46,588 fans wandered in to the MCG on a normally plain Melbourne autumn day for the round three clash.
The Cats had split their first two games for 1993. A four goal win in round one over St Kilda was followed up by a 10 point loss to the Pies in round two despite kicking seven goals in the final term.
The Bombers had been even less convincing. In a trip to Perth in round one the Bombers were able to salavage a 13 point defeat from the reigning premiers despite having 13 less scoring shots. The next week was much the same with the Bombers able to pull out a draw against arch-rivals Carlton who kicked 5.5 in the last quarter to the Bombers 6.0.
But this round three game would not be remembered for the form the two sides had brought in or even the result which saw the Bombers prevail by four goals. No, it would be remembered by two players who went by the unusual monikers of “God” and “Fish”.
For Gary Ablett (“God”), 1993 had only started the week before in the match against Collingwood when he booted seven goals. For Paul Salmon (“