“It was very nice, especially since the ANZAC Day game wasn’t great so I guess we were looking for a little redemption and to win by that much is a credit,” he said.
“It’s hard to single a player out in a win like that, I thought Jobe obviously had a fair bit of ball and was terrific, Welshy again, Hille again, I think Monfries’ job on Heath Shaw was fantastic, Fletcher down back .. they all put in which was really important.”
Camporeale said the team showed real character to respond when Collingwood fought back and reduced the lead.
“It’s good for the players that they have the self belief to get into those situations and then get out of it,” he said.
“Obviously we don’t want to get into those situations too much but it was full credit to them.
“It doesn’t matter how many players you have out in the stands you can only play with what’s on the ground but I think it’s important for this group to know we can do it – obviously we have players to come back but it’s great confidence building for the group to know we can beat a top eight side.”
The game started with Monfries attacking the ball and handballing to Lloyd who was streaming towards goal for the first major of the day.
An increasing dangerous Jetta found the ball and handballed to Welsh who curved his kick around from 35m out for the second goal of the game.
With Slattery, Fletcher and Ryder standing strong down back and Hille dominating around the ground the Bombers were in control and Welsh marked a goaled from 50m the Bombers went up 20 points to nil.
A free kick and 50m to Welsh in the centre two minutes later saw him kick his third for the quarter.
When Fletcher hit the ball through at 13 minutes into the game the Magpies had their first score – 27 points to 1 point.
The Bombers replied quickly with Lloyd passing to Monfries who goaled from 45m out.
Cloke marked and goaled just before the 21 minute mark for Magpies first major.
Monfries was unstoppable across half-forward but the Bombers didn’t’ capitalise on their chances and kicked point after point and took a 28-point lead into the break.
Welsh and Dyson the major ball winners for the quarter.
The second quarter started with Hille missing an easy opportunity running into goal.
The Magpies rebounded quickly with a hand pass from Cloke to Didak who kicked his first and his team’s second major of the day.
You could feel the momentum shift the Magpies way but they weren’t able to convert.
Essendon had their chances too but it took a great pass from Medhurst to Anthony at the 13th minute mark for the Magpies to get their next goal.
A poor kick-in by the Bombers’ led to Cloke’s second goal of the day
Collingwood were winning the ball with ease and got their next goal through a passage of five handballs in the forward fifty, the final one ending in the hands of Leon Davis.
Just when Essendon need it most, Lloyd took a great mark under pressure and managed to convert to stop the Collingwood flow.
A great Dyson kick to Stanton 30 seconds later was a confidence lifter and the Bombers could have extended their lead further but Monfries sprayed a shot from 40 meters out.
Cloke was given a free kick only minutes later due to Ryder holding his arm and goaled for his third major of the day.
Lloyd missed an easy chance and Davis failed to convert after the siren – the Bombers up by nine points at half-time.
The third quarter started badly with Didak slotting one through from 50m in the opening 20 seconds.
When things looked down, Monfries went up taking a big mark over Wood 20m out and kicking his second goal.
A free kick to Lloyd moments later saw the captain kick his third to take the margin back to 14 points.
Another free, this time to Jetta, resulted in the Bombers’ third a row.
A hard working Lonergan took the ball out the middle, it ended with Lovett-Murray who kicked a great running goal from 50m to take the margin out to 26 points.
Another good Dyson run through the middle and pass hit Reimers who kicked his first. Bomber up by 32 points.
Two strong marks and goals to Collingwood players, first Anthony then Davis, brought the margin back to 21 points.
The Bombers had let offs when Cloke missed from 30m out and straight in front and again when Swan missed too.
Essendon finished the quarter up 19 points, Watson Essendon’s most damaging player.
Essendon squandered early chances to start the final quarter and the Magpies hit back with a big Medhurst goal from 55m out.
Lovett-Murray responded by finding Reimers who just scraped his kick in for a goal. The margin still 19 points.
Another Hille moment of excellent saw him knock his opponent out the way and hand ball to Reimers who ran into goal for his third.
When McPhee was shepherded out of a marking contest, and Collingwood gave away 50m, he had the chance to make the margin 31 points. McPhee kicked truly from 50m and the game looked to be Essendon’s for the taking.
Cloke missed an easy one and Welsh kicked an impossible one - after the ball took a lucky bounce and went through - and the celebrations started. Essendon up 37 points.
