Collingwood are minor premiers in 2023 after claiming a 70-point win on Friday night, but there’s plenty more to come on the fallout for Essendon.
The Bombers had declared they’d give Round 24 a “damn good crack” in trying to right the wrongs of last week, yet those hopes evaporated not 10 minutes into the game.
Brad Scott’s men were well off early, with inside 50s 4-14 in Collingwood’s favour midway through the first term. And while the alarm bells were ringing by this point, they were going fever pitch by the end of the opening quarter.
“This is getting uglier by the second,” Dwayne Russell told AFL Nation late in the first term.
-12 in inside 50s, -10 in contested possessions and -27 in disposals was a fair reflection of how far away Essendon was.
An animated coaching group – particularly assistant Daniel Giansiracusa - greeted the Bombers players at quarter time. The club had lost their last two opening terms by a combined 86 points following last week’s drubbing at the hands of GWS.
While the contest work improved, a 12-goal loss remains an embarrassing finish to the 2023 season for the Essendon Football Club and will create plenty of intrigue surrounding the footy department in the coming weeks.
The Bombers have won four more games in 2023 than last year but have been defeated by a total of 196 points in their last two games.
Meanwhile, the Magpies had lost three of its last four leading into Friday night and had had its premiership credentials questioned as a result. But Craig McRae’s side goes into September with a full head of steam, their run and gun style back to its best.
The likes of Tom Mitchell (33 disposals, seven clearances) and Jordan De Goey (27 disposals, seven score involvements) were at their sublime best, while Josh Daicos again had a paddock to himself on the wing.
But the Magpies’ best might have come in the form of Jack Ginnivan, who kicked three goals and had three direct assists among 17 disposals and five marks.
With an impending selection squeeze set to hit Collingwood soon, the 20-year-old has done all he can to ensure he's there in September. He's played only 11 games in 2023, including the final three of the regular season.
Speaking post-game, McRae cited Ginnivan’s training standards as the major difference.
“There was a real shift,” the coach said.
“You can get caught up in form… at VFL he wasn’t playing above the level and then he got busy with his training and for a month there he was our best trainer.
“Really high intensity with what he was doing and he wasn’t getting rewarded but he just stuck at it and the opportunity presented and games like tonight, he showed what he’s capable of.”
But with Beau McCreery to return from suspension next week, McRae wouldn’t be drawn on if him, Ginnivan and Bobby Hill could all play in the same side.
Zach Merrett filled his boots with 37 disposals, but only three were contested in what was perhaps an accurate representation of Essendon’s night.
Of the retiring brigade, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti was injected early as the substitute and finished with four disposals, while Andrew Phillips had seven and 16 hitouts.
Recent weeks had seen McRae under growing pressure to fire Collingwood back to the form that had them premiership favourites for the majority of the season and he and his side responded in emphatic performance in their final home and away game.
With multiple stars to return during the finals from injury, it’s a credit to McRae and his assistants that the Magpies are humming again.
You can only beat the team in front of you.
FULL SCORE
Essendon: 0.2, 2.4, 2.10, 3.13 (31)
Collingwood: 8.1, 12.2, 14.3, 16.5 (101)
GOALS
Essendon: Weideman 2, Langford
Collingwood: Ginnivan 3, Mihocek 3, Elliott 2, Lipinski, Hill, Mitchell, Pendlebury, Daicos, De Goey, McStay, Cameron
BEST
Essendon: Merrett, McGrath, Redman, Laverde, Langford
Collingwood: Ginnivan, Mitchell, De Goey, Mihocek, Pendlebury
INJURIES
Essendon: Baldwin (head knock)
Collingwood: Elliott (cork)