Collingwood has named two inclusions for Round 7’s 31st annual Anzac Day clash with Essendon on Saturday afternoon at the MCG.
Midfielders Steele Sidebottom and Jordan De Goey will return to the senior side for the match. The pair last played in the Pies’ Round 5 loss to the Fremantle Dockers, where Sidebottom sustained a hip pointer and De Goey sustained a concussion.
Midfielders Ned Long (managed) and Ed Allan (omitted) are the two to make way for the clash.
They will join defender Wil Parker as the Pies’ emergencies for Anzac Day.
To go with Sidebottom’s return, he will play his 360th AFL match, passing Geelong’s Tom Hawkins and Fitzroy/North Melbourne’s John Blakey into outright 16th position on the VFL/AFL games played list.
With Josh and Nick Daicos selected for their 158th and 101st games respectively, and father Peter adding 250 to the equation, the Daicos family will tally 509 games played – breaking an 81-year record for the most by any father-sons in Collingwood history.
The 507-game record was set in 1945 by Charlie Pannam Snr and his sons Charlie Jnr and Alby (that 507 includes some VFA games), when Alby played the last of his 181 games.
Veteran Scott Pendlebury will overtake Essendon’s Dustin Fletcher for most Anzac Day clashes when he lines up for the 19th time on Saturday.
Saturday will mark the 250th match between the two clubs, with Collingwood leading the ledger with 137 wins to Essendon’s 107.
The match will be broadcast live on Channel 7, 7+, Fox Footy and Kayo Sports.
Match details
Saturday 25 April
Essendon v Collingwood
MCG, Wurundjeri
3:20pm (AEST)
