Australian Rules Football: Collingwood Give Essendon Anzac Day Trouncing

Collingwood has thrashed Essendon by 73 points in their traditional Anzac Day clash at the MCG.

In front of 89,000 fans, the blockbuster game lived up to its name in the first quarter, as both teams played attacking football, kicking five goals each. Essendon's first two goals were lucky, with Jason Laycock the beneficiary of a dubious free kick in front of goal, and then Matthew Lloyd's shot seemingly grazing the post but going un-noticed by the goal umpire.

The game was more of a stalemate in the second, and halfway through the Bombers had a 6 point lead, and then the Magpies turned the game on its head, kicking six unanswered goals to finish the quarter, and led by 31 points at half-time.

The trend continued into the second half, Essendon had no answers for Paul Medhurst, and he took a hanger in the goal square and had five goals by three-quarter time. The Bombers had added just two goals since quarter time, and at the last change the Magpies were in total control, leading by 53 points.

There was only two questions going into the last quarter: How much were Collingwood going to win by, and who would get the Anzac Day medal for best player on the ground. With Collingwood letting the foot off the gas a little, Essendon managed five goals in the last quarter, but it was too little too late. Paul Medhurst kicked a miraculous goal from the boundary line, which was his sixth, and Travis Cloke loomed large in the last quarter, taking several strong contested marks, and kicking three goals.

Scott Pendlebury finished the game with 33 silky-smooth possessions, while Jobe Watson was solid for the Bombers. Matthew Lloyd was the only multiple goalscorer for Essendon, finishing with three.

Paul Medhurst, in his first Anzac Day game, was awarded the Anzac Day medal for his 17 possessions and 6 goals, and his overall dominance in the game.

The win snapped Collingwood's two game losing streak, and they are now 3-3, while Essendon have now lost three on the trot, and slumped to a 2-4 record on the season.

Collingwood - 5.3.33  11.7.73  15.12.102  23.16.154 
Essendon     - 5.2.32    6.6.42       7.7.49      12.9.81

Goals:                                                          
Collingwood- Medhurst 6, Cloke 5, Davis, Lockyer 3, Wood, Goldsack, Johnson, Swan, Didak, Thomas.                                                                             
Essendon- Lloyd 3, Dyson, Johns, Stanton, Laycock, Fletcher, Riemers, Welsh, Michael, Nash.

Best:          
Collingwood- Pendlebury, Medhurst, Cloke, Davis, Johnson, R. Shaw, H.Shaw
Essendon - Watson, Stanton, Dyson.

Crowd: 88,999 at the MCG.