It may seem to some as strange to say this, but a home-and-away fixture usually played in Round 5 or 6 is the best game of the AFL season.
Anzac Day, April 25, is the day on which Australians and New Zealanders honour those that gave up their lives almost a century ago on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey.
Despite the many comparisons that are made between the battles of football and war, this day encapsulates what those soldiers fought for all those years ago – freedom and mateship.
Visionary Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy came up with the idea to honour the Anzacs with an event game involving Collingwood and Essendon in 1995. Importantly, Sheedy gained the buy-in of the Returned and Services League, which gave the event credibility.
The first match, played in front of almost 95,000 people, sealed the tradition. The teams played out a thrilling draw. The tension in the crowd as Collingwood midfielder and current coach Nathan Buckley went forward looking for Saverio Rocca with scores level was spine tingling.
Throughout the early years, Rocca dominated the Bombers. That swung back in the early 2000s as James Hird, the exiled current coach, led his side to win six out of seven Anzac Day clashes, winning three Anzac medals in the process for the best player on the ground.
No matter where the teams are on the ladder, they always get up for this one, such is the stage and the importance of the occasion.
The lead up to the match is befitting of what we are all there to honour. The parade to the Shrine of Remembrance, the cavalcade of veterans around the MCG, the Last Post, the minute’s silence and the teams running out through a combined banner, all make this a special occasion.
Then there’s the game between two clubs that are heated rivals, with a packed crowd of fans of both teams. Something that grand final day can often miss.
Going into the 2014 edition all signs pointed to a Collingwood victory. The Pies came in on a two-game winning streak, after solid victories over finals contenders North Melbourne and Richmond.
In contrast, the Bombers were on a two-game losing run, being belted by Fremantle in Perth before one of their most disappointing losses in years to St Kilda.
When Jake Melksham snapped the first goal of the second quarter at the two minute mark, the Dons led by 37 points and it looked like being the day of the red and the black. The Bombers had played an irresistible brand of football in the first quarter, kicking five unanswered goals, largely due to controlling the ruck and midfield and applying immense pressure around the football.
The game completely changed after that Melksham goal, almost like the teams switched jumpers. Collingwood took control of the game to even the scores at half time. The 50/50 balls that had been falling Essendon’s way suddenly fell to the Pies. Steele Sidebottom kicked three second quarter majors, all running into an open goal.
The second half belonged to Dane Swan, who added three goals to finish with four for the day and win his second Anzac Medal in the last three years. Nobody in the crowd of 91,731 will forget his daring dash around Bombers defender Cale Hooker to slot his second goal from the left forward pocket.
The Bombers had their chances in the last quarter. A Jackson Merrett shot, which looked a goal all the way until it hit the post, would have put them back within four points at the 18-minute mark. But the Pies steadied from the ensuing kick in and Swan iced the game just over a minute later.
Essendon will once again rue their inaccurate goal kicking, particularly in the first quarter when they controlled the game and only had five goals from nine shots. But Collingwood ran out deserved 23-point winners to take an 11-8-1 lead in the nineteen year history of this clash.
Anzac Day is without doubt the best day of the footy year, not just for football reasons. It must stay as an important even on our calendar and stay between these two great clubs, who have done so much to respect and honour the past.
dave
Guest
I agree. There are kids that may not take any interest in history but when they see 90,000 people silent for a minute at the G they start to ask questions and maybe begin to understand the meaning of the day. It is a shame that this year it involved a team that is still under investigation by ASADA.
micka
Guest
But it is full of corporates who couldn'r care less about either team. Semi Finals are the best games on the calendar due to the teams being the best and all the crowd being actual fans.
micka
Guest
But it is full of corporates who couldn'r care less about either team. Semi Finals are the best games on the calendar due to the teams being the best and all the crowd being actual fans.
Dalgety Carrington
Guest
No, I think there is definite value to having standalone/minimal games, especially on Good Friday (scheduling of the whole round is also a factor). A night game as a standalone for the Good Friday helps not only people so inclined can attend the days services beforehand (addressing some concerns), but also maximise the audience (TV should be the primary consideration to maximise the National exposure) as people sit back in the evening and look forward to Easter celebrations. The Suns and Giants have broader appeal than just their location as well, given the large number of high draft picks from the AFL heartland states in both teams. A standalone game on a previously AFL-free day also gives those two start-ups a great chance to build their prestige, which is surely what the AFL wants.
