AFL 2024: Relive updates, SuperCoach scores for Collingwood v Essendon
Essendon will finish the round inside the top four after captain Zach Merrett willed his side over the line against reigning premier Collingwood. Relive the action and see our takeaways here.
SuperCoach
Don't miss out on the headlines from SuperCoach. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Essendon will finish the round inside the top four.
It knocked off reigning premier Collingwood to silence the critics demanding a scalp during the week.
The Bombers were under siege in the first quarter, but — led by superstar skipper Zach Merrett — they fought out a clinical victory.
Relive updates and SuperCoach analysis below.
THE TAKEAWAYS
MERRETT FEASTS ON THE MAGPIES
Zach Merrett made a mess of Collingwood tonight.
He did as he pleased in attack and held the Magpies’ midfielders accountable on the defensive end.
Merrett finished with 30 disposals and a goal for a return of 147 SuperCoach points.
Every second one of Merrett’s disposals were score involvements.
The Bombers’ skipper put in a selection of efforts chasing down Nick Daicos during the last quarter, which put direct pressure on the Pies’ star.
Brad Scott said he “can’t think of a better pressure midfielder in the game” than Merrett after Essendon’s loss to Carlton a month ago and his words look pretty accurate after tonight.
SHIEL SHINES IN RETURN
Dylan Shiel has made a fine return for the Bombers.
The left-footer has come back the long way, appearing for Essendon’s VFL side on his way back from injury.
But he delivered in spades tonight, with 26 disposals and eight tackles.
Despite the 124 SuperCoach-point return, Shiel still fell short of is insanely high break even of 148.
CRISP LIGHTS UP THE FIRST
Jack Crisp finished with a SuperCoach century but it was a quick plateau from his sizzling first term.
Crisp kicked three goals in the space of three minutes during Collingwood’s red-hot first stanza.
He rocketed to 64 SuperCoach points in 30 minutes of footy but he was then smothered out of the match to finish with 106.
Crisp’s slow end to the game meant he fell short of his 119-point break even.
10:19: FT — ESSENDON WIN
Essendon ... the contender.
The Bombers have taken a scalp the size of the reigning premier, holding off Collingwood by 12 points.
It was led by Zach Merrett who simply willed his side to victory with a stunning performance.
Merrett collected 147 SuperCoach points in a flawless display.
The win has the Bombers third as of tonight and certain to finish in the top four regardless of what happens over the course of the round.
10:11: THEY’RE HOME
Essendon hasn’t added to its lead since Collingwood’s last but it has burnt minutes off the clock.
There’s now just three minutes remaining with the Magpies needing four goals to win the game.
The Bombers have been clinical tonight and deserve to leave with the four points.
10:05: KREUGER KICKS PIES BACK WITHIN 19
Nathan Kreuger has put Collingwood back into this match but it’s come at a cost.
The defender kicked a dazzling running goal but Brody Mihocek has injured his shoulder blocking it through on the line.
Mihocek went straight into the rooms not being able to move his right arm.
Channel 7 commentator Brian Taylor suggested it could be a torn pec for Mihocek.
The equation: 19 points, seven minutes.
10:02: 10-MINUTE WARNING
Collingwood kicked the last and is pressing again.
Essendon still leads by 25 points and is showing no signs of slowing down.
Zach Merrett has 143 SuperCoach points while Jye Caldwell has 130.
9:57: DONS MATCH IT
Essendon matched Collingwood’s first goal in over a quarter of football with an immediate response.
Magpies’ livewire Harvey Harrison kicked his side’s first goal since the second term to trim the margin back to 25 but the Dons — through Peter Wright — matched it right away.
The Dons are back out by 31 points with 12 minutes left in the last.
9:48: CALDWELL CLOSES
Is this now too far for even Collingwood?
Jye Caldwell has kicked Essendon’s sixth in a row and it now leads by 29 points.
The Bombers have raced to a game-high lead just two minutes into the term.
Caldwell has 118 SuperCoach points.
Reckon Jye Calwell liked that one 😅#AFLPiesDonspic.twitter.com/ACR5QGx9Mm
— AFL (@AFL) July 5, 2024
9:45: CRISP DROP COSTLY
Jack Crisp has dropped a costly mark which has led to Essendon extending its lead.
