Essendon Bombers

The greatest team in ANZAC Day history

Across 27 years, 20 players have claimed the ANZAC Medal to form one elite side 🏅

Published by
Michael Georgiou

The ANZAC Day clash between Collingwood and Essendon is the biggest game of the home and away season.

It draws a big crowd and it's played almost as if it's a final.

Each year the player judged best on ground is awarded the ANZAC Medal, with this being a tradition since 2000.

In 2011, players from the first game in 1995 to 1999 were awarded in retrospect for their performances.

We take a look at the best performances in all 27 years, and make a best 22.

It's hard to go past the winners of the ANZAC Medal and with 20 unique individuals winning the medal, that left two spots in the team in the backline.

Here is how we line up the best ANZAC team from the BOG performances of

Backline

Heath Shaw

Winning the ANZAC Medal in 2007, Heath Shaw played a tremendous game.

His 32 disposals, including 23 kicks, were massive, more so that he was playing on arguably the best ANZAC Day performer ever in James Hird, who went scoreless that game.

This game put the competition on notice, with Shaw getting tagged throughout the remainder of the season.

The premiership player played in six ANZAC games (five wins), picking up 24 touches or more each time.

Simon Prestigiacomo*

In a game that was decided by less than a goal, and could have gone either way, Prestigiacomo was important in keeping it that way.

In his milestone 200th game, 'Presti' kept Bombers skipper Matthew Llyod to just seven touches and no goals.

Although the stats won't show his importance, as he only managed four touches himself.

Ben Johnson

In 2006 Ben Johnson earned his ANZAC Medal with 30 touches, 10 marks and eight inside 50s.

The Magpies would claim a 17-point victory over the Bombers in front of 91,234 fans, with Johnson deservedly earning best-afield honours.

His win is also famous for having his named called out as "Craig" Johnson.

Paul Seedsman

The highlight of Seedsman's career was his 2015 ANZAC Day game, surprising all with a breakout performance to clinch the medal.

His 65-metre goal in the third quarter broke the shackles and set the Pies up to storm home to a 20-point victory.

That goal came with 31 disposals and 14 inside 50s, truly earning the silverware.

This was his best showing as a Pie, and now at Adelaide, he has cemented himself as one of the competition's elite wingmen.

Chris Tarrant

The only player to win an ANZAC Medal in a loss is Chris Tarrant.

On that day in 2001, the game was never really separated by more than a goal all day, with the Bombers prevailing by eight points.

Tarrant almost took the Pies over the line with a five-goal, 13-disposal performance. Having plied his trade at either end of the field and with little recognition for defenders come the post-game honours, we've slotted the Magpies swingman into the back third.

Martin Clarke*

An unexpected name but he makes the cut.

'Marty' Clarke finds his name in this side due to his 2012 game, where he nullified Bombers midfielder Brent Stanton.

Stanton was the form midfielder league-wide to that point of the season, averaging 29 disposals and had 36 touches four days prior in a win over Carlton.

The Irishman Clarke would have his number, keeping him to just two kicks in the first half.

Collingwood prevailed by a single point, and had Stanton been able to do what he does, the Pies mightn't have won that day.

*Named despite not having won an ANZAC Day Medal

Midfield

James Hird

There has only been one other player to somewhat come close to James Hird when it comes to ANZAC Day clashes, but even then, it's still quite a gap.

The two-time premiership player has been a central thread of ANZAC Day games, simply owning the match in the first half of the 2000s.

He has the most medal wins (tied) with three, claiming the honour in 2000, 2003 and 2004.

The 2003 win, in what is Essendon's most dominant ANZAC win over Collingwood (66-points), saw the former Brownlow medallist gather 27 touches and kick a bag of five.

Playing 10 times on this day, he averaged just under 24 touches and two goals.

Scott Pendlebury

If Hird was Mr ANZAC Day in the early 2000s, Pendlebury owns that moniker for the 2010s.

The 2010 Norm Smith medallist has also won three medals, doing so in 2010, the following year and in 2019.

He masterminded the 65-point smashing of Essendon in 2010 with 29 touches before upping it the next year with 34 possessions, eight tackles and three goals.

The 2019 hard-fought four-point win saw him gather a monstrous 38 disposals.

Dane Swan

Pendlebury's partner in crime during their time together, Dane Swan was a massive ANZAC Day player.

The 2011 Brownlow medallist helped himself to two ANZAC Medals in 2012 and two years later in 2014.

2012 was his best triumph, and probably one of the most prolific performances, as he gathered 42 touches, three goals and 13 clearances in the one-point victory.

He also dominated 2014 with four goals and 26 possessions. 11 ANZAC games saw Swan average 26 touches and kick 10 goals.

Forward Line

Mark Mercuri

With James Hird absent from the Essendon line-up, the medal was up for grabs for anyone in 1999.

The one who stood up was Mark Mercuri.

The shaven-headed Mercuri had a game-high 29 touches, seven clearances and kicked 2.2. Further, he laid three tackles.

With Hird out all year, he went on to have a standout campaign, earning a best and fairest, All-Australian nod and was runner-up in the Brownlow.

