The best of rivals

COLLINGWOOD and Essendon are rivals only in the way that BHP and Rio Tinto might be considered rivals. They are giants and competitors in the same market, but when confronted with a profits tax or another equalisation measure, they present a united front to the government. The Pies and Bombers have shared interests and a common enemy - the Carlton Football Club, which has had far more storied clashes and genuine hostility with Collingwood and Essendon than either of today's combatants have had with each other. The Essendon-Collingwood story doesn't have anything like the same animosity, despite their size and premiership tallies. Geographically, their relative distance meant their early history lacked the direct, vicious competition of the various inner-city foes. Whatever rivalry exists is founded upon two dates - the 1990 grand final and April 25 each year, when they get together for what, in truth, is really a joint production and shared bonanza. Anzac Day is another instance in which there is a strong vested interest, as the clubs are under constant pressure to justify their duopoly. Advertisement: Story continues below The Essendon fans don't particularly like Collingwood - who does? - and vice versa, but their respective hierarchies are on very friendly terms. Indeed, there would be few combinations of clubs that would have cosier relations. Rivalries we call ''bitter'' usually contain three elements. The first and most indispensable part is that there is some history of high-stakes games, preferably grand finals. The second is some on-field incidents such as Dermott Brereton Rosetta Stone Arabicrunning through Paul Van Der Haar and the Essendon huddle (separate atrocities), the ''line in the sand'' game of 2004, a grand final brawl (1985) and accusations that one club might be sniffing something stronger than eucalyptus oil, as Kevin Sheedy famously alleged (wrongly) of the Hawks in 1984. Add Matthew Lloyd ironing out Brad Sewell in 2009 and the resultant histrionics of Campbell Brown and Alastair Clarkson and one can see why Essendon and Hawthorn aren't holding hands. Carlton ticks all the boxes in its rivalry with the Bombers - the 1999 preliminary final is still treated like a flag by the Blues - and while recent Collingwood and Carlton games haven't been as dramatic, their ancient antipathy remains. The third element is lingering personal antagonism, which is often a result of particular incidents. In the case of Essendon and Collingwood, relations are stronger than most clubs because of the friendship between the respective presidents, David Evans and Eddie McGuire. The pair have offices alongside each other in Jolimont and see each other regularly. Eddie serves on the advisory board of Evans's company, Evans and Partners, and it emerged last week that McGuire and Evans would serve together on the board of the incoming Big Bash League team, the Melbourne Stars. The McGuire-Evans relationship is what one Essendon official called ''the X-factor'' in the clubs' harmonious dealings. This year, the sense that these clubs operate as a superpower bloc has been enhanced by the AFL's equalisation committee, which is helping devise the AFL's new deal for struggling clubs. Evans and Collingwood chief executive Gary Pert are among the club representatives, along with Richmond's chief executive Brendon Gale, St Kilda president Greg Westaway and Fremantle's chief executive, Steve Rosich. Clearly, the AFL wanted Victoria's most powerful clubs, Collingwood and Essendon, to ''own'' whatever measures are introduced. As Andrew Demetriou has indicated, it won't introduce a wealth tax or cap football department spending. These are handcuffs, obviously, that the Pies and Dons, oppose.

Posted in: Rosetta Stone,Rosetta Stone Outlet,rosetta stone software,Rosetta Stone V3