Makedonia25
04-25-2006, 07:28 AM
Since people are talking about other sports, here's a thread on Australian Rules Football! Today the two biggest clubs in Australia met as they do every year for the ANZAC day clash at the MCG in front of 92,000 people! My team Collingwood finally won, and what a great day it was! :clap2: :clapping: :thumbs:
http://www.defence.gov.au/news/navynews/editions/4710/images/1%20-%20collingwood%20logo%20copy_th.jpghttp://afl.com.au/cp2/c2/webi/article/260418bk.jpg
Pies win a classic
5:25:45 PM Tue 25 April, 2006
Paul Gough
Exclusive to afl.com.au
Alan Didak has ensured himself a permanent place in Collingwood folklore with a match-winning final term effort as the Magpies ended their run of outs against Essendon with a 17-point win on Anzac Day.
On a day when the Bombers showed they are far from a spent force without injured skipper Matthew Lloyd, it took three last quarter goals from Didak to enable the Pies' to wear down Kevin Sheedy's gallant team as Ben Johnson won the Anzac Day Medal for best afield with 30 possessions.
After trailing for most of the first three quarters, the Pies finally prevailed 15.16 (106) to 12.17 (89) as footy made a spectacular return to the MCG following the Commonwealth Games.
In the best Anzac Day clash since the first meeting between these teams in 1995, the teams went goal for goal virtually all day in front of a crowd of 91,234 - the sixth biggest home and away crowd in league history.
And it was the "Black and White Army" that went home happy as the Pies claimed victory in this fixture for the first time since 2002 in recording only their third win over Essendon in 16 meetings dating back to the 1998 Anzac Day fixture.
But the Magpies had to work far harder than expected against an Essendon side that was widely tipped to struggle without its leading goalkicker of the past nine years after Lloyd succumbed to a season-ending hamstring injury last week.
Unfortunately for the gallant Bombers, it was the Magpies' superior firepower in attack which proved the difference in a memorable final quarter as goalsneak Didak booted three goals, in finishing with four, to swing the game Collingwood's way on a day when their key forwards struggled.
While Chris Tarrant and Anthony Rocca could only manage a wasteful 1.7 between them, Didak proved the difference between the two sides when it counted.
The Pies went to the last change with a seven-point lead after having not hit the front for the first time until the 23 minute mark of the third term when Didak's first goal of the game gave them the lead.
Didak then began the final term with a goal-square screamer over Henry Slattery to extend the lead to 13 points and when the Pies' number two draft pick from last year Dale Thomas produced a moment of magic minutes later with a goal on the run from 50 metres, the Pies were 19 points up and looked home.
But Essendon fought back through inspirational acting captain James Hird, who marked and goaled to cut the deficit to 13 points, before youngster Heath Shaw - who had been magnificent in defence all day - gifted Scott Lucas a goal when he gave away an unnecessary 50-metre penalty for failing to return the ball to him on the full.
Suddenly the margin was just six points with the quarter less than half over before Didak immediately steadied the Pies with a quick snap from the square to restore a two goal advantage before he fittingly sealed after marking at the 27 minute mark.
It was the Pies' third win in a row and leaves them two games ahead of the Bombers, who now have just one win from their first four games.
But for so long against Collingwood on Tuesday they held sway after dominating the opening term.
Collingwood did not even score until the 15 minute mark and Essendon should have been further in front than two goals at the first change after wasting opportunities with even Hird missing a set shot from 25 metres directly in front.
The Bomber youngsters relished the big occasion and settled far better than their Collingwood counterparts with David Hille dominant in the ruck - where he finished with 19 possessions, 30 hit-outs and three goals - while Nathan Lovett-Murray was dominant across half-back as he gathered 30 disposals.
The Collingwood big guns struggled early with even Nathan Buckley having only three touches in the first term and on seven occasions the Pies got to within a goal of Essendon only to be frustrated by an immediate Bomber reply as they fought desperately to hang on to their lead.
But from the moment Didak gave the Pies the lead for the first time late in the third quarter, Collingwood would not be headed again as the brave Bombers were only left to ponder what might have been had their captain and champion full-forward not been sitting in the grandstand injured.
Although Collingwood coach Michael Malthouse conceded his side had a shaky start, he said it was refreshing to win a great contest.
"Perhaps seven or eight minutes before quarter-time, there was just a little shift," Malthouse said.
"That was terrific for a coach to look at that shift and think regardless of the result, the players are looking at what's required, as opposed to who we're playing.
"I thought our preparation was excellent and I thought the two hours beforehand was as good as I've seen - the players were very much attuned to what we wanted. As much as you'd like to think that coaches win games - players win games of football."
After the defeat, Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy said his team was performing well without getting over the line following three successive tight losses to Brisbane, the Bulldogs and now Collingwood.
"We are going about it the right way, we are just not winning enough games," Sheedy said.
"There are 18 games to go and we have got to get back to winning games but we are playing much better footy this year than last year."
COLLINGWOOD: 2.4 6.8 11.14 15.16 (106)
ESSENDON: 4.4 7.8 10.13 12.17 (89)
GOALS - Collingwood: Didak 4, Buckley 3, Thomas 2, Clement, C.Cloke, Holland, Licuria, Lonie, Rocca
Essendon: Hille 3, Hird 2, Lucas 2, Heffernan, Lovett, Monfries, Rioli, Winderlich
BEST - Collingwood: Johnson, H.Shaw, Swan, Buckley, Didak, Thomas, Licuria
Essendon: Hille, Hird, Lovett-Murray, Stanton, McVeigh, Fletcher
INJURIES - Collingwood: Nil
Essendon: Nil
CHANGES - Collingwood: Caracella and Wakelin replaced in selected side by Burns and O'Brien
Essendon: Nil
REPORTS - Nil
UMPIRES - Woodcock, Ryan, Allen
CROWD - 91,234 at the MCG
http://www.defence.gov.au/news/navynews/editions/4710/images/1%20-%20collingwood%20logo%20copy_th.jpghttp://afl.com.au/cp2/c2/webi/article/260418bk.jpg
Pies win a classic
5:25:45 PM Tue 25 April, 2006
Paul Gough
Exclusive to afl.com.au
Alan Didak has ensured himself a permanent place in Collingwood folklore with a match-winning final term effort as the Magpies ended their run of outs against Essendon with a 17-point win on Anzac Day.
