judges vote 3-2-1)
11 - Adam Treloar
7 - Steele Sidebottom
4 - Scott Pendlebury
2 - Jordan De Goey
TALKING POINTS
1. COLLINGWOOD'S FORWARD LINE IS BEGINNING TO GEL
Going into season 2018, there were questions marks surrounding the Collingwood forward line, due to their host of unproven smalls and lack of dominant key forwards.
However, five rounds into the season it seems as if Nathan Buckley has got the Pies playing inspired footy based around forward pressure and speed on the ball.
With Richmond building a premiership on those two facets of the game, things look to be going well for the Magpies as they finally begin to look dangerous in attack.
With the class of Jamie Elliott and Alex Fasolo set to come back, the sky is the limit for the Magpies' forward group as they look to develop consistency in performance and help their team turn into finalists.
2. FIVE KILOMETRES A LONG WAY FOR THE BOMBERS
One of the most exciting teams to watch on their home deck at Etihad Stadium, the difference Essendon’s performances at home and away are a major concern for the team moving forward.
Tipped as an improving side going into 2018, it is clear when at Etihad, the Bombers can beat anyone, following impressive wins against the Crows and Power at their fortress.
But once they have to leave the cosy confines of the enclosed Docklands Stadium, the Dons look a different team, with poor losses to Fremantle at the new Optus Stadium and an Anzac Day calamity at the MCG.
If Essendon is to play to their potential, they simply must improve their ability to play on foreign grounds or they will be destined for a failed year in 2018.
3. JOE DANIHER MUST IMPROVE HIS KICKING TO BECOME A TOP-THREE FORWARD
A year is a very long time in football, as 12 months ago, Joe Daniher had just played his breakout game with an Anzac Medal performance.
Fast forward to 2018, and he is going though a lean patch of form with his kicking in particular proving to be a major issue for both him and his team.
With just seven goals so far in 2017, Daniher had a number of poor moments in front of goal at the MCG today, not exhibiting the confidence which made him so dangerous last season.
Although he managed to find a fair bit of the ball up the ground, his use of the ball was subpar for majority of the day; a trait which is really holding him back from breaking into the absolute elite group of key forwards.
4. NEXT SUNDAY AFTERNOON IS SHAPING TO BE ONE OF THE BIGGEST GAMES IN RECENT MEMORY
Two of the biggest supporter bases in the AFL - the Tiger army and Magpie army - are two proud sets of fanatic fans who love their club and absolutely despise the other.
Next Sunday afternoon, these two sets of supporters will meet at the home of football in what is going to be an epic contest between Collingwood and Richmond.
Both in excellent form, Sunday promises to be an extremely exciting game as the Magpies look to continue their improvement with another big scalp, while the Tigers look to continue their solid premiership defence.
Basing their game plans around forward pressure and fast ball movement, it will be an extremely exciting battle in front of an expected 90,000 strong crowd.
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