Jamie Elliott bags five goals as the Pies claim Anzac Day honours over the Bombers

Early in the second half, Essendon dared to dream of a stunning Anzac Day upset. The optimism lasted just a few minutes.

Collingwood reigned supreme on the biggest occasion day of the home-and-away campaign, and they look as good as any team to be back at the MCG in five months’ time for the most important game of the season.

Billy Frampton of the Magpies spoils a mark against Essendon on Anzac Day.Credit: Getty Images

The Magpies overcame a plucky Bombers team to win by 41 points – 16.11 (107) to 10.6 (66) – in front of 92,044 fans, who braved teeming rain to see Fly’s Pies consolidate themselves at the top of both the ladder and premiership calculations.

This was a game the Pies had to win twice. A smashing beckoned early in the second term when the Pies’ lead blew out to 27 points only for Essendon to mount a surprising revival that took them briefly into the lead in the third quarter.

From the moment Isaac Kako put the Dons in front five minutes into the third term, the Pies slammed on 10 goals to three.

Veteran Steele Sidebottom claimed the medal for best afield with 15 clearances among his 36 disposals, though either of the Daicos brothers, Josh and Nick, and Jamie Elliott, the best forward on the field with five goals, would also have been worthy winners.

Ironman Jack Crisp earned himself an early finish and is set to break Jim Stynes’ record for most consecutive games next week when he plays his 245th match in a row.

The only concern for the Magpies is a left knee injury to key forward Dan McStay, who was subbed out of the game. It is the same knee in which McStay suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in the 2023 preliminary final.

The Bombers were game but ultimately outclassed, unable to match the Pies’ intensity and pressure at the contest, though it took until the final quarter for the Magpies to finally shake them off.

Zach Merrett was their best while youngster Zach Reid’s stocks continue to rise after a steely display in defence.

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Essendon, whatever their shortcomings, have found reserves of belief and pluck on Anzac Day in Brad Scott’s time, drawing a stunning game last year and getting overrun late in a ballistic 2023 match.

This game was viewed less optimistically than last year’s, not so much because of what the Bombers might produce, but due to Collingwood’s potent previous five games, among them an imposing defensive strangulation of the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba.

Nick Daicos leads the victorious Pies from the ground.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images

If you considered the names on paper – many premiership players, multiple Daicoses and seasoned pros on the Collingwood side compared to a much less experienced or capable Essendon – there was more cause to think the Magpies were capable of another demolition. There was one caveat – Anzac Day games have their own strange twists, and the underdog has a knack for rising and mounting an insurrection.

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Magpies coach Craig McRae spoke to the media after the game.

On the change in his side this year.

“The Bombers showed a lot of grit in front of 92,000 people,” he said. “There was a loss of territory and pouring rain. I don’t reckon this group … those games end up being a one-goal win in the past but we’ve shown we’ve got some gears at the moment which is exciting.

Nick Daicos of the Magpies.Credit: Getty Images

Do you have a similar style to 2023?

“No. We’ve evolved. I can’t tell you all of it but the opposition will know. There are subtleties. We’ve changed personnel. We showed the guys during the week how we have changed the way we defend the ground compared to last year. We want to reward those changes.

“There is a natural evolution for every team in how they are growing. You can’t be what you were, you can’t hang onto the past but you can use it. We are a different team.”

On Jamie Elliott’s game.

“We’ve got a system where most weeks we have 10-11 goalscorers. We don’t rely heavily on anyone and I can’t remember the last time we had someone kick five goals but we are really happy for Jamie.”

Bombers coach Brad Scott admits he has never felt as helpless as he did while the club’s coaching box communications were down during the third term.

The AFL allowed both sides to use mobile phones for communication between the bench and box due to the outages.

“It was pretty old school, you just got the mobile phones out,” Scott said post game.

“That is as helpless as I’ve felt in a quarter of footy. I couldn’t communicate with the bench.

“Every time I was going to go down to the bench, I was told it was coming back on, but then it went off again. But from what I hear, we weren’t the only ones.”

Bombers coach Brad Scott spoke to the media post game.

On the difference between the sides.

“Even before that, we were under pressure from the start of the game. It was almost like minimising the damage as costly errors in the back half hurt you, especially against Collingwood,” he said.

