Essendon and Collingwood first played each other on ANZAC Day in 1995 in front of 94,824 people at the MCG, and began what has become one of the great sporting traditions in Australia, fuelled by the spirit and emotion of ANZAC Day.
The 1995 match ended in a draw and will go down as one of the most famous home-and-away games in AFL history. Highlights from the 1995 ANZAC Day draw.
The ANZAC Medal, awarded to the player from each game who best exemplifies the ANZAC spirit - skill, courage, self-sacrifice, teamwork and fair play, was struck in 2000.
The AFL, the two clubs as well as the Herald Sun and Channel 10 collaborated to award medals for the first five ANZAC Day matches the sides contested, and a three-person panel was appointed to vote for each game.
The retrospective ANZAC Medals are recognised as official awards by the AFL. Recipients will be presented with their medals at next Monday's ANZAC Day match at the MCG.
The voting system is consistent with the way the medal is currently voted for.
The 2011 match will be the 17th annual ANZAC Day meeting between the Magpies and Bombers, with the Magpies holding a narrow 8-7 head-to-head advantage, with one draw.
Collingwood-Essendon ANZAC Day results and ANZAC Medal winners
1995 - Collingwood 17.9 111 drew with Essendon 16.15 111 (94,825)
ANZAC Medallist: Saverio Rocca (Coll) - 13 disposals, 10 marks, 9.2 goals
1996 - Essendon 16.9 105 def. by Collingwood 17.15 117 (87,549)
ANZAC Medallist: Scott Russell (Coll) - 26 disposals, 4 marks, 1.0 goals
1997 - Essendon 10.10 70 def. by Collingwood 14.15 99 (83,271)
ANZAC Medallist: Damian Monkhorst (Coll) - 20 disposals, 4 marks, 13 hitouts
1998 - Collingwood 15.18 108 def. Essendon 12.16 88 (81,542)
ANZAC Medallist: Saverio Rocca (Coll) - 20 disposals, 8 marks, 7.4 goals
1999 - Essendon 15.18 108 def. Collingwood 15.10 100 (73,118)
ANZAC Medallist: Mark Mercuri (Ess) - 29 disposals, 7 marks, 2.2 goals
2000 - Collingwood 15.10 100 def. by Essendon 21.14 140 (88,390)
ANZAC Medallist: James Hird (Ess) - 29 disposals, 2.2 goals
2001 - Essendon 15.13 103 def. Collingwood 14.11 95 (83,905)
ANZAC Medallist: Chris Tarrant (Coll) - 13 disposals, 9 marks, 5.1 goals
2002 - Collingwood 9.12 66 def. Essendon 4.9 33 (84,894)
ANZAC Medallist: Mark McGough (Coll) - 24 disposals, 6 marks
2003 - Essendon 23.9 147 def. Collingwood 12.9 81 (62,589)
ANZAC Medallist: James Hird (Ess) - 27 disposals, 5.0 goals
2004 - Collingwood 11.13 79 def. by Essendon 17.10 112 (57,294)
ANZAC Medallist: James Hird (Ess) - 23 disposals, 9 marks, 3.0 goals
2005 - Essendon 11.17 83 def. Collingwood 10.9 69 (70,033)
ANZAC Medallist: Andrew Lovett (Ess) - 20 disposals, 7 marks, 2.1 goals
2006 - Collingwood 15.16 106 def. Essendon 12.17 89 (91,234)
ANZAC Medallist: Ben Johnson (Coll) - 30 disposals, 10 marks
2007 - Essendon 11.13 79 def. by Collingwood 12.23 95 (90,508)
ANZAC Medallist: Heath Shaw (Coll) - 32 disposals, 13 marks
2008 - Collingwood 23.16 154 def. Essendon 12.9 81 (88,999)
ANZAC Medallist: Paul Medhurst (Coll) - 17 disposals, 6 goals
2009 - Essendon 13.15 93 def. Collingwood 12.16 88 (84,829)
ANZAC Medallist: Patrick Ryder (Ess) - 27 hitouts, 16 possessions, 1 goal
2010 - Collingwood 18.12 120 def. Essendon 8.7 55 (90,070)
ANZAC Medallist: Scott Pendlebury (Coll) - 29 disposals, 5 tackles
