AFL Round 17 Collingwood v Essendon: All the news and analysis as Bombers stamp top-four credentials
Before the round, Essendon had not beaten a team currently in the top eight. But that all changed on Friday night, as Brad Scott orchestrated a Bombers statement win over Collingwood.
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This was the sizeable scalp Essendon needed to win the respect of the footy world, but importantly it might also be the one that fuels the inner belief that it belongs in the AFL’s top echelon.
On a night when president David Barham was quizzed on radio pre-game about whether we were about to see another red and black finals false dawn, the club answered its critics in the best possible fashion by dismantling reigning premiers Collingwood in a devastating burst.
Don’t be fooled by the 12-point margin; this was a systematic victory that had Essendon hearts pulsing again after a disappointing performance against Geelong last week.
It was the first time this season Brad Scott’s team had beaten one of the current top eight sides after five other attempts had ended in four losses and an Anzac Day draw.
This victory had some substance to it, and it also delivered a serious if not damaging blow to the Magpies’ top four aspirations.
In Friday night’s win over the Magpies, the club that hasn’t won a final in 20 years made a clear statement of intent in front of 81,711 fans and in the process settled a few selection issues.
Let’s start with these.
Teenager forward Nate Caddy is a selection lock.
He was managed – as the emergency carryover player – for last week’s clash with Geelong with Scott instead opting for the dual pronged ruck attack of Sam Draper and Todd Goldstein.
Caddy’s presence in attack in his third game on Friday night showed he is going to be some sort of player. He only kicked one goal - and three behinds - but he was the sort of attacking force that the Bombers have been crying out for.
His teammates looked for him more than any other player in the first half and he gave them a true focal point.
His performance and a dominant display in the ruck from Draper isn’t good news for 36-year-old Goldstein, who was managed for this game.
Scott admitted even before Friday night’s game that the veteran might be managed for much of the season, given his age and where he is at in hushed career, but the Draper-Peter Wright combination allowed Caddy to give plenty to the forward line before being subbed out late in the game.
Draper was outstanding and performed well against Darcy Cameron, and likely locked in his spot as the first choice ruckman so long as his body hold up.
He’s playing with that old aggression back again, which makes him hard to play against.
Essendon’s generation next midfield is well and truly back in form after a poor effort against the Cats last week.
As good as Zach Merrett (30 disposals) was through the middle of the ground, the blunt-edged force of Sam Durham and Jye Caldwell (who is about to sign a new deal) proved so critical in a midfield that lifted after being beaten in the first term to close out the clear winners.
Dylan Shiel showed some promise in his first full game this season - after being the sub in an earlier clash - and he could be an asset as the Bombers push towards the back end of a season that shows plenty of promise. He had 26 disposals and eight tackles, bringing a different feel to the field.
Nick Daicos was doing Nick Daicos things, but the Bombers managed to do their best in their quelling the rest of the Magpies midseason after a three-goal Jack Crisp opening term.
The Magpies dominated proceedings in that first term, with Crisp actually leading the Bombers in the scoreboard.
But a goal from Jake Stringer after the quarter time siren breathed new life into the Bombers.
From there, Essendon held away for the rest of the game – even when the Magpies started their traditional fight back – to set up a big clash with Melbourne.
The Magpies back up next Friday against Geelong, without key forward Brody Mihocek, who coach Craig McRae confirmed post-match will have surgery on a pectoral injury and likely miss the rest of the season.
Match report: Dons find their perfect mix
– Ed Bourke
No more “horses for courses” – Essendon coach Brad Scott found his perfect mix of talls as the Bombers stormed past Collingwood on Friday night.
Third-gamer Nate Caddy secured his place in the Bombers’ forward line as he and Sam Draper sparked an impressive turnaround from four goals down to complete a 12-point victory.
Essendon’s defence looked all at sea as Jack Crisp ran riot for three consecutive first-term goals, but the Bombers steadied and then broke away to emphatically quell doubts over their legitimacy as finals contenders.
After Scott put his leaders on blast following a second-half meltdown against Geelong, captain Zach Merrett could not have responded more fervently as he seized control of the midfield battle with 30 disposals and a massive 15 score involvements.
But the Bombers kept possession and kept their cool in the final minute as a sea of red and black scarves waved in the MCG stands.
Collingwood’s wretched run with injury reared its head again as Brody Mihocek appeared to dislocate a shoulder during time-on in the final term.
After he’d already looked off-colour with just one goal from six disposals, the Magpies spearhead tried to play on for several minutes before he came from the field.
Dylan Shiel made the most of his recall to Essendon’s starting 22 with 19 disposals and five clearances in a huge second half.
ONE CRISP QUARTER
Nearly 10 years since he last bagged three goals in a game, Jack Crisp had a hat-trick in only two minutes on Friday night thanks to a roving masterclass which left the Bombers reeling midway through the first term.
Crisp sharked a Sam Draper handball to snap the Magpies’ second goal of the game off his non-preferred boot before a deft tap from Nick Daicos to Pendlebury at the next centre bounce allowed him to burst out the front of the stoppage for a brilliant long goal.
Crucially, Crisp didn’t come from the ground after either major, and was still in position to swallow up a Peter Wright hit-out and snap off his preferred left from the pocket to have his third before the Bombers could blink.
HOW WAS HE DROPPED?
It’s unlikely Essendon’s VFL side will see Nate Caddy for a while.
After a week on the sidelines for Todd Goldstein, Caddy was crucial to the Bombers’ second-half resurrection and excited fans as he leapt confidently for the ball and used it smartly going inside 50.
He only had 1.2 to halftime but it came with six score involvements and a number of headaches for Collingwood defenders already desperate to keep Jake Stringer and Kyle Langford under lock and key.
DURHAM FIGHTS BACK
Sam Durham had Nick Daicos under wraps in the first 20 minutes but as the Bombers tried to increase the speed of their ball movement in the second term, Daicos racked up 14 disposals.
It was another show of Durham’s impressive maturity that the 22-year-old got back on top of the Brownlow Medal fancy after halftime and got his own offensive game going as well.
He relentlessly drove the Bombers forward with eight kicks and set up a crucial goal to Kyle Langford with a clean pick up and spearing forward entry running through the middle.
Scoreboard
MAGPIES 5.2, 8.4, 8.7, 12.8 (80)
BOMBERS 2.5, 6.8, 10.12, 13.14 (92)
ED BOURKE’S BEST Magpies: Sidebottom, Crisp, N Daicos, Pendlebury, Moore, De Goey. Bombers: Merrett, Durham, Draper, Caldwell, Shiel, McKay.
GOALS Magpies: Crisp 3, Howe 2, Harrison 2, Kruger 2, Pendlebury, Schultz, Mihocek. Bombers: Langford 2, Wright 2, Merrett, Stringer, Caddy, Jones, Gresham, Draper, Duursma, Guelfi, Caldwell.
UMPIRES Broadbent, Fleer, Foot, Stevic
INJURIES Magpies: Mihocek (pectoral). Bombers: nil.
CROWD 81,711 at the MCG
BOURKE’S VOTES
3. Zach Merrett (Ess)
2. Steele Sidebottom (Coll)
1. Sam Durham (Ess)
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