Chris Meister
Roar Guru
The AFL is far less Melbourne-centric than than the NRL is Sydney-centric. I am happy for other teams to play just think that Collingwood and Essendon should stay playing at the MCG. Lets have a full round on Anzac Day, a game in SA, WA, NSW, QLD, NZ, Melbourne x 2 and Geelong. That just leaves one other place to have a game. As for Good Friday, lets have games all over the country on that day as well.
Dalgety Carrington
Guest
I don't know about that. It's fair to say that the game promotes the significance of the day to a large audience, making a connection with the meaning of the day through the pre-match ceremony and stories, that they otherwise might not get.
Dalgety Carrington
Guest
That's a very Melbourne-centric approach. Freo started their ANZAC tradition as early as the Essendon-Collingwood game, with the Len Hall game, honouring the day and the fallen from their first year. Also I think the idea of the Good Friday game going to a struggling or even a large Melbourne club is very entrenched in the attitude that this competition is really VFL+ and not really the AFL. It might be best for the good/growth of the game to give it to the new clubs in the Suns and the Giants. Let them build a blockbuster in a standalone event.
deebhoy
Guest
the fact you support essendon makes your whole opinion biased chris even tho you've got every right to share it. essendon and Collingwood are arguably the 2 most hated clubs in the land so for neutral supporters its a case of wishing both teams would loose.the emotion of Anzac day doesn't come into it as far as the game itself is concerned grand final day offers so much more for the neutral support because there will always be a team they wanna loose more and its easy to find yourself getting emotional about a team you don't even support.the thought of a club you hate having year long bragging rights brings a dread the Anzac day result could ever do that's the point I was making when I referred to the monopolizing of Anzac day.the same 2 teams who might not even make the finals that year cant never create the anticipation or tension for everyone the GF day does
Johnno
Guest
Coburg Oval.
AR
Guest
VFA level? What's your favourite ground there Johnno?
AR
Guest
The crowd is always bigger on GF day.
Chris Meister
Roar Guru
Thanks Tim the crowd is not always bigger on GF day. Having the best 2 teams does not always make for the best day or the best event. When 1 team is clearly superior like through most of the GF's in the early 90's it's a bit of a dud day
Graham Sanyo
Guest
The game is an embarrassment and trivialises the day. An ANZAC Medal awarded to the MOTM FFS?
Chris Meister
Roar Guru
Couldn't agree more and I think this day honours that with integrity and value
Chris Meister
Roar Guru
Of course I do not think that Joe. Those other clubs more than had their fair chance to play on that day before Essendon and Collingwood played in 1995. I remember Carlton, Melbourne, North and Geelong. I am not saying that Essendon and Collingwoood should be the only teams to play on the day, rather that the tradition should continue. I would like to see games all over the country on the day as well as the game in NZ continue. I for now hope North get Good Friday as a reward for what they did in the 80s and hope they play the Saints or Bulldogs so these clubs can get some national exposure.
Chris Meister
Roar Guru
That's right I do support the Bombers. For us in recent years this is as close as we get to a GF. I do attend all the other big games and the finals and think this day is special for the whole community.
Johnno
Guest
Or at VFA level.
Floreat Pica
Guest
Who knows Johnno, if the Saints can stitch up Junction Oval and last year's whispers about punt road or Princes Park are given air we might get several boutique stadiums back. That would be sensational.
joe b
Guest
Chris, do you believe the ANZACs fought just so collingwood and essendon can reap the reward/privilege of playing every anzac day? Believe it or not, some blokes who went to Gallipoli didn't support essendon or collingwood, some even came from SA and WA (10th Light Horse ring a bell). Whilst it is reasonable to have 2 big Melbourne clubs playing at the MCG on this day, it would be fairer to allow carlton, richmond, and hawthorn to have a go as well. Furthermore, North Melbourne pushed for Friday night footy in the 90s and now they rarely get that slot…who knows if they will OWN Good Friday even though they have been pushing for it for years... yet, you think because sheedy pushed for it, it is now and forever owned by essendon and collingwood. Bewildering.
Floyd Calhoun
Guest
Strangely enough, Chris supports Essendon. Who would've thunk it?!