For all the pomp and circumstance that surrounds the now-traditional Anzac Day clash at the MCG, there has been one thing conspicuously lacking over the years: Essendon and Collingwood both being properly good.
The Magpies finished the 1990s meekly; the Bombers haven’t made it past week one of the finals since 2004. The quality of the match as a spectacle has seldom suffered, but not since 2002 has one of these games felt as significant as 2024’s edition.
This was a cracking game of football by anyone’s measure; there were rapid momentum swings, statement moments from star players, more than one scintillating comeback, and of course a thrilling, dramatic finish. And bringing it all together was a delightful contrast in styles from the Bombers and Pies, both of whom came to footy’s Mecca with a plan of action and executed it superbly whenever they were given the chance.
The Bombers have taken great strides in 2024 in improving their stoppage work – having ranked dead last for clearances in 2023 and second-last in 2022, change was required both in structure and personnel over the summer, and it has borne fruit.
Jake Stringer, a sporadic attendant at centre bounces, was lethal whenever he went in there, finishing with a whopping eight clearances, three from the centre. Usual suspects Zach Merrett and Darcy Parish (six and five apiece) were their usual prolific selves, but it is Stringer’s devastating burst of speed that is the Bombers’ prime stoppage weapon.
Over the last two years, that attacking trait would have been nullified by their frailty going the other way, but Sam Durham’s transition to full time inside mid alongside Jye Caldwell, plus the move of Merrett and Parish to be far more defensively minded than they used to be, has sorted that out.
Caldwell and Durham are first and third respectively at the Bombers for tackles in 2024, with Merrett second: they have given the Dons a steel without the ball around stoppages they never had before, allowing them the best of both worlds – Stringer’s speed and Merrett’s class moving forward, and constant pressure going the other way.
At no point under Brad Scott has that been more obvious, and more successful, than Anzac Day: a whopping 40-23 advantage in clearances, and 19-8 from the centre, and a 135-113 edge in contested ball are numbers that we haven’t seen from the Bombers since Jobe Watson was in his pomp. They are numbers that don’t often leave a team without four premiership points.
They were dangerous with them, too: 43 of the Bombers’ 85 points were sourced from stoppages, compared to nine for the Magpies, and only inaccurate kicking in the second half after drilling every chance that came their way to quarter time prevented that margin from being wider.
The Dons did something similar to Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs in two terrific wins in the past fortnight. It’s sustainable, it’s powerful, and best of all, it’s a style that, unlike previous Bombers methods, has been proven to work in the pressure cooker of finals.
The next step for the Bombers is to try and match that stoppage potency with pressure inside 50 to lock the ball in and allow ball-ups and throw-ins near goal: just two tackles inside 50 across the match tells of their ‘score or bust’ approach to venturing forward.
With Jade Gresham used in recent weeks as a link-up interceptor roaming from half-forward to the wings, and Alwyn Davey still young and learning, it’s one of the few things the Bombers now conspicuously lack – and while the overhead marking of Peter Wright, Kyle Langford, Harrison Jones and Stringer makes for menace aplenty and Sam Draper and Todd Goldstein’s team ruckwork has proved a strategic winner of late, there is a discussion to be had about whether the strengths of such a tall forward line outweigh its weaknesses when the ball hits the ground.
As for the Magpies, this was a game unlike their win over Port Adelaide last week, in that it was built on their strengths of 2023: furious pressure, slingshot ball movement from half-back, and a spread of goalkicking options inside 50 – even if they had to come from a similar disadvantage after being blown apart in the early stages.
The Pies didn’t dominate at the coalface like against the Power, but this looked more definitively like the reigning premiers at their best – once the ball went inside 50, it stayed there for long periods, with frenetic tackling and well-placed interceptors just outside the arc leaving the Bombers penned in.
The Pies had almost as big an advantage in scores from forward half intercepts as the Bombers did from stoppages, kicking 35 points to 15 and having 24 of these intercepts to 16.
It’s where the Magpies play their best footy: freewheeling from half-back with precise kicks to targets on the move, then giving a small forward line the chance to run their opponents ragged with repeat leads, Bobby Hill the quickest of all.
It’s no coincidence that Nick Daicos had his best and most impactful game of the season to date: with the ball in perpetual motion when the Pies got it, his speed, repeat efforts and smart ball use in heavy traffic was a major asset.
As was Brody Mihocek, the best forward on the ground who may have cost himself a serious chance at an Anzac Medal if not for some wayward kicking in the last term. An unconventional key tall, he’s as dangerous at ground level as any big forward in the game, with his follow-up pressure, forward craft and work in space belying his size.
