It can be difficult to get the true measure of a team when things are going their way. You don’t see which players will dig in and make a difference. You don’t see who disappears. And you don’t see who rallies the troops.
As Isaac Kako ran in and slotted the goal to put the Bombers in front in the third quarter, the challenge was thrown down at the feet of the Collingwood Football Club. They’d had things their own way early in the game, but the Bombers had wrestled control, and were looking to overrun the ladder leaders.
What happened from that point on proved just why the Pies are a team to be feared this season.
After being destroyed by Andrew McGrath for two and a half quarters, Bobby Hill slotted an incredible goal to re-take the lead for the Pies, and following that, Jamie Elliott kicked two of the next three to give his team some breathing room. From there, goals to Jordan de Goey and Ned Long pushed the lead out to four goals, as the Pies again assumed control of the contest.
It was a big statement from Collingwood; challenged by the best the Bombers could throw at them, they responded in the the most formidable way. They stood up, took whatever Essendon had to hit them with, and responded with a barrage the Bombers could not withstand.
Their four goal lead extended out to 41 points to end the last quarter, with the Pies leaning on their established stars to get them over the line once again.
Plenty to get through in this one – HB jumps straight into The Big Questions from the latest ANZAC Day blockbuster.
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