Value bet for the Magpies vs. Bombers ANZAC Day Medal?

April 20, 2016 5:04 pm.by Mike Randall

Collingwood Magpies vs. Essendon Bombers, Anzac Day, Monday, April 25, 2016, 3.20pm AEST, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Watch on Fox Footy, Seven Network

Ladder position
Collingwood Magpies: 15th
Essendon Bombers: 16th

Season record
Collingwood Magpies: 1-3
Essendon Bombers: 1-3

Head-to-head odds
Collingwood Magpies: $1.42 with CrownBet.com.au
Essendon Bombers: $2.90

Line betting
Collingwood Magpies: -17.5 ($1.91 with WilliamHill.com.au)
Essendon Bombers: +17.5 ($1.91)

SO, this game is usually meant to be a blockbuster.

Two traditional powerhouses going head to head at the home of football on Anzac Day.

But it’s probably going to end up being a display of some of the poorest footy you will see.

Collingwood has kicked off the season using the football at a historically bad efficiency rate, while Essendon represents more a VFL side than an AFL side, playing with plenty of guts, but very little skill.

But don’t let this scare you.

It might not be a showcase of the pinnacle of footy, but games between these two traditional rivals, on our nation’s most storied day, are almost always entertaining.

We’ll be looking at things like how often can boom Magpies recruit Adam Treloar put the ball down an opponents’ throat and will Essendon’s Joe Daniher turn up to play after having two weeks off since demolishing the Demons.

But, in all seriousness, this is set to be a battle of futility, with neither side harbouring genuine designs on a finals spot.

Both teams sit at 1-3, with the Magpies embarrassing themselves against Melbourne last week, going down by 35 points, 16.6 (102) to 9.13 (67).

The Bombers, on a hiding to nothing with their rag tag bunch of top up players, stepping in for their suspended supplements saga stars, made a fist of it against Geelong, but ultimately fell short by six goals, 9.18 (72) to 6.6 (42).

For the Pies, defender Ben Reid had scans on his knee on Monday and said he was likely to line up against the Bombers, while they are monitoring spearhead Travis Cloke’s sore elbow.

The Dons have no key injury concerns.

Who will win the Anzac Day Medal?

Scott Pendlebury ($8)

By his own lofty standards, Pendles has just not quite been getting the job done. Still a beautiful user of the ball, he stands out in this Collingwood side, which disposes of the footy about as well as a country league’s under 18s. If they are to win, Pendlebury will have the lead the way. He has tried to take the heat of coach Nathan Buckley with his comments this week, but the best way for him to ease the pressure on Bucks is to help the Pies to a win. Back him in to have a big one against the arch rival Bombers in this one.

Alex Fasolo ($21)

Wonderfully talented, but only sometimes turns up, Fasolo is a source of both satisfaction and frustration for the Magpie army. If he turns it on, few players can match his exhilarating skills around the goals – just ask Richmond, who was on the receiving end of a match winning six goal career performance from Fasolo in the Pies’ round two win. Had a season high 18 touches against the Demons last week, but only bagged 1.2 and will need to put more scoreboard pressure on if the Pies are to take this one out.

Zach Merrett ($12)

The early frontrunner for the Dons best and fairest and perhaps the competition’s most improved player, Merrett has led from the front for a Dons’ side that is crying out for leadership. His 29 disposals five marks and eight tackles made him the number one ranked player on the deck against the Cats and he has had 28 or more touches in every game this season. Absolute gold value at $12 if you think the Bombers can get up.

Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti ($34)

How good is this kid? As tough as nails and wonderfully talented, McDonald-Tipungwuti is coming off the best game in his young career with 23 disposals and three marks. A running machine who wins his own ball and uses it very well, McDonald-Tipungwuti stands out on the field and, if he goes well, will certainly attract the eye of voters.