AFL: MCG set alight as Bombers outclass Magpies

A jubilant Jobe Watson after his teams win (Source: AFL.com.au)

ANZAC Day once again provided a spectacular stage for football, and this time, the Bombers found something special in front of a huge crowd.

Red and black dominated the hallowed turf as Jobe Watson skippered an emotion-charged Essendon outfit to a romping 46 point victory over Collingwood on Thursday.

In fighting ANZAC spirit, Essendon small forward David Zaharakis ran rings around the Magpie defenders to finish with four outstanding goals and the ANZAC Day Medal, as Essendon triumphed 121-75.

With a huge 93,373 packed tightly into the MCG, it took 15 minutes of game time before the goal drought was broken by Zaharakis.  Calamity ensued for the majority of the first quarter, as no one properly cleared the ball away from the contests and stoppages, with plenty of kicks intercepted.  Kicking “yips” plagued the Magpies throughout the game, with Jarryd Blair registering the black and white army’s first goal five minutes out from quarter time.  Sitting high on the back of an Essendon pack, Blair reached with outstretched arms, before going back and calmly slotting the ball through the big sticks.

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AFL: The dire need for better monitoring

Melbourne Demons 2009 team (sourced from Google Images)

If the AFL has taught us one thing in these past two weeks, it is the fact that they are seemingly wish to avoid any meaningful discussion about worrying issues in the league.

Andrew Demetriou – in panel discussions, newspaper articles, and press conferences – clearly did not think that tanking was something that existed, for one.  Add this line of thinking  to the Essendon drug saga, and you have formed a mountain out of a molehill.

Granted, both are concerning issues, but the way they have been handled rings alarm bells that something is wrong.