Nothing could split Essendon and Collingwood in an instant Anzac Day classic at the 'G.

In a strange final 10 minutes, both sides threw everything they could at each other but just couldn't find a path to goal, until four-goal Langford found himself in some space with 1.50 left on the clock.

His set shot drifted wide, tying up the score at 12.13 (85) apiece, and the 93,000-strong crowd was left stunned on the final siren.

Brody Mihocek had consecutive opportunities to build out Collingwood's lead, but blew both shots out on the full, on either side of the goal-face.

It was an odd game, played at a frenetic pace or a snail's pace, with very little in between – the Bombers bursting out of the pack with some scintillating footy, the Pies grinding their way back into the mix, a dogged third term before the floodgates opened, with a series of stunning goals from both teams.

Collingwood had 80 fewer disposals, moving the ball at pace down the field, while the Bombers worked the ball around the ground to get through the Mapgies' defence.

Essendon produced arguably its best first quarter of the season, kicking the first four goals for the game in an astonishingly quick seven-and-a-half minutes, and six for the full term, led by Peter Wright on return from a four-week ban.

The Bombers couldn't quite maintain their scintillating start as the Pies lifted their pressure after a successive slow start, trapping the ball in their attacking half and slowly but steadily chipping away at the lead.

Nick Daicos had pinched the lead and celebrated faster than the umpire could signal a holding-the-ball free kick, but the Bombers rallied.

The third term was an old-fashioned slog, and aside from a spectacular Jamie Elliott leap, it was more akin to a boxing round where the points were shared, as both sides struggled with composure, particularly entering their respective forward 50s.

Harry Jones was on the wrong side of a painful head clash at the start of the last quarter, leaving the field with a heavily bleeding nose and was subbed out for Nick Hind's pace.

The Bombers now look ahead to a trip to Perth to take on West Coast next Saturday night.

ESSENDON              6.1     7.6       9.11     12.13     (85)
COLLINGWOOD      2.6     6.11     9.12     12.13     (85)

GOALS
Essendon: Langford 4, Wright 2, Stringer, Jones, Parish, Draper, A. Davey, Martin
Collingwood: Mihocek 3, Elliott 2, Hoskin-Elliott, N. Daicos, Lipinski, Schultz, J. Daicos, Harrison, McCreery

BEST
Essendon: Merrett, Parish, Langford, Martin, Stringer, McGrath
Collingwood: N. Daicos, Pendlebury, Moore, Mihocek, Noble, J. Daicos

INJURIES
Essendon: Jones (nose)
Collingwood: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Essendon: Nick Hind (replaced Jones in the fourth term)
Collingwood: Harvey Harrison (replaced Mitchell in the fourth term)

Crowd: 93,644 at the MCG