How do you assess a game that was over by quarter time?
In 30 minutes of brutal efficiency, the Collingwood Magpies secured the top spot on the ladder by slamming home eight goals, obliterating an Essendon team that looks as though the season lasted four weeks longer than they would have liked.
It was lucky the Bombers were wearing their “seatbelt” guernseys in this one, as the first quarter was definitely a car crash for them.
The Pies were dominant all over the park, first to the footy and running with purpose, whilst the Bombers once again asked too much of too few. As Jack Ginnivan went back and slotted his second goal of the quarter to extend the Collingwood lead to 47 points, many believed that this had the chance to blow out to a 20-goal win.
But beating up on a team like Essendon is child’s play to Collingwood at the moment, They have bigger fish to fry and will turn up the heat in two weeks.
For the Bombers, they said goodbye to Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti in horrid fashion, both for the team and the player, whilst the Magpies seemed content to cruise through the second half, earning them an easy 70-point win.
Was this the ideal preparation for the Pies? Did the Bombers’ meek end to the season undo a lot of the good work they did earlier on? And who earned The Mongrel’s praise in this one?
Let’s check it out in The Big Statements.
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