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Collingwood have clinched their first minor premiership since 2011 after destroying a torpid Essendon by 70 factors on the MCG in a welcome return to kind.
The Magpies slammed by way of the primary 11 targets of Friday evening’s match, together with eight in a medical first quarter, to utterly overwhelm the bruise-free Bombers in entrance of 74,344 followers.
Collingwood eased up within the second-half with finals on the radar, cruising to a 16.5 (101) to three.13 (31) victory as they completed the home-and-away season with an 18-5 file.
Regardless of shedding three of their earlier 4 matches forward of going through Essendon, Craig McRae’s Collingwood will nonetheless be the workforce to beat come September after securing a house qualifying last, possible in opposition to 2021 premiers Melbourne.
“I really feel just like the starvation inside our group has been questionable, and tonight I would not thought you might query that that a part of our sport,” McRae mentioned.
“We have gained 18 video games on this robust 24-round competitors… it is a marathon, the bumps and bruises, the losses and the resilience to stand up and go once more.”
Star midfielder Jordan De Goey and small ahead Bobby Hill had been again within the workforce after lacking final week’s 24-point defeat to the Brisbane Lions by way of harm.
De Goey and skilled midfielder Tom Mitchell had been influential when the sport was up for grabs within the first quarter, whereas full of life small ahead Jack Ginnivan (three targets) delivered his greatest efficiency of the season after spending an prolonged interval within the VFL.
Captain Darcy Moore will nearly definitely return from a hamstring pressure for the Magpies’ first last, however younger celebrity Nick Daicos (knee) has already been dominated out for at the very least that sport.
Matchwinning Magpies ahead Jamie Elliott was subbed out in a precautionary transfer with a corked thigh on the important break after kicking two first-half targets.
Essendon began their first season underneath coach Brad Scott in promising vogue however have capitulated within the final seven weeks, with their solely two victories in that interval coming in opposition to the bottom-two groups, North Melbourne and West Coast.
This smashing follows a diabolical 126-point thumping by Higher Western Sydney final Saturday that ended Essendon’s slim finals hopes.
Bombers fan favorite Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti was subbed into his farewell sport within the first quarter resulting from Kane Baldwin struggling a head knock.
It was McDonald-Tipungwuti’s 133rd and last AFL look, after he made a comeback this 12 months from retirement.
Scott was left bitterly disenchanted by the end to the season and has urged his gamers to let the ache drive them into 2024.
“We had been simply outplayed within the first quarter and the fact the place we’re for the time being…we have simply received a heap of labor to do,” Scott mentioned.
“I’ve mentioned that after wins, after losses, and nothing actually modifications from that perspective.
“However the previous couple of weeks particularly has simply confirmed the place we’re at.”
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