Sam Durham is tackled.Credit: Getty Images

“We had the ball and then they got it back in their front half.

“We got back into the game through some simple footy and then we started to overuse it.

“I don’t think there was any one moment or theme outside of what I have just said.”

Did this match accurately show the difference between the sides?

“I think it is accurate at the moment but there are still a lot of very good signs for us going forward.

“Zach Reid looked like one of the better players on the ground, Andy McGrath’s job on Bobby Hill, a Norm Smith medallist and really dangerous player in these conditions.

“There are a lot of good signs but I’d agree their class and their elder statesman were better – that’s the challenge of playing a really good team.

“On weight of numbers, they wore us down.”

The Magpies are confident Dan McStay has avoided damage to his anterior cruciate ligament and that he had hurt his medial collateral ligament in his left knee.

Scans over the weekend will reveal the extent of the injury though it’s likely the Pies will have to make do without McStay for at least the short-term future.

Here are how the votes played out for the Anzac Day Medal as Steele Sidebottom claimed his second medal with 12 votes.

Steele Sidebottom of the Magpies is tackled by Dylan Shiel of the Bombers.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images

Abbey Holmes (Channel Seven – chairperson)
3. Steele Sidebottom
2. Jamie Elliott
1. Josh Daicos

Nathan Buckley (Fox Footy)
3. Steele Sidebottom
2. Josh Daicos
1. Jamie Elliott

Chris Johnson (NIRS)
3. Steele Sidebottom
2. Jamie Elliott
1. Josh Daicos

Gavin Wanganeen (Australian Football Hall of Fame member)
3. Steele Sidebottom
2. Jamie Elliott
1. Josh Daicos

The teams for Sunday’s AFL games have been finalised.

The Blues will welcome back Harry McKay from concussion at the expense of Lewis Young.

Harry McKay after leaving the ground.Credit: Getty Images

They face the Cats, who have brought back Oisin Mullin and Jhye Clark. Oliver Wiltshire will also debut for Geelong.

Gryan Miers will miss through injury, as will Mitch Knevitt. Ted Clohesy has been dropped.

The Hawks and Eagles will close out the round on Sunday evening and there are some big names among the ins.

Jack Ginnivan is back for Hawthorn alongside Henry Hustwaite and Bailey Macdonald, while Oscar Allen leads the ins for the Eagles alongside Tom Cole and Noah Long. Eagles Tim Kelly (injury), Harry Edwards and Tom Gross are the outs.

Conor Nash will miss for Hawthorn after copping a four-match suspension earlier this week, while Luke Breust has been managed and Changkuoth Jiath has been dropped.

Collingwood’s advantage in experience – evident in the contributions of Sidebottom, Pendlebury, Crisp, and Elliott’s five goals – was always the biggest reason that Essendon were long odds to win this game.

The Dons were spirited, and, as ever, were well led by Zach Merrett, but they didn’t have the even spread of performers across the field and were beaten in the clearances, for forward-half turnovers (43 points to 19) and for territory overall.

Jamie Elliott celebrates a goal.Credit: Getty Images

The outcome was pretty much on budget for what these clubs have produced to date this year. Collingwood are strong again, and will be involved in another huge clash against the Cats in eight days.

Their major concern, though, is the knee injury to Daniel McStay.

We’re awaiting an update on the level and nature of McStay’s injury, with the Pies hopeful it is “only” a medial ligament sprain to his left knee.

Scott Pendlebury spoke with Fox Footy post game.

On how he and Steele Sidebottom continue to star despite being well into their 30s.

“I think sports science has come a long way from the guys who are now retired and I think you will see more guys playing well into their 30s moving forward,” he said.

“Me and Sidey are just trying to be parts of a cog that work really well for one another – our motto at Collingwood is side by side and that’s what we are trying to do.”

Scott Pendlebury of the Magpies and Ben Hobbs of the Bombers wrestle during the Anzac Day game.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images

On Nick Daicos captaining Collingwood.

“I just let him know that I was here for anything he needed by I let him do it himself as he’s a natural leader.

“He played amazing, he plays amazing whether he has that title or not but it was special watching him lead the boys out today.”

On Dan McStay’s knee injury.

“I saw him go down and fingers crossed that it is only short-term.”