Chooseday Night Football — Anzac Day

Nathan Buckley gets a kick away on Anzac Day 1995. Source: News Limited

AHEAD of Friday's Anzac Day clash between Collingwood and Essendon, FOX FOOTY'S Chooseday Night Football rewinds the clock to the very first edition of this footy tradition.

In Round 4, 1995 a winless Collingwood and an undefeated Essendon met at the MCG before 94,825 people — still an Anzac Day record.

It was Gavin Brown's 150th AFL game and Jason Wild's debut, but it was Saverio Rocca who stole the show with nine majors.

Thirty-three goal were kicked for the afternoon, but the result came down to the last play of the day.

Collingwood's Anzac Day 'Lest we forget' banner. Source: News Limited

Twelve goals were scored in a cracking first quarter, before Essendon kicked away to lead by 16 points at half-time.

A seven goal to two third quarter by Collingwood turned the game in its favour by 14 points at the final break.

Essendon regained the lead in the final term through a snapped goal to James Hird, but Saverio Rocca hauled in a mark of the year contender and kicked truly to level the scores with 28 minutes gone in the final term.

Sav Rocca takes a big grab in the final term. Source: News Limited

In the dying seconds, Nathan Buckley burst through the middle of the ground and with disposal No. 30 elected to pass the ball to Rocca instead of having a shot — the ball was intercepted and siren rang seconds after.

"I saw Rocca, I thought he was doing it ... taking marks out of nowhere, so I just gave a short pass there," Buckley said. "But if I had it back again I wouldn't have done it," Buckley told the Herald Sun after the game.

" ... not good. I shouldn't be making mistakes like that, it's virtually cost us two points. I'm happy that on the spur of the moment I made a decision to go to `Roc' and if he'd taken the mark it would have been a good one.

"If I had it again, I would have a shot, but I can't, too bad!"

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Collingwood coach Leigh Matthews refused to let Buckley shoulder the blame.

"He (Buckley) didn't quite get there, he was probably 55-60 metres out and I think (Peter) Somerville was bearing down on his left side," Matthews said on radio after the match.

"If he had got to the 50-metre mark, it would have been only a question of being accurate, but I'm not sure whether that option was open to him."

Essendon went on to finish fourth and lost its semi-final to Richmond, while Collingwood would win eight games for the season and finished in tenth position.

Michael Long is tackled by Dermott Brereton. Source: News Limited

FINAL SCORE

COLLINGWOOD — 17.9 (111)

ESSENDON — 16.15 (111)

HEADLINE

"Buckley rues the point that got away"

"As a result, a draw was fitting reward"

NOTABLES

Collingwood — Nathan Buckley, Gavin Brown, Saverio Rocca, Alan Richardson, Scott Burns, Dermott Brereton, Paul Williams, Craig Kelly, Mick McGuane

Essendon — Gavin Wanganeen, James Hird, Michael Long, Dustin Fletcher, Mark Harvey, Joe Misiti, Steve Alessio

Collingwood runner Tony Shaw. Source: News Limited

MOST POSSESSIONS

Nathan Buckley (COLL) — 30

Joe Misiti/Ricky Olarenshaw (ESS) — 29

SHARP SHOOTERS

Saverio Rocca (COLL) — 9

Che Cockatoo-Collins (ESS) — 3

COACHES

Leigh Matthews (COLL)

Kevin Sheedy (ESS)

1993 Brownlow Medallist Gavin Wanganeen. Source: Supplied

KEY STAT

In this game Collingwood had 15.12 disposals for every goal kicked, against North Melbourne in Round 5 this year Collingwood more than doubled that figure - recording 31.62 disposals per goal.

BROWNLOW VOTES

3 — Nathan Buckley

2 — Saverio Rocca

1 — Rick Olarenshaw

ANZAC MEDALLIST

Saverio Rocca (retrospective)

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Craig Kelly made his AFL debut in 1989 and went on to play 122 AFL games, including the 1990 premiership, as a tough key defender. Kelly retired after the 1996 season and founded Elite Sports Properties (ESP), the leading player management company in the AFL.

THE VERDICT (how fans voted)

1987 Carlton v Hawthorn — 38.46 per cent

1995 Collingwood v Essendon — 42.66 per cent

1997 Melbourne v Richmond — 18.88 per cent

Chooseday Night Football screens on Tuesday nights at 8.30pm on FOX FOOTY, channel 504.

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