Mick Malthouse looks at the young guns under 23 at Collingwood and Essendon

On one side is Ridley, Zerk-Thatcher, Cox, Perkins and Jones. On the other is Daicos x 2, Quaynor, Lipinski and Ginnivan. Who are you taking?

In 1990, there was a grand final played in which the mercurial Peter Daicos and Paul Salmon each kicked two goals, and Tony Shaw and Terry Daniher finished in the best.

Collingwood won the premiership decider by 48 points.

There is a striking resemblance between the Magpies and Bombers of 2022 and the two clubs of 32 years ago.

Both sides have an incredible list of tremendously skilful youngsters (23 years and under). But as talented as both sides are in youth, it is quite remarkable how different the teams look.

It is almost a mirror copy of the grand final teams of 1990 with the Collingwood mosquito squad and the Essendon big brigade. Like then, the significant difference between the teams is the type of player selected in recent drafts.

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Collingwood’s crop of young talent is led by the Daicos brothers, Josh, left, and Nick. Picture: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos

Collingwood has more players under 23 that are of value than Essendon. Ground-covering players with pace and beautiful movement, compared to the Bombers’ picks with height and mobility.

The likes of Josh (178cm) and Nick Daicos (184cm), Finlay Macrae (188cm), Beau McCreery (186cm), Isaac Quaynor (180cm), Patrick Lipinski (190cm) and Jack Ginnivan (185cm and a typically-cheeky Magpie half-forward to antagonise the opposition) are all medium-height, highly-skilled, fearless, quick, and can run all day.

I dislike putting too much pressure on young players, but Nick Daicos is an absolute shoo-in for the Rising Star, and don’t be surprised if he also polls well in the Brownlow Medal. He certainly has the potential to top the Copeland Trophy count.

The Magpies have unknown potential in injured Nathan Kreuger as a 196cm key forward, Oli Henry (189cm) as a floating third tall at either end of the ground, and Nathan Murphy (192cm) as a third tall on the backline, but other than that it appears the Pies have set out to recruit players who cover the ground and deliver the football with precision.

In the same age-bracket at Essendon is outstanding key back Jordan Ridley (195cm), Brandon Zerk-Thatcher (195cm), who can hold down a key position in the backline, ruckman Sam Draper (205cm) and players like Nick Cox (200cm), Archie Perkins (188cm) and Harrison Jones (196cm).

Clearly the Bombers have thought about height and strength in draft selections, very much like Roger Merrett, Justin Madden, Paul Vander Haar and Salmon of Essendon’s yesteryear.

Throw in Jye Caldwell (183cm), Ben Hobbs (183cm) and Brayden Ham (182cm)

and Essendon has some exciting medium-sized players, too, but nowhere near the number that Collingwood can boast.

Sam Draper celebrates his headline-grabbing goal last week. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

There is an argument that you need both good ground-coverage players and mobile talls to win the big games.

The two top teams — Geelong and Melbourne — have both in abundance, so if they are the benchmark, then going forward the Bombers need to address their run and midfield coverage, and the Magpies need to look at a shortage of talls.

But, remember, I’m just looking at the youth of each team today. Both clubs have a good sprinkling of players of all sizes and experience overall.

It is quite interesting to think that Collingwood may shop Brodie Grundy around. He is the best ruckman in the team. Yes, Darcy Cameron — a year younger and similar height to Grundy – is in good form, and both of these players are far better than 31-year-old Mason Cox, but for the Pies to go all the way this year or in the next five years, the combination of Grundy and Cameron could see them dominate, or at least match it with the best.

If Collingwood loses Jordan De Goey it could leave it with the capacity to further bolster its youth brigade for a genuine shot at the cup — on top of this year — by consolidating its already growing list of exciting youngsters.

Essendon can only rue its indifferent start to the season, playing a game that was bogged down in slow movement and a lack of interest in tackling and run. It is in direct contrast to how it’s playing now, with four wins from its past five games to show for it.

I picked the Bombers to win the premiership before the season started because I thought with natural growth on the back of last season’s improvement, and a bit of run and dare, they might just be the team to beat.

The Bombers can still do some damage, but a wasted year is a wasted year, you don’t get it back. What a pity.

Jack Ginnivan has been a revelation for Collingwood this year. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

First-year Essendon Ben Hobbs has also impressed in 2022. Picture: Graham Denholm/AFL Photos

Collingwood has made the absolute most of its potential and Craig McRae has given the team an outstanding belief that it can win any game from any position. It may last, it may not, but it’s certainly given the Magpie Army hopes of holding a finals ticket this September.

The teams on Sunday, while miles apart on the ladder, present an evenness that does not represent their overall year. The Pies, with eight straight wins, have averaged 86 points for and 72 against in the past five weeks, while Essendon has averaged 100 points for and 80 against.

They have both accounted for Gold Coast and St Kilda, and Collingwood took a big scalp in its 26-point win over Melbourne. Essendon has defeated the Brisbane Lions and Sydney among teams in the top eight.

Who will prevail this time? I think it’s heavily weighted in the Magpies’ favour.

It is hard to win a lot of games in a row, so at some stage the Pies will have a downer, but the magnitude of today’s crowd won’t let them think about anything else other than victory.

Sunday’s game is definitely a snapshot of what is to come in the next few years for these two clubs.

There’s been no love gained between the opposing supporters in the last 32 years, but today the Magpie Army and the Bombers’ supporters have equal hope for the future.