Crisp was hit with a short kick in the Pies’ back 30 but he dropped it and it landed in Matt Guelfi’s hands who then kicked the goal.
The Pies trail by 23 and the Bombers aren’t done yet.
9:39: 3QT — ESSENDON HOLD LEAD
The comeback kings will need to do it again.
Collingwood trails Essendon by 17 points at the final change after the Bombers kicked four unanswered third-quarter goals.
The Bombers — led by Zach Merrett — have three players already over the SuperCoach ton while the Pies have just Scott Pendlebury in three figures.
Essendon still has its sub Nick Hind up its sleeve.
9:32: SUB ACTIVATED
Collingwood substitute Ned Long has been activated into the game.
The former Hawk has come into the game at the expense of Charlie Dean.
9:31: THE ARROW EXTENDS
Xavier Duursma has extended Essendon’s lead to 13 late in the third quarter.
The Bombers have kicked three unanswered this quarter as a reward for a dominant quarter.
The ball was kicked to him by Zach Merrett who has an insane 13 score involvements already.
9:27: QUIET NICK
Nick Daicos has gone cold this quarter after an electric second term.
Daicos has just one kick in this third term, as the Pies have lost control of the lead.
He was amazing in the second quarter, grabbing 14 disposals.
The Pies — and SuperCoaches across the country — need him to lift.
9:18: BOMBERS HIT THE FRONT
Peter Wright has kicked the Bombers in front.
Essendon was put to the sword in the first quarter but it has clawed back.
This is the Bombers’ chance to stake their claim as a top-four side.
Essendon has had 18 of the past 24 entries inside 50.
9:12: DRAPER TIES IT UP
It’s deja vu!
Sam Draper has tied up the scores with the first goal of the term.
It’s been a relatively dull third quarter with just one goal so far.
Draper got in the right position, won a free kick for high contact and kicked truly.
Zach Merrett is closing in on a SuperCoach ton with 93 points.
9:06: THANKS, COACHES
Brad Scott and Craig McRae have given the footy fans what they want.
Nick Daicos and Zach Merrett have started on each other in the middle and alongside them is Jordan De Goey and Jake Stringer side by side.
If those match-ups are a foreshadow of the second half, we’re in for a treat!
8:48: HT — IT’S MERRETT’S WORLD
Essendon superstar Zach Merrett has dragged his side back into Friday’s blockbuster with Collingwood.
Merrett has 20 disposals and 10 score involvements to half time.
Jack Crisp is still riding his three-goal first quarter while Nick Daicos and Scott Pendlebury got off the chain that quarter.
The only thing holding Daicos back from a huge score at the main break is his disposal efficiency.
8:44: DAICOS IS BECOMING A PROBLEM FOR DONS
Nick Daicos has had 12 disposals this quarter and is well and truly off the chain.
He hasn’t hurt the Dons with his disposals just yet but he’s getting his hands on the footy with ease.
Daicos has 51 SuperCoach points.
8:34: BOMBERS BACK IN IT
And just like that, Essendon is back within a kick.
The Bombers have piled on four goals to two this term to cut the margin back to two points.
Zach Merrett, Scott Pendlebury, Jack Crisp and Jye Caldwell are stuffing the SuperCoach stat sheet.
8:28: CADDY LIFTS DONS
Nate Caddy has brought Essendon back within eight points with a sensational mark and goal.
His strong hands were the final product in a clean chain from the Bombers, which started at half back.
Zach Merrett, who has a game-high 71 SuperCoach points, was involved in the chain ... he’s been involved in everything!
8:24: A MAGPIE MUCK UP
Collingwood has given up the easiest of goals.
Kyle Langford took a mark on a sharp angle and instead of guarding the mark, the Pies’ backline covered the corridor.
Langford cleverly just ran into an open goal and kicked his first.
8:22: AMAZING MERRETT
Zach Merrett just continues to deliver.
The Essendon superstar is chasing down the fast-starting Jack Crisp for SuperCoach points with a another terrific quarter.
He’s already up to 14 disposals and seven scores involvements for a return of 60 SuperCoach points.
The Bombers are in this game, but it’s hard to think where they’d be if they didn’t have their captain so far tonight.
8:10: QT —LATE GOAL BOOSTS BOMBERS
A late goal from Essendon's Jake Stringer has stemmed the bleeding on what was an electrifying quarter from Collingwood.