Joe Daniher

The 2017 ANZAC medallist, and one of the premier key forwards in the competition, Joe Daniher is one of few spearheads to win the prestigious title.

The lanky moustachioed 'Joey' kicked 3.4 in the Bombers' three-goal win in 2017.

He accompanied that with 16 possessions, eight marks (four inside 50), six inside 50s, two tackles and a clearance.

Another standout ANZAC Day clash came in 2019. Coming off a lengthy spell six days earlier, Daniher revived his career in the four-point loss to the Pies, with four goals from 16 disposals, nine contested possessions and eight marks (four contested).

David Zaharakis

One that Pies and Bombers fans will remember vividly, albeit for two opposite reasons.

Zaharakis has become synonymous in ANZAC Day lore.

First in 2009, in just his fourth game, the youngster, while only managing 10 disposals, kicked a last-minute goal to give the Essendon the lead and victory. It is one of the most famous moments in the rivalry's 27-year history.

It's not the only time he shined on April 25th, with Zaharakis claiming the medal in 2013 with 34 disposals and four goals.

Paul Medhurst

Playing in his first ANZAC Day clash in 2008, having previously been a Docker up until 2006, the Claremont product was judged best on ground in the Pies' massive 73-point win over the Dons.

Gathering 17 disposals and kicking six goals from that, it was certain the medal was his.

2008 ended up being a handy year for Medhurst, finishing runner up in the club's best and fairest and clinching an All-Australian spot.

Saverio Rocca

Two ANZAC Medals were awarded in retrospect after some mighty good performances from 'Sav' Rocca.

In the very ANZAC Day game in 1995, big Sav kicked a massive bag of nine goals.

He followed that up the next year with a score of 6.3, and in 1998 he kicked 7.4. Both games resulted in wins for the Pies.

From the first four ANZAC Day outings, Rocca kicked 24.14 and took 33 marks.

Steele Sidebottom

Winning the medal in 2016, Steele Sidebottom arguably could have earned himself another in 2018.

His performance that day was much more impressive given he had fallen ill.

Entering the game pale in the face and had twice arched forward to vomit, he didn't look out of sort when the game was on though.

Three goals to quarter-time set the tone, and he finished with 33 disposals and four goals total.

Between 2013-2018, Sidebottom earned votes in four of the six games.

Followers

Paddy Ryder

When preferred ruckman David Hille went down in the opening minutes of the 2009 game with a serious knee injury, 21-year-old Paddy Ryder was left to battle in the ruck alone.

The East Fremantle product would take this opportunity with both hands, winning the medal after a courageous performance.

While '09 will be remembered for the heroics of Zaharakis, Ryder was the key figure behind the win.

The current St Kilda ruckman notched up 16 possessions, 27 hit-outs, one goal and an outstanding 13 tackles.

Adam Treloar

2018 ANZAC medallist Adam Treloar played the best match of his career to that date.

The former Giant won 34 disposals at an efficiency of 82.4 per cent. He also won three clearances and had eight inside 50s.

On top of that, the current Bulldogs midfielder kicked two goals.

Scott Russell

Polling three Brownlow votes on ANZAC Day in 1996, Scott Russell was awarded the medal in retrospect.

The 1990 premiership player had 26 disposals and a goal, leading a Pies comeback victory.

Collingwood kicked six goals to two in the final quarter to fight back and win by 12 points.

Interchange

Mark McGough

In just his second AFL game, high school student Mark McGough would shock everyone and have a best on ground performance.

This came after a really strong debut the previous round, collecting 22 touches and two goals against Hawthorn.

The 17-year-old gathered 24 disposals in atrocious conditions to help the Magpies to a 33-point victory.

In what would be the crowning moment of his career, McGough was named the recipient of the ANZAC Day Medal, a moment fans will always remember.

Darcy Parish

2021 would be a breakout year for Bomber Darcy Parish, winning countless awards, including an All-Australian selection and a number of best on ground performances. The ANZAC Day Medal was another.

Parish had a field day on April 25, 2021, setting career records in disposals (42), effective disposals (30) and metres gained (619). This was all in 75 per cent game time, truly impressive.

The Geelong Falcons product became just the second player after Dane Swan to notch 40 disposals on ANZAC Day, and just the fifth Essendon player ever to do so while also kicking two goals.

Damian Monkhorst

In a rather forgettable 1997 ANZAC Day clash, unlike its two predecessors, Collingwood lead all game to win by 29 points.

Magpies ruckman Damian Monkhorst was the most dominant man on ground, with 20-disposals and 13 hit-outs. Probably a sign of the quality of said matchup.

He was awarded the retrospective medal.

 

Andrew Lovett

In the Bombers' sixth ANZAC Day win in 2005, Andrew Lovett was awarded the medal for his 20 disposals, seven marks and two-goal game.

Other players performed well in the 14-point Essendon win, including James Hird and Magpie Rhyce Shaw, but it was Lovett's all-round performance that earned best on ground that day.

Published by
Michael Georgiou