Traditional rivals Collingwood Magpies (8-5) and Essendon Bombers (9-5) will lock horns for the second time this season after the controversial ANZAC Day draw. Both sides currently sit in the top six making this clash a must-watch AFL encounter from the MCG on Friday.
The Magpies wasted a chance of breaking into the top four last weekend after falling to yet another defeat by the hands of Gold Coast Suns at Heritage Bank Stadium.
Craig Macrae's troops threatened to mount another final-quarter comeback, but were unable to halt the Sun's late momentum to record their fifth defeat of the campaign. However, they have the chance to make wrongs right and temporarily jump into the top four and leap-frog the Bombers if they are to claim the four points here.
Meanwhile, Brad Scott's Essendon crumbled in the second half against Geelong to lose by 45 points, subsequently dropping their percentage to below 100%. They have only beaten one team sitting in the top eight so far, GWS Giants, who are now down in 10th.
Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch Collingwood vs. Essendon in the AFL, plus plenty more.
Collingwood vs Essendon date and start time
| Date | Friday, July 5, 2024 |
| Start time | 7:40pm AEST/ 7:10pm ACST/ 5:10pm AWST |
| Venue | MCG |
| Location | Melbourne, Australia |
How to watch Collingwood vs Essendon on TV & stream live online
There are several options to watch the Collingwood vs Essendon AFL game in Australia, including Network Seven, Foxtel, Foxtel from Telstra, and Kayo Sports.
The best way to livestream the aforementioned AFL game is through Kayo with a seven-day free trial. It also does not have a lock-in contract or equipment fees, which means you can cancel anytime if you are no longer using it.
All you need to decide is whether you want to pick Kayo One at $25 per month (1 stream and up to HD), or Kayo Basic at $35 per month (2 streams and up to 4K).
What channel is Collingwood vs Essendon game on?
The game will be broadcast live on 7mate on free-to-air TV, and will also be available to watch via Fox Footy on pay TV. Triple M, ABC, and AFL Nation will provide the radio coverage.
Streaming the game with a VPN
- Overview of VPN services that allow access to geo-restricted streams
- How to set up and use a VPN service to stream the match
You can watch the game from wherever you are in the world by using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) service such as NordVPN/ ExpressVPN. A VPN will allow you to create a secure connection online when you are abroad on holiday or for work and you want to stream the game live.
If you are not sure which VPN to use or how to use a VPN, we have taken a look at the best options available out there for watching live sports - check out the best VPN services review here.
Here’s an easy step-by-step guide on how to use a VPN to watch a game when you are overseas:
- Install VPN of your choice - see our reviews here for the best options.
- Select the location you wish to connect to. This is easy - if you are visiting the UK and you wish to continue watching one of your U.S. streaming services, you would select the US.
- Grab the popcorn and get ready to watch!
Collingwood vs Melbourne team news
Collingwood Magpies
Beau McCreery will miss a month with a calf strain on Saturday. John Noble will also miss Friday's game due to concussion protocols. Josh Daicos and Brayden Maynard both face fitness tests after picking up knocks in Queensland.
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Rucks | Cameron, Kreuger, Steene, Begg, Cox |
| Defenders | Carmichael, Frampton, Murphy, Moore, Eyre, Howe, Dean, Quaynor, Maynard, Noble, Jiath, Ryan, Markov, Parker |
| Midfielders | De Goey, Mitchell, Daicos, Pendlebury, Demattia, Allan, Sidebottom, Crisp, Bytel, Hoskin-Elliott, Sullivan, Nick Daicos |
| Forwards | McStay, McInnes, Johnson, Mihocek, Johnson, Lipinski, Elliott, Schultz, Carmichael, Macrae, Hill, Richards, McCreery, Richards, Harrison, McInnes, Johnson, Mihocek |
Essendon Bombers
Jake Kelly will return for Friday's clash after being a late withdrawal last week due to illness. Darcy Parish is getting closer to a comeback from his calf issue.
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Rucks | Draper, Goldstein, Bryan, Visentini |
| Defenders | Ridley, Laverde, Hayes, Baldwin, Reid, McKay, McGrath, Hind, Heppell, Durham, Redman, Kelly, Lual, Davey Jnr, Roberts |
| Midfielders | Tsatas, Caldwell, Merrett, Hobbs, Shiel, Cox, Setterfield, Wright, Duursma, Martin |
| Forwards | Langford, Weideman, Perkins, Jones, Baldwin, Caddy, Reid, McKay, Hunter, Gresham, Stringer, Davey, Wanganeen, Menzie |
Collingwood vs Essendon Recent Form
Collingwood Magpies: DLWWL
| Round | Match |
|---|---|
| R16 | Gold Coast 101-90 Collingwood |
| R14 | North Melbourne 118-119 Collingwood |
| R13 | Collingwood 89-51 Melbourne |
| R12 | Collingwood 82-100 Western Bulldogs |
| R11 | Fremantle 75-75 Collingwood |
Essendon Bombers: WLLWL
| Round | Match |
|---|---|
| R16 | Geelong 105-60 Essendon |
| R15 | Essendon 122-92 West Coast |
| R13 | Essendon 70-96 Carlton |
| R12 | Gold Coast 91-80 Essendon |
| R11 | Richmond 74-86 Essendon |
Head-to-Head Record
| Round | Match |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Bombers 85-85 Magpies |
| 2023 | Bombers 31-101 Magpies |
| 2022 | Magpies 90-77 Bombers |
| 2021 | Magpies 80-76 Bombers |
| 2020 | Bombers 82-93 Magpies |