Courtenay Dempsey of Essendon handballs clear of Ryan Houlihan of Carlton during the AFL Round 03 match between the Carlton Blues and the Essendon Bombers at the MCG. Slattery Images
We’re into blockbuster season and this week brings us another genuine rivalry: Carlton versus Essendon. This match-up is one of the AFL’s top three rivalries and one of the centrepieces of the AFL season.
This week’s clash features these two teams who are at the very top of the AFL’s pantheon of premiership winners, having each won 16 premierships apiece.
With a typical crowd average between 70,000 and 85,000, along with a sublime Saturday afternoon slot, this match should, weather permitting, reach the 80,000 mark. Both teams are up and coming and both teams are evenly poised at 2-1 after three rounds.
This match will be shown live into Sydney and Brisbane (2pm), live into Adelaide (1.30pm) and, in a move sure to infuriate Western Australian supporters of the clubs, will not be shown on either free-to-air or Fox Sports on Saturday (Hawthorn versus West Coast will be shown live on both Fox and Ten in Perth). It will be on one-hour delay into Melbourne.
This rivalry stretches back to the dawn of the AFL, with some supporters hating these teams even more than the common enemy, Collingwood. The saying, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” clearly does not apply here.
One of my earliest school memories was being bullied by local Essendon supporting thugs for being a Carlton kid. In Grade Three, I found my much-loved scarf partially flushed down a toilet. Kids were cruel back then.
Both clubs have been caught breaking the salary cap in a big way; Essendon being fined more than $800,000 for breaches which included the 1993 premiership year, while Carlton president John Elliot would later use this as a spur in the one-point preliminary final victory in 1999.
Ironically, Carlton would later receive what was then the biggest fine in Australian sports history for systematic salary cap cheating between 1998 and 2001. These have added to the already steaming melting pot that has been simmering for 112 years.
Essendon were formed in 1871 and are seven years the junior of the Blues. Carlton and Essendon were founding teams of the VFL when it split from the VFA in 1897. Essendon won the first ever VFL premiership, but didn’t play Carlton in the grand final until 1908, which Carlton won.
In 112 years, Carlton and Essendon have met 230 times, Carlton on top 117-109, with four draws between them. In 2010, the teams split the honours with a win each. The two clubs have played 19 finals against each other, begining in 1904, and most recently in 2000. Essendon lead Carlton in finals wins 10-9.
The clubs have met six times in grand finals, with both teams winning three flags each. These two clubs also share the VFL/AFL record of 16 premierships each.
In recent years a number of very close matches have been played, including the 1999 preliminary final. Although the Blues were beaten in the grand final, many Carlton supporters were still on a high after that season purely because of the one-point win over the Bombers the week before. In 2000, the Bombers got some revenge and bundled the Blues out in the semi finals. Carlton would not play finals again until 2009.
In round three 2007, The Blues would come back from 48 points down at half-time to beat the bombers by three points in another classic match.
On Saturday the teams would appear to be relatively evenly matched; Essendon up and about and very fast, Carlton still developing a young team with a class midfield. Essendon is coming off a win over the Saints, the Blues a loss to the Pies. I’m sure Blues and Bombers fans will be hoping for a match for the ages!
Carlton:
Premierships: 16 – one AFL, 15 VFL.
Brownlows: Five – Bert Deacon (1947), John James (1961), Gordon Collis (1964), Greg Williams (1994), Chris Judd (2010).
Norm Smiths: Four – Wayne Harmes (1979), Bruce Doull (1981), David Rhy-Jones (1987), Greg Williams (1995).
Essendon:
Premierships: 16 – two AFL, 14 VFL.
Brownlows: Eight – Dick Reynolds (1934,37 and 38), Bill Hutchison (1952-53), Graham Moss (1976), Gavin Wanganeen (1993), James Hird (1996).
Norm Smiths: Four – Billy Duckworth (1984), Simon Madden (1985), Micheal Long (1993), James Hird (2000).
Crowds:
2010 – 71,006 and 57,095.
2009 – 83,407 and 70,370.
2008 – 64,388 and 59,177.
When and where:
Carlton versus Essendon.
Melbourne Cricket Ground, 2pm, Saturday.
Last time: Carlton 23.11.149 defeated Essendon 9.19.73.
Disclaimer: Author is a lifelong Blues supporter. Recollection of the 1999 prelim final win may be coloured as a result.
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