ESSENDON has made it five wins from its past six matches and kept its September hopes alive with a character-driven 48-point victory over Collingwood at the MCG on Saturday afternoon.
The Bombers defeated the Magpies – 19.14 (128) to 11.14 (80) – for the first time since round 19, 2006, snapping a three-match losing streak against their arch-rival.
Aside from its four-point loss to Richmond last round, Essendon has been in outstanding form in the second half of this season, winning four in a row from rounds 12 to15 and bouncing back with a fine performance against the Pies.
Although Collingwood threatened to overrun Essendon at times, the Bombers thoroughly deserved the win and never surrendered the lead after kicking the first five goals of the match.
However, a player from each side is on report; Essendon's Scott Lucas for striking Harry O'Brien in the first term and Collingwood's Alan Didak for his jumper punch on Henry Slattery in the third.
Andrew Welsh, who has reinvented his career with some fine run-with and midfield displays, was instrumental in Essendon's win.
He booted a career-best four goals and collected 29 disposals, while Jobe Watson was enormous in the engine room with a personal best 41 touches.
Matthew Lloyd, who spent time on the wing and deep but was predominantly used across half-forward, led Essendon with aplomb and finished with four majors.
Round 16 NAB AFL Rising Star nominee Kyle Reimers had a valuable three-goal performance and ruckman David Hille continued his fine vein of form.
The clash between Dustin Fletcher and Paul Medhurst was a fascinating duel, with Fletcher outstanding on the smaller Medhurst, although the Pie still contributed two goals.
Travis Cloke was Collingwood's leading goalkicker with three majors and Dane Swan his side's highest ball-winner with 26 disposals.
However, the Magpies were best served by O'Brien, who kept Lucas to just two disposals, while Shane O'Bree and Dale Thomas worked hard for 21 each.
Essendon couldn't have asked for a better start.
It was nine minutes into the match and the Dons had four on the board, including three in a row from Welsh, who started in the middle on Thomas.
The Bombers had seven scoring shots before Fletcher thumped through a rushed behind for the Pies midway through the term, and it wasn't until Cloke kicked truly at the 20-minute mark that the Pies had their first on the board.
Even that was the result of an interchange oversight by the Bombers, who left themselves a man short in defence.
Leading by 33 points at one point, the Dons took a 28-point advantage into the first break.
Collingwood hit back strongly from its sluggish start with an excellent fight-back early in the new period. The Pies kicked the first four goals of the term to reel the deficit back to just two points.
Although the momentum had shifted right back in the Magpies' favour, the Dons steadied to re-open their account with two in two minutes, hopping back out to a 15-point lead.
But Cloke's third helped narrow the gap to nine points at half-time.
Alan Didak got the Pies off to a flyer in the second half when he landed one 18 seconds in, and he was in the thick of the action moments later in a tangle with Bomber Slattery.
Collingwood's troubles worsened when Essendon piled on five unanswered goals to break away to a 33-point lead.
Still, when Jack Anthony and Leon Davis bobbed up with their second goals in time-on, the Pies were just 19 points in arrears.
Collingwood reduced the margin to just 13 when Medhurst registered the first of the final stanza.
But when Reimers hit back with two in a row – kick-starting five in succession from the Bombers – the Dons silenced the black and white army and victory was assured.
Essendon 5.7 7.10 12.11 19.14 (128)
Collingwood 1.3 6.7 9.10 11.14 (80)
GOALS
Essendon: Welsh 4, Lloyd 4, Reimers 3, Monfries 2, McPhee 2, Stanton, Jetta, Lovett-Murray, Hille
Collingwood: Cloke 3, Didak 2, Anthony 2, Davis 2, Medhurst 2
BEST
Essendon: Welsh, Watson, Peverill, Lloyd, Hille, Fletcher, Reimers, Monfries
Collingwood: Cloke, Thomas, O'Brien, Maxwell, O'Bree, Burns
INJURIES
Essendon: Lucas (back, knee)
Collingwood: R. Shaw (heavy knock)
Reports: Lucas (Essendon) reported by umpire James for striking O'Brien (Collingwood) in the first quarter, Davis (Collingwood) reported for front-on contact on Watson in the second quarter, Didak (Collingwood) reported by umpire James for striking Slattery (Essendon) in the third quarter
Umpires: Donlon, James, Head
Official crowd: 64,785 at the MCG
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