It was between these two contrasts where this classic match ebbed and flowed: in the first quarter, and especially in the first ten minutes, the Bombers dominated, winning clearances 5-1 and disposals 25-4 by the time they’d rammed on their fourth goal to zip, and the Pies racking up a pressure factor of 213 to 172 in the second term on their way to clawing back to almost parity despite continuing to be belted at the coalface.
All up, the solace for both teams coming out of a draw that either could easily have deservedly won is that they are legitimate contenders both, with strengths that will hold them in good stead in their bid for finals.
And for us neutral supporters, this was the sweetest plum of all: an Anzac Day match more than worthy of its blockbuster billing, staged between two combatants that are every chance of doing something special for the rest of 2024.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Bombers should have iced that match with langford at end but they are doing very well give or take set shot kicking at goal being pretty poor lately but still winning
Pierro
Roar Rookie
don't worry charlie you didnt jinx it but respect is always important especially when going interstate as away matches are tough. So far what I wrote above is holding up. Guelfi huge return. Perkins back helps. Just need ridley and reid to come back in down back to free cox up wing, push martin forward off half back more . The draper injury is not good as goldstein and heppell are at the age where they need some rotations for a match every so often
JamesH
Roar Guru
I had my doubts, but it looks like his confidence is returning. If he can keep stringing games together I think he can still become a tough matchup on the wing.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Sure did Chris. Great game to witness
nostats
Roar Rookie
seen sullivan for first time on tv a couple of weeks ago against blues vfl. he looked afl level from first minute really liked what he showed,really hunts the ball and his field kicking was great in that game.thought he may have been a late in yesterday but not to be look forward to seeing him soon
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
He is improving though it’s been slow and steady. The big KPI I want him to improve is disposal efficiency and probably contested marking
Greg
Roar Rookie
I know coaches, at least publicly, like to put a positive outlooking on close games; however to see experienced players kicking and hand-balling so poorly under pressure, must anger them. Essendon played very well, Collingwood should have done better.
Cinderella's Big Score
Roar Rookie
DonFreo and I are going to be taking it on the road any day now. The new Abbott and Costello. :stoked:
Cinderella's Big Score
Roar Rookie
I agree with all that. Lachie Sullivan appears to have replaced Finn Macrae in the pecking order as the back-up inside mid. Might be a bit hard on Macrae as he only had one bad game, but Sullivan would be worth looking at and will probably get an opportunity some time during the season.
Tufanooo
Roar Rookie
Not sure 85-85 is a high scoring free flowing affair. There was one point scored in the final 15 minutes of play.
Valentino
Roar Rookie
You velly funny man :-D
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Yeah, I'm asking the question. He looked like being a next-gen star until his big injury break. Will he get back to that?
JamesH
Roar Guru
On the contrary, Don, I think he's done some pretty good things in recent weeks. He still commits the odd howler that has us with heads in hands, which obviously sticks in the mind, but he's been far more physical and his pressure acts are right up. He won a defensive 1-on-2 contest late last week against the Crows that saved the game.
Chris Lewis
Roar Guru
Peter, did u go? one of the great home and away clashes.
Chris Lewis
Roar Guru
yes, with a full side we may do very well. all teams need luck with injuries.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Bombers are coming for sure. Pies have a few issues. Darcy Cameron having a great season, Moore had his best game yesterday but a few players are down. The biggest include Jack Crisp, Jeremy Howe and Steele Sidebottom. Bombers smashed us in the centre and this remains an issue. Fly defended Steele as playing a role that’s not necessarily rewarded. Not sure what but he was back a lot. Wing spots needs to be heavily involved in chains. Steele such a smart player maybe he should be more forward again.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Will Nic Cox get there? He hasn't pressed any buttons since he's been back.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
I was going to qualify that. Tabs has been relegated to depth. If he could get his back right he'd be good for lots of clubs but Freo now has a big 3 there for the next decade with Voss and future draftees for depth. Hughes is good for clubs that need some good, steady footballers but are at their limit. He'd be good for clubs at the bottom for the last 5 years of his career; Richmond, Hawthorn... Brodie just needs to be set free to play AFL because he's very good. He'd be welcome back as soon as we change coaches because it looks like he's never getting a game under JLo. Mind you, he can't fit into our midfield.
junk
Roar Rookie
The team that failed to win against you was Collingwood. The same team that was also beaten by the orange Tsunami, the Loins, Saints and almost beaten by Hawthorn. If you can win against Giants, Cats and Blues then you can be insufferable.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Nah we played the reigning premiers missing our best defender, a first string forward midfielder and our best defensive forward