By Jimmy
Dreamtime at the ‘G. A night to celebrate the involvement of the Aboriginal Australians in this great game, Aussie Rules Football. A night to appreciate some of the Indigenous stars that have made our game such a magnificent spectacle over the years– including the likes of Adam Goodes, Andrew Lovett, the Rioli clan, Michael Long, the Davey boys, the Kraouker’s… the list goes on and on. No matter who you are, or what your background is, you’d have to agree that the blistering pace, the freakish skill, and the silky moves of the Aboriginal players, past and present, have added something special to the VFL/AFL over the years, and will hopefully continue to for many more to come.

Saturday night will be the fifth ‘Dreamtime at the ‘G’ clash between the Bombers and the Tigers. While the attendance figures of the previous four encounters may not sound too appealing (49975, 58439, 61837 and 60333), anyone who has attended any of these matches will tell you that an electric atmosphere fills the MCG, and with an average winning margin of just over three goals from the four contests, Saturday night is posing as another remarkable contest.

Last year, the Bombers were embarrassed on this very night, at this very ground. After a horrendous loss to Sydney the week before, the Dons came out as sluggish as ever, ending the first quarter at 0.5.5. This resulted in the first big spray from new coach, Matthew Knights. It didn’t do much – Richmond ran out 38-point winners, as Essendon lost their eighth straight game. Nathan Foley took home the Yiooken Award for best on ground.

This isn’t the only game that has been cemented into the minds of Essendon supporters. Nobody will have forgotten a last quarter burst from first-gamer, Dean Polo, which allowed Richmond to snatch victory from the hands of the Bombers in 2006. Who would have thought that on the same night in 12 months time, Jobe Watson’s midfield magic would allow Essendon to come from just under three goals down with minutes remaining, to steal the win from Richmond. The occasion has history, and we should expect nothing less this Saturday night.

The Bombers are travelling steadily in 2009. Sitting eighth on the ladder at 4 wins, 4 losses, Saturday night’s game proves a rather important one if Essendon aspire to play finals football this year, but the recent performances from the red and black on the big stage have not disappointed – producing epic wins against rivals Carlton, Collingwood and Hawthorn. History will tell us that this game will definitely not be a walk in the park, as bookies and tipsters will predict. The usual culprits will have to be on their game all night – the likes of Watson, Lloyd, Stanton, Lovett and Monfries will all have to fire, whilst the emerging defenders in Hooker and Pears have another chance to prove their worth in an ever-growing competitive Essendon side.

Richmond, on the other hand, have had an abysmal start to the season. Languishing in 15th spot on the ladder, at 1-7, the Tigers have been beaten from pillar to post in the media, whilst appearing to be very unstable within the inner sanctum. A recent serious injury to cult-figure, Matthew Richardson, is the icing on the very sour 2009 cake for the yellow and black. However, this is a team that has challenged Essendon at every opportunity in recent years, and must not be taken lightly by player, coach or supporter. Richmond are capable of the unthinkable, and after another week of turmoil, may just surprise a few unsuspecting people if Essendon are not wary.

Despite recent form and ladder position, Saturday night will resemble tribal warfare, as two heavyweights of the competition go toe-to-toe. Player to player. Coach to coach. Grog Squad to Grog Squad.

The fire in the belly burns strong, so be sure to get down to the ‘G on Saturday night and help the mighty Dons get over the line in what promises to be another epic battle.

Jimmy’s vote – Essendon by 19 points.