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Dust blown off as Pies take down the Bombers

Collingwood have taken out an 11-point victory over Essendon to open the JLT Community Series.

In a short period towards the end of the second term, Essendon and Collingwood supporters were almost treated to the plays that are the reason why they go to the footy in the middle of June when it's nudging single-figure temperatures at the MCG.

Essendon won the ball out of a stoppage deep on the right wing. Within seconds it was in the hands of a leading Jobe Watson. The former captain had had no shortage of the ball but it was this mark, with the prospect of a goal from 50 metres, that had the sizeable Bombers support screaming.

But as teammates sprinted to the expanded interchange bench for their allotted rest, Watson reminded Etihad Stadium what Thursday night was all about. His shot meekly faded right for a behind, the crowd settled back into their seats and the game went on.

Collingwood struggled moving the ball out of defence at times, a theme they would be hoping won't carry over from last year, but on this occasion after Watson's miss it took just a few kicks to enter their own 50-metre arc. The ball floated high towards the behind post, landing instead a few metres inside the field of play.

Alex Fasolo rose above an Essendon defender and got a hand to the ball, only to fall on his side as the Sherrin trickled over for a rushed behind. So near yet so far in a pre-season game devoid of the emotion many expected with seven players across the two teams returning from doping suspensions.

Travis Varcoe and Jamie Elliott celebrate a goal. Pic: Getty
Travis Varcoe and Jamie Elliott celebrate a goal. Pic: Getty

Collingwood won the contest 2.13.9 (105) to 0.14.10 (94) but none of the 16,521 in attendance will mistake the form lines for the truth. Both teams played short, with Mason Cox and Lachlan Keeffe sharing the ruck duties for Collingwood and neither team playing to a full-time tall target in the forward line.

The Bombers were led by their smalls, and they're not short on candidates once the teams need to be reduced to 22 players. Off-season recruit Josh Green was a lively runner and Orazio Fantasia, whose breakout campaign last year likely saved his career at the club, worked hard to close down opponents and jumped on the ball when he could, kicking four goals from a variety of angles. Travis Colyer still hasn't played more than 12 games in a season since his debut in 2010 and his last came not in late 2015 but in June. His first half - nine touches and two goals - is something to build on.

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The versatility and flexibility of Essendon's team up and down the field was on show through those midfield-forwards and tall options Mitch Brown, Shaun McKernan and Patrick Ambrose. With the likes of Joe Daniher, Cale Hooker and Brent Stanton set to squeeze others out come round one, it will be a required trait. "I think we're developing that a lot more and we'll probably see a little bit more of that," Bombers coach John Worsfold said.

It took until midway through the third quarter for Collingwood to get their first multiple goalkicker - Jack Crisp - before they found some rhythm early in the fourth, peppering Essendon with five shots in six minutes. Supergoals have little place in the game but one each to Lynden Dunn - 10 goals in his last 66 games for Melbourne - and Travis Varcoe pulled the Pies to within a kick. It loomed as a Collingwood procession but two late goals to Essendon kept the Pies honest.

Jobe Watson worked hard on his return. Pic: Getty
Jobe Watson worked hard on his return. Pic: Getty

The Pies, without Scott Pendlebury, Daniel Wells and Adam Treloar in the midfield, played a younger team that stood up in the contest late. While that was helped by the Dons pulling the likes of Watson and Heppell out of the game, coach Nathan Buckley expects the experience to help the second-tier midfielders. "It was really pleasing to see Jordan De Goey, Jack Crisp and Steele (Sidebottom) basically hold the fort there with Trav Varcoe for a cameo here and there, James Aish at times," he said.

The business-like performance was soured when Ben Sinclair limped off early in the third quarter with a hamstring problem, giving the Pies a worry they could have done without. The 25-year-old has played just 24 games of league footy over the past three seasons dealing with concussions and past hamstring problems. After his first three concussions last year he was brought straight back into the team, with the fourth knocking him out for good after round 18.

The much-hyped return of Watson and new Essendon skipper Dyson Heppell passed without glory, although both looked physically capable of a heavy load this season as they recorded a combined 36 disposals under reasonable pressure from the Pies. Watson noted before the game that he hadn't played with many of his Bombers teammates, and finding the ball early was a good way for him to learn their tendencies after so long out of the game.

"It was a little bit - I'll use Jobe's word - a little bit weird. It's only just a hitout, it's the start of our JLT Community Series, so we don't get to wound up about the game but it was a different game. How were we meant to feel? No one really knew. We talked briefly about it and just were rapt that we said once the ball's bounced we're back into it," Essendon coach John Worsfold said.