Essendon vs Collingwood LIVE: All the latest updates from the AFL’s Anzac Day match

A turnover in the forward pocket sees Brady Mihocek snap true from about 10 metres out after some quick handballs put him in great position.

And Seven’s announcers claim last year’s crowd record of 95,179 is likely to be broken today.

Essendon fans could not have asked for a better start. Their team are shifting the ball with ease, constantly getting more numbers around the contest than the Pies, and this time it’s Darcy Parish with the sausage roll.

Another quick drive into the goal square reaps rewards for the Bombers as Harrison Jones scoops up the loose ball and slots home from another acute angle.

They just worked the ball from deep in their own half to Jake Stringer in the forward pocket with three precise kicks. He nails a long shot from a very difficult angle. To say he’s happy with that would be an understatement.

The Pies boss is known for wearing his heart on his sleeve and he did just that moments before play got underway.

The Bombers win the first bounce through Sam Draper, who gets both hands on the ball but can’t make good use of it and there’s a quick ball-up before Essendon quickly work it forward and Kyle Langford kicks true. First blood to Brad Scott’s men.

The crowd has observed the traditional period of silence, the Last Post and national anthems of New Zealand and Australia have been played, complete with a flyover during Advance Australia Fair, and we’re all set for the blockbuster.

We’re about 10 minutes from kickoff and veterans have waved to the crowd as they complete a circuit of footy’s most famous ground.

Some of them will be old enough to remember Anzac Day in 1959, which fell on a Saturday – back when all VFL games were played on that afternoon of the week.

Instead of playing the round, all matches were postponed for a week due to restrictions in place at the time. They were lifted in 1960, when the first VFL clashes were played on one of the most sacred of days on the Australian calendar.

Radio host Greg Martin has called for the highly controversial change which, if made reality, would almost certainly make fans beyond furious.

Here’s why he wants the tradition axed…

The Essendon boss said today is a ‘day of reflection’ for him and his family.

‘Dad was quite a few tours through Vietnam as a helicopter pilot in the army and he came back from Vietnam and ultimately passed away at 41 from injuries sustained,’ he said before the match.

The Anzac matches always draw a huge turnout – and this year is no different, as you can see from the pic below.

It wasn’t taken this afternoon, however – amazingly, the photographer captured the image at about nine o’clock this morning.

Talk about wanting to make sure you don’t miss out…

Thanks for joining us for our coverage of today’s highly anticipated Bombers vs Magpies Anzac Day clash from the MCG.

Stay with us for all the latest updates, scores and drama from one of the premier days on the AFL calendar.