Essendon vs Collingwood: AFL live scores

 

Roar Guru

By The Roar, 1 Sep 2012

Tagged:

 AFL, Collingwood Magpies, Essendon Bombers, live blog

1 Have your say

Email

Collingwood need to beat Essendon to make the top four – it’s a simple equation and it’s the reason why the attention of the AFL world will be fixed on the MCG tonight. Join us from 7.40pm AEST for live scores of the action.

Collingwood currently sit in fifth position and after West Coast went down to Hawthorn at the G last night, and the Pies only need to topple the Bombers to get themselves the double chance. If the Pies win, they will play Hawthorn – probably next Friday night – in a qualifying final.

For the Bombers, it’s case of what might have been. Halfway through the season they were touted as premiership threats but after a 1-7 run home, the best they can do is finish in tenth position.

Tonight is an opportunity for the Bomber faithful to farewell Mark McVeigh who will retire at night’s end. The 31-year old was part of the Bombers’ 2001 Grand Final team and (by the end of the night) will have worn the red sash 233 times for Essendon.

Like the Bombers, Collingwood enter this match in less than inspiring form. They were poor last week against West Coast and poor against North Melbourne before that. And both those teams were outplayed in defeat the week after.

Collingwood’s woes lie inside 50. Travis Cloke and Chris Dawes were cornerstones in the Pies’ 2010 Premiership success but in 2012 they have barely raised a whimper; Collingwood’s flag hopes dwindling in the process.

The Pies are able to win enough of the ball in midfield and their defence is sturdy so if the forward line can begin to fire, those who bleed black and white will once again believe in September glory.

Nathan Buckley has tried to ignite some verve into the Pies attack by making five changes. Chris Dawes, Cameron Wood, Ben Sinclair and Paul Seedsman have been dropped. Small forward Jarryd Blair is out with a groin.

Star small forward Andrew Krakouer leads the ins. Coming back from a six-month ACL injury, Krakouer is joined by captain Nick Maxwell, champion ruckman Darren Jolly and youngsters Jamie Elliot and Jackson Paine.

Dawes, Sinclair and Blair all play in the forward 50 for Collingwood, so in replacing them with Krakouer, Jolly – who will rotate between the ruck and forward line – and Paine, Buckley is looking for a response in attack tonight.

Essendon’s injury-plagued year continues. In the season finale James Hird has also made five changes. Hocking (knee), Lovett-Murray (hamstring), Davey (hamstring), Gumbleton (soreness) and Browne are omitted.

David Hille – whose future at Essendon is cloudy – is joined by Myers, Howlett, Merrett and Dell’Olio as replacements.

Collingwood must win tonight if they are any chance to win the flag – they simply aren’t going well enough to contend from fifth. But in these circumstances they should win.

I’m tipping the Pies by 41 points.

Sport, all day long. Does this sound too good to be true? We're searching for a Group Sales Manager to lead our team in Sydney. If you're a sales star who doesn't mind a hit, kick, throw, or cycle, we want to hear from you. Apply now.