Essendon’s surprise inclusions,Merrett four weeks after his syndesmosis injury and Stringer a couple of weeks after a hamstring,both performed better than you could expect of players coming off such injuries. Stringer finished with three goals and looked like breaking the game open. Merrett covered the ground as if he was fresh and was creative in the link play through the middle.
Darcy Parish answered his critics with a 44-touch gameCredit:Getty Images
The Magpies had good run from Isaac Quaynor and Jack Crisp throughout,Josh Daicos was busy on a wing and his brother Nick grew into the game off a half-back flank.
Despite that,Alec Waterman was excellent,finishing with four goals and Guelfi booted three. Both,though,were guilty of wasting critical chances in the second term when Essendon were pressing.
By contrast,Collingwood converted two superb goals – one from a long run up the wing from Crisp and a one-two handball. The field opened up for him to run inside 50 and drill a long,low kick into an open goal square. Minutes later Collingwood forced Waterman into a turnover on the wing,and shuffled the ball forward before handing off to Quaynor who roosted the ball through from just outside 50.
Brody Mihocek had given Collingwood the early lead with a couple of goals after Ginnivan curled in the opening goal of the match. Mihocek’s second goal was a creative toe poke off the ground in the goal square after bringing the ball to ground in a one-on-one marking contest with Jayden Laverde.
Parish responds to criticism
Stung by criticism of a lack of defensive run across the midfield last week,Darcy Parish was intent on being in everything from the opening.
He was superb in the opening term amassing 16 touches and despite Pat Lipinski putting some work into him he finished the day with 44.
Kreuger pops shoulder again
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Nathan Kreuger popped his shoulder in his first game for Collingwood in round two. To let the shoulder settle he missed two games and came back last week to play Brisbane.
But early in the second quarter Kreuger again ran from the field cradling his arm in his jumper.
GOALS
Essendon:Waterman 4,Stringer 3,Perkins 2,Stringer 2,Guelfi 2,Wright.
Collingwood:Ginnivan 5,Mihocek 4,Crisp,Quaynor,Adams,Cameron,Grundy,McInnes.
BEST
Essendon:Parish,Merrett,Draper,Waterman,McGrath,Guelfi.
Collingwood:Ginnivan,Pendlebury,Grundy,Crisp,Quaynor,Mihocek,Howe.
INJURIES
Essendon:Laverde (knee),Parish (ankle)
Collingwood:Kreuger (shoulder)
Anzac Day Medal voting
11 – Jack Ginnivan,Collingwood - 3,3,3,2
7 – Darcy Parish,Essendon - 3,2,2
2 – Scott Pendlebury,Collingwood - 1,1
2 – Jordan De Goey,Collingwood - 2
1 – Jeremy Howe,Collingwood - 1
1 – Zach Merrett,Essendon - 1
Judges voting – 3 2 1.
JUDGES
Michael Gleeson,The Age (chair) – Ginnivan,Parish,Pendlebury
Jobe Watson,Channel 7 – Ginnivan,De Goey,Howe
Lauren Wood,Herald Sun – Ginnivan,Parish,Pendlebury
Josh Gabelich,AFL.com.au – Parish,Ginnivan,Merrett