Essendon Bombers vs Collingwood Magpies: AFL live scores, blog

Match result:

The Essendon Bombers have defeated a gallant but inaccurate Collingwood Magpies outfit in the ANZAC Day Match that had all the obligatory solemnity, excitement and drama you’d expect.

» Click here to read the full match report
» Five more quick takes from AFL Round 5

Final score
Essendon Bombers 15.10.100
Collingwood Magpies 11.16.82

Match preview:

It’s the biggest home and away game of the year: the Essendon Bombers host bitter rivals the Collingwood Magpies in a massive ANZAC Day clash at the home of footy! Join us on The Roar for live scores and a blog from 3:20pm AEST.

Capitalising on the Tuesday public holiday, and this iconic traditional match, we’re lucky enough to experience our fifth consecutive day of footy as the Bombers (2-2) and the Pies (1-3) meet for the 23rd ANZAC Day match.

For such a massive clash, though, it’s a pity that neither team has been at their absolute best in 2017 – yet. Both teams have looked lively and brilliant in certain games, but dreadful in others.

Both teams are heading into the match after disappointing round 4 efforts – the Dons’ heavy loss to the Crows a far cry from their promising form earlier in the season, whilst Collingwood’s loss to the Saints undid the good work gained in their thrilling win over the Swans the prior week.

To be fair, though, ANZAC clashes rarely stick to script, and with a massive crowd expected, both camps will be eager to prove that their capable of much better than last weekend suggests.

Collingwood heads into the game after Nathan Buckley’s axe was well and truly swung, with a trio of Js (Jesse White, Jarryd Blair and Josh Smith) being dropped.

American import Mason Cox, impressive youngster Tom Phillips and vital recruit Daniel Wells are the three additions to a Collingwood line-up that is pressing desperately for another win.

Cox and Wells are perhaps the most important additions, with the team especially relying on the big American to urgently provide support for an underperforming forward line spearheaded by the underfire Darcy Moore.

Essendon, for their part, have made two changes – one that is forced, and one not. They’ve omitted Kyle Langford, and with Connor McKenna suspended, the Bombers have elected to select 2016 draftee Aaron Francis and mature-aged debutant Ben McNiece (ANZAC Day debuts are rare, so McNiece is an intriguing addition).

There are a number of questions revolving around today’s match; perhaps most notably, how will Essendon respond after two disastrous performances (losses to Carlton and Adelaide have certainly taken the wind out of their sails) amid claims that retuning players have “hit the wall”?

Collingwood, too, has serious questions to answer about its forward line (an awfully inaccurate one at that), while the onus is on the leaders of both teams to stand up.

Prediction
These clashes are always fierce and closely contested, but Collingwood has won the last three comfortably.

Essendon has as good a chance as any to celebrate come the final siren, and they’d be striving to do that in front of their home crowd.

With the Bombers looking for a third win this year, and Collingwood desperate for it’s second, this is a game that will probably go down to the final few minutes.

Collingwood, for me, just have the slightly better side and recent history indicates, for me, that they’re going to be better when it matters. It’ll be close, though.

Collingwood by 7 points.

Join us on The Roar for live scores and a blog from 3:20pm AEST.