Jack Crisp kicked three goals in short time while Steele Sidebottom and Scott Pendlebury brought their own footy.
A shining light, and the reason for Essendon’s two goals, was Zach Merrett.
Merrett, 54 SuperCoach points, was outshun by only Crisp who accumulated a mesmerising 64.
8:03: PIES HAVE ANOTHER
Essendon is in desperate need of quarter time as Collingwood has rushed out to a four-goal lead.
Jack Crisp and Steele Sidebottom are running amok and the Bombers’ back six is under siege.
Harvey Harrison has made amends for his earlier miss with the Pies’ fifth goal on the trot.
8:01: HOT PIES
Collingwood has kicked four goals in a row and has all the ascendency against Essendon.
If it wasn’t for some gettable misses from Harvey Harrison and Joe Richards, the Pies would be up by even more.
7:52: CRISP!
Jack Crisp has kicked Collingwood in front with three goals in about a minute.
His first came from a clever snap at a stoppage, his second came bursting out of the next centre bounce and his third a moment later at another forward 50 stoppage.
He’s on fire with 51 SuperCoach points just halfway through the first quarter.
Jack Crisp is on fire at the G with THREE first quarter goals 🔥
— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) July 5, 2024
📺 Watch #AFLPiesBombers LIVE on ch. 504 or stream on Kayo: https://t.co/LvWuhlCTke
âœï¸ BLOG https://t.co/i9aVtIiaas
🔢 MATCH CENTRE https://t.co/0lUhCoKtsrpic.twitter.com/6IpYJ9JCdr
7:42: MERRETT KICKS TRULY
Essendon star Zach Merrett has started this game hot.
The Bombers’ skipper worked hard to get a mark inside 50 and after looking to pass, he kicked his 11th goal of the season.
7:40: HOWE GOES FORWARD, QUAYNOR TO THE WING
Collingwood has moved some magnets before the first bounce.
Jeremy Howe has started forward while defender Isaac Quaynor has started on the wing.
6:59: HE MOVES, WE WIN
Essendon coach Brad Scott says the Bombers will lower their expectations for what is a successful tag on Nick Daicos.
Scott conceded to Fox Footy pre-game that Daicos is going to get the ball and while his strength is his versatility, the Bombers will be pleased with the star Magpie being forced from his preferred position.
“One of the challenges with Daicos, he’s such a great player in all parts of the ground ... we’ll have multiple options for him regardless of where he plays,” Scott said.
“One of our goals to get him to move around ... it’s a matter of where he gets it and how he gets it.”
6:53: DE GOEY IN THE MIDDLE, BUT WHAT ABOUT NICK?
Jordan De Goey will start in the midfield tonight but his minutes will be determined by how Essendon negate Nick Daicos.
Speaking to Fox Footy pre-game, Collingwood coach Craig McRae said De Goey would start in the middle of the ground but hinted it could change depending on the tag the Bombers send to Daicos.
Jon Ralph revealed earlier that the Bombers will “100 per cent tag Nick Daicos” and said it would be a dual role between Sam Durham and Jye Caldwell.
Ned Long is the sub. Daicos seemed to get through his fitness test but will be a watch until game time according to the Pies https://t.co/abouiQ7JqO
— Jon Ralph (@RalphyHeraldSun) July 5, 2024
6:42: FINAL TEAMS, DAICOS PASSES TEST
Josh Daicos has sent a scare through the Collingwood camp by undergoing a fitness test at the 11th hour ahead of Friday night.
He was monitoring a calf but made it through with the all clear from the Magpies’ medical staff.
Ned Long will be the Magpies’ sub while Nick Hind will be the Bombers’ sub.
Daicos will remain a watch for the match despite making it through his test unscathed.
Originally published as AFL 2024: Relive updates, SuperCoach scores for Collingwood v Essendon
Last resort: How SuperCoach experts are using final trades
Seven SuperCoach experts reveal their trades – including two who are prepared to go down to zero trades to deal with a series of round 18 emergencies. See all our experts’ moves here.
SuperCoach formguide: Bargain Cat could solve injury crisis
Get the latest teams whispers plus captain advice, Champion Data intel and the bargain basement Cat who could be worth his weight in SuperCoach gold.