Essendon has snapped a three-game ANZAC Day losing streak to defeat Collingwood by 18 points, returning to form after a tough fortnight with an impressive performance at the MCG. 

Both teams enjoyed dominant patches in the first three quarters of Tuesday's game, which was largely played in dry conditions after an extremely wet Melbourne morning. 

After taking a nine-point lead into the final term, the Bombers effectively killed the contest when they kicked three unanswered goals in the opening nine minutes to take a 26-point lead.

From there the Dons were never seriously challenged as they ran out the game strongly to record a stirring 15.10 (100) to 11.16 (82) victory. 

Joe Daniher was outstanding for Essendon, both in attack and especially when he regularly roamed up the ground, and was a popular winner of the Anzac Day Medal as best afield. 

Daniher kicked 3.4 from 16 possessions, and also had three goal assists, eight marks (including four inside 50) and a team-high six inside 50s.

The Bombers' win break the club's two-game losing streak, improving their record to 3-2 after five rounds.

Zach Merrett (33 possessions and six clearances), Dyson Heppell (26 and seven) and Darcy Parish (25 and five) ensured the Bombers' midfield took the points over their highly vaunted Magpie counterparts, but they were ably supported by veterans Jobe Watson (28 possessions) and Brendon Goddard (a team-high nine clearances).

Orazio Fantasia (four goals) and Josh Green (three) were lively in attack, while the defensive pressure of fellow small forward Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti (six tackles) had the Magpies' defenders nervously looking over their shoulders all day.

Collingwood's loss continued its disappointing start to the season. With just one win after five rounds, the Magpies sit 13th on the ladder and now face a tough assignment to make the finals for the first time since 2012.

Adam Treloar (a game-high 39 possessions) worked tirelessly for the Pies, Jeremy Howe (30 possessions and two contested marks, including a trademark speccy in the final term) gave plenty of rebound across half-back, while Daniel Wells (24 possessions and two goals) recovered from a slow start to make a classy club debut. 

But Jamie Elliott (three goals) largely played a lone hand in Collingwood's forward 50 as spearhead Darcy Moore was well held.

The omens weren't good for Collingwood at the start of the game, with the Dons' opening goal coming after Henry Schade somehow allowed Daniher to get well free 30m from goal, allowing McDonald-Tipungwuti to hit him with a relatively easy short pass. 

Aaron Francis, playing his first game of the season, kicked another goal for the Bombers four minutes later before Elliott opened the Pies' account shortly after to cut the Dons' lead to six points.

With Heppell, Parish and Merrett giving Essendon the ascendancy in the midfield – the Dons led the clearance count in the first term 12-7 – Essendon added another two majors through Cale Hooker and Fantasia to stretch its lead to 19 points at the first break. 

The Magpies worked their way back into the game in the second term, with Treloar (13 disposals for the quarter), Steele Sidebottom (12) and Wells (nine) prolific through the midfield.

The teams kicked two goals apiece over the quarter's opening 20 minutes before an opportunistic Alex Fasolo soccer goal, which was confirmed after a score review, kickstarted a dominant Pies run that saw them record the next six scores. 

Unfortunately for coach Nathan Buckley and his men, the first five shots registered behinds, with Treloar finally splitting the big sticks with a drawing snap that cut Collingwood's deficit to three points. 

And that was the margin at the main break after Fantasia put a set shot out on the full as the half-time siren sounded.

NEXT UP
Both teams face a five-day break ahead of round six, with the Bombers hosting Melbourne at Etihad Stadium in Sunday's early game and the Magpies meeting the unbeaten Cats at the MCG later that day. Essendon and the Demons have not played at Etihad since round 12, 2009, with the Bombers winning three of the teams' four games at the Docklands venue. Collingwood has won five of its seven clashes with Geelong since the 2011 Grand Final, all of them at the MCG.

ESSENDON             4.3     6.6    11.9     15.10    (100)                  
COLLINGWOOD     1.2     5.9     9.12    11.16     (82)           

GOALS
Essendon: Fantasia 4, Green 3, Daniher 3, Hooker 3, Francis, Heppell
Collingwood: Elliott 3, Moore 2, Wells 2, Sidebottom, Fasolo, Treloar, Crisp

BEST 
Essendon: Daniher, Merrett, Parish, Watson, Fantasia, McDonald-Tipungwuti, Kelly
Collingwood: Howe, Wells, Treloar, Sidebottom, Elliott 

INJURIES 
Essendon: Jobe Watson (cut head)
Collingwood: Tim Broomhead (jaw), Brodie Grundy (corked calf) 

Reports: Nil 

Umpires: Margetts, Nicholls, Kamolins

Official crowd: 87,605 at the MCG



A packed MCG pauses to reflect during the Last Post. Picture: AFL Photos