The game – Essendon 13.15 (93) d Collingwood 12.16 (88) at the MCG, Rd 5, 2009 Toyota AFL Premiership Season
The stats – 13 kicks, six handballs, four marks and five tackles
How did you prepare for the game during the week?
Wednesday was our main training session. I got in a little bit earlier and went for a massage. After the massage, we had our training session, weights, some hydro work and then watched some tapes of the Essendon players.
Thursday was our day off, so I had another massage at 11am and then floated around for the day. We came in Friday for a meeting and then went out for a light training run. After the light run, a few of the boys go to a place just off Chapel Street for lunch.
What was your pre-match routine for today’s match?
One of the things I always do is have spaghetti bolognaise the night before, and I try and get to the game nice and early. Then I just do stupid things.
What kind of things?
I wear the same jocks for each game. I always put my right sock and my right shoe on first.
Anzac Day is one of the biggest matches on the calendar. What was the atmosphere like in the rooms before the match?
It wasn’t a whole heap different. Obviously there is a lot more build-up, but you just want to go out there and keep the same routine that you have for every game. But that little bit of change, that little but of extra hype knowing that when you run out onto the MCG there are going to be around 90,000 in the stands, it does have some effect.
Did Mick Malthouse do anything different this week to prepare the team?
We had a couple of gentlemen come in from the army yesterday afternoon. We talked about Anzac Day itself and the Anzac spirit. The Essendon boys went to the shrine of remembrance – we went there last year. Mick’s big on these types of things, which is good for us young guys.
How did you feel when the Last Post echoed around the MCG?
It’s personally a time to reflect. I had a Pa who fought in World War Two, so you think back to the things he may have done. When the Last Post is played, that is when the nerves start to kick in and the hairs on the back of your neck start to stand up.
Several times in the first half you took off on the wing, had a bounce and delivered into the forward line. Could you hear the Magpie faithful roar?
Not really. You are more worried with what you’re going to do with the ball. You certainly know when you start to get chased from behind and the crowd starts to rise. It’s then you know your opponent is getting closer and closer. But once you’re out there you can’t really hear the crowd unless there is a stoppage in play.
You were thrown over the boundary line in the second quarter near the interchange bench and a few of the Bomber supporters had a few choice words. Can you recall what they said?
Nah, there are always parrots out there ready to chirp up at any stage.
What was going through your mind when the Bombers kicked three goals in four minutes to steal the game?
We were in front for a majority of the last quarter but once the final siren goes and you have finished behind, it’s flattening. Devastating. Hopefully we can learn from it, take things out of it and hopefully it doesn’t happen again.
How did you rate your game from a personal perspective?
I was quiet early, but worked my way into it. I didn’t kick any goals but I thought my tackling and pressure was good. I thought I contributed okay to the team.
What will be your plans for tonight and Sunday morning?
We have the ice baths to do here now and a bit of a feed – hotdogs and pizza. We’ll go home tonight and take it easy and try to get some sleep, although I’m pretty sure I’ll be replaying the game in my head throughout the night. In the morning it’ll most likely be some form of recovery, such as a light weights session, a bike and maybe a walk in the pool.
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