On a day when the Bombers showed they are far from a spent force without injured skipper Matthew Lloyd, it took three last quarter goals from Didak to enable the Pies' to wear down Kevin Sheedy's gallant team as Ben Johnson won the Anzac Day Medal for best afield with 30 possessions.
After trailing for most of the first three quarters, the Pies finally prevailed 15.16 (106) to 12.17 (89) as footy made a spectacular return to the MCG following the Commonwealth Games.
In the best Anzac Day clash since the first meeting between these teams in 1995, the teams went goal for goal virtually all day in front of a crowd of 91,234 - the sixth biggest home and away crowd in league history.
And it was the "Black and White Army" that went home happy as the Pies claimed victory in this fixture for the first time since 2002 in recording only their third win over Essendon in 16 meetings dating back to the 1998 Anzac Day fixture.
But the Magpies had to work far harder than expected against an Essendon side that was widely tipped to struggle without its leading goalkicker of the past nine years after Lloyd succumbed to a season-ending hamstring injury last week.
Unfortunately for the gallant Bombers, it was the Magpies' superior firepower in attack which proved the difference in a memorable final quarter as goalsneak Didak booted three goals, in finishing with four, to swing the game Collingwood's way on a day when their key forwards struggled.
While Chris Tarrant and Anthony Rocca could only manage a wasteful 1.7 between them, Didak proved the difference between the two sides when it counted.
The Pies went to the last change with a seven-point lead after having not hit the front for the first time until the 23 minute mark of the third term when Didak's first goal of the game gave them the lead.
Didak then began the final term with a goal-square screamer over Henry Slattery to extend the lead to 13 points and when the Pies' number two draft pick from last year Dale Thomas produced a moment of magic minutes later with a goal on the run from 50 metres, the Pies were 19 points up and looked home.
But Essendon fought back through inspirational acting captain James Hird, who marked and goaled to cut the deficit to 13 points, before youngster Heath Shaw - who had been magnificent in defence all day - gifted Scott Lucas a goal when he gave away an unnecessary 50-metre penalty for failing to return the ball to him on the full.
Suddenly the margin was just six points with the quarter less than half over before Didak immediately steadied the Pies with a quick snap from the square to restore a two goal advantage before he fittingly sealed after marking at the 27 minute mark.
It was the Pies' third win in a row and leaves them two games ahead of the Bombers, who now have just one win from their first four games.
But for so long against Collingwood on Tuesday they held sway after dominating the opening term.
Collingwood did not even score until the 15 minute mark and Essendon should have been further in front than two goals at the first change after wasting opportunities with even Hird missing a set shot from 25 metres directly in front.
The Bomber youngsters relished the big occasion and settled far better than their Collingwood counterparts with David Hille dominant in the ruck - where he finished with 19 possessions, 30 hit-outs and three goals - while Nathan Lovett-Murray was dominant across half-back as he gathered 30 disposals.
The Collingwood big guns struggled early with even Nathan Buckley having only three touches in the first term and on seven occasions the Pies got to within a goal of Essendon only to be frustrated by an immediate Bomber reply as they fought desperately to hang on to their lead.
But from the moment Didak gave the Pies the lead for the first time late in the third quarter, Collingwood would not be headed again as the brave Bombers were only left to ponder what might have been had their captain and champion full-forward not been sitting in the grandstand injured.
Although Collingwood coach Michael Malthouse conceded his side had a shaky start, he said it was refreshing to win a great contest.
"Perhaps seven or eight minutes before quarter-time, there was just a little shift," Malthouse said.
"That was terrific for a coach to look at that shift and think regardless of the result, the players are looking at what's required, as opposed to who we're playing.
"I thought our preparation was excellent and I thought the two hours beforehand was as good as I've seen - the players were very much attuned to what we wanted. As much as you'd like to think that coaches win games - players win games of football."
After the defeat, Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy said his team was performing well without getting over the line following three successive tight losses to Brisbane, the Bulldogs and now Collingwood.
"We are going about it the right way, we are just not winning enough games," Sheedy said.
"There are 18 games to go and we have got to get back to winning games but we are playing much better footy this year than last year."
COLLINGWOOD: 2.4 6.8 11.14 15.16 (106)
ESSENDON: 4.4 7.8 10.13 12.17 (89)
GOALS - Collingwood: Didak 4, Buckley 3, Thomas 2, Clement, C.Cloke, Holland, Licuria, Lonie, Rocca
Essendon: Hille 3, Hird 2, Lucas 2, Heffernan, Lovett, Monfries, Rioli, Winderlich
BEST - Collingwood: Johnson, H.Shaw, Swan, Buckley, Didak, Thomas, Licuria
Essendon: Hille, Hird, Lovett-Murray, Stanton, McVeigh, Fletcher
INJURIES - Collingwood: Nil
Essendon: Nil
CHANGES - Collingwood: Caracella and Wakelin replaced in selected side by Burns and O'Brien
Essendon: Nil
REPORTS - Nil
UMPIRES - Woodcock, Ryan, Allen
CROWD - 91,234 at the MCG