There was a trio of goals for second-gamer Ash Johnson:what rich pickings the mid-season draft has provided for the Pies. And there was thenext chapter in the Jack Ginnivan saga,in which he was not merely taken around the neck by Essendon’s Mason Redman,but placed in a noose – and still the free kick was not paid. What a cross the AFL has made for umpires to bear.

Collingwood were organised in everything they did. For the Bombers,there was a series of centre clearances,and that was it. They did not have a single disposal in their forward 50. The problem was not lack of incoming ball,but its tardiness.

But that was all she said for the Magpies. The change when it came in the second quarter was as sudden and bracing as the arrival of a cold front. Essendon controlled the next two-and-a-half quarters. Sam Draper assumed authoritative control in the ruck,Zach Merrett and the once maligned,now magisterial Dylan Shiel further shredded the Magpies at stoppages,and the Bombers’ centre-clearance dominance fruited as they exercised more discretion going forward.

They kicked the first five goals of the second quarter,all from powerful marks,making 11 in a row at the city end. Now it was the Magpies who were made to look like incidentals. The signal moment was when Scott Pendlebury committed possibly the worst turnover of his 351-game career.

Only when Cox began to reprise Brisbane’s Clark Keating from the early 2000s by thumping the ball forward from ball-ups did the Pies steady. It was unscientific,but effective,and led eventually to a steadying goal as the Pies bundled the ball at breakneck speed down the corridor.

In the third quarter,it was more of the same. Draper grew in stature,Merrett and Shiel assumed complete control at ground level and,ominously,Jake Stringer imposed himself. Ascendent Draper and Merrett was Anzac Day reprised. Darcy Moore gave Peter Wright too much latitude and Wright gave Moore gratitude. With the confidence of a three-game winning surge replete within them,the Bombers looked unstoppable.

Meantime,Collingwood’s midfield disappeared without trace. Early in the last quarter,the Bombers led by 21 points,having kicked 11 of the previous 13 goals in the match,and the Magpies’ magic carpet ride looked over.

Within desperation,there arose inspiration. Somehow,the Pies kicked the last four goals of the match. Though barely able to lift their feet,the Pies reasserted themselves in the corridor. Veteran Elliott kicked two goals,mid-season draft speculation and medi-sub Josh Carmichael the other two,all four nerveless set shots. If you’re not sure how the Magpies won,that’s because they ad-libbed it. It’s become that sort of year.

NEXT JOB

Outgoing AFL supremo Gil McLachlan was spotted in the umpires’ dug-out on the boundary line during the second quarter. No,we don’t know either,but we doubt it was for a job interview.

ALL AROUND THE NECK

The AFL’s panicky revision of theinterpretation of the head-high tackles rule came into focus at Jack Ginnivan’s first approach to the ball. As he gathered,he did raise his arm – but as a reflex to the high tackle that the Bombers’ generally excellent Mason Redman already was laying on him. No free kick was paid,the crowd howled,the game went on.

“I thought it was a free kick. I don’t think there was any leaning into it,” said McRae. “But we’ll play within the rules. We won’t make blame or excuses. Umpires get some wrong,some right.″⁣

For umpires,it is not so much a case of the player’s arms around the neck as the millstone around theirs.

COLLINGWOOD6.2 7.4 8.5 12.8 (80)
ESSENDON0.1 5.3 10.7 11.10 (76)

GOALS
Collingwood: Johnson 3,Elliott 2,Mihocek 2,Carmichael 2,Pendlebury,Daicos,Cameron.
Essendon: Wright 3,Guelfi 2,Jones,Stringer,Langford,Martin,Phillips,Draper.
BEST
Collingwood: J Daicos,Howe,Elliott,Bianco,Adams,McCreery.
Essendon: Draper,Merrett,Shiel,Guelfi,Wright,Heppell.
INJURIES
Collingwood: Maynard (shoulder) replaced by medi sub Carmichael.
Essendon: Redman (internal bruising) replaced by medi sub Ham.
UMPIRES:Howorth,Stevic,Whetton.
CROWD:72,402 at the MCG.

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