Arguably the biggest game on the AFL calendar bar only the grand final, the Bombers-Pies Anzac Day clash has history and tradition written all over it.
» Five quick takes from AFL Round 5
It’s time for the fans to come out, the footy to kick on, and one of the greatest Australian sporting rivalries to reignite.
Here are all the ins and outs of what you need to know to be on top of the 2017 Anzac Day clash.
If you don’t know who then you’ve been living under a rock or don’t follow this sport.
The Collingwood Magpies and Essendon Bombers have been one of the chief rivalries in Aussie Rules history, dating back over 125 years into the 19th century.
The two have been contesting the annual Anzac Day battle for a little less than that though, with the first official commemorative April 25 matchup coming in 1995.
That first game ended in a miraculous 17.9 (111) to 16.15 (111) draw.
The game has been run on the same date every year since at the MCG, only shifting days of the week.
The Pies have won the last three in a row, as well as six of the last seven, and the last nine of 11, dating back to 2005 when the Bombers snagged three straight themselves.
This year, the Round 5 fixture will be on Tuesday, with the first bounce being laid down at 3:20pm (AEST).
Essendon Bombers vs Collingwood Magpies
Where: MCG, Melbourne
When: 3:20pm (AEST)
TV: Live on 7Mate and Fox Footy
Anzac Day History: Played 22 – Essendon 8, Collingwood 13, Draw 1
Last Played: Round 5, 2016 – Collingwood 22.10 (142) def Essendon 11.7 (73)
Ladder: Essendon (10th), Collingwood (13th)
Betting: Essendon $2.15, Collingwood $1.71
If you can’t get to the pub or your own couch, there are still options available to catch the game.
One way to live stream AFL matches is to use the Foxtel Play or Foxtel Go apps which allow users to stream Foxtel channels.
Foxtel Go is available for free if you already have an existing Foxtel service. Foxtel Play is better for those who are just looking to access live-streaming services rather than have a traditional installation.
Foxtel Play has a two-week free trial available to new users, and after that costs a monthly subscription fee.
Alternatively, the AFL Live Pass will you give you live streaming on most devices wherever you are. If you just want to catch the one game, you can grab a Weekly Pass that will set you back $4.99.
You can also look at a Monthly or Annual Pass will get you more content at a price of $16.99 and $99.99 respectively.
Telstra customers may be able to get access to the AFL Live Pass free of charge if on a suitable plan.
Being the biggest game of the week and the regular season, the game will be live on both free-to-air and Foxtel.
Channel Seven will broadcast the proceedings on 7Mate (channel 63), with the pregame coverage starting at 2pm (AEST), and the live match panel starting at 3pm.
For those pay-TV users, the 24-hour AFL channel, Fox Footy (channel 504), will have all the action.
Their coverage kicks off at 2:30pm and runs through live and ad-free for the whole game.
There’s a bevvy of options for those stuck in traffic.
Live radio coverage and commentary will be broadcast on the following stations: Triple M, 3AW, SEN, ABC and ABC Grandstand.
Essendon Bombers
B: P. Ambrose, M. Hurley, B. Goddard
HB: M. Baguley, M. Brown, Z. Merrett
C: A. McGrath, J. Watson, D. Parish
HF: O. Fantasia, C. Hooker, T. Colyer
F: A. McDonald-Tipungwuti, J.Daniher, B. McNiece
R: M. Leuenberger, D. Zaharakis, D. Heppell
I/C: B. Stanton, A. Francis, J. Green, J. Kelly
EMG: J. Stewart, C. Bird, H. Hocking
Collingwood Magpies
B: J. Howe, H. Schade, T.Goldsack
HB: J. Ramsay, B. Reid, B. Maynard
C: S. Sidebottom, S. Pendlebury, D.Wells
HF: T. Varcoe, D. Moore, W.Hoskin-Elliott
F: A.Fasolo, M. Cox, J. Elliott
R: B. Grundy, A.Treloar, T. Adams
I/C: L.Greenwood, T. Phillips, J. Crisp, T. Broomhead
EMG: J. Smith, M. Scharenberg, J. Daicos
Who’s in your ultimate team? Pick the best team and compete with other fans for daily prizes on Draftstars. For the best odds on the game try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Think. Is this a bet you really want to place? Set a deposit limit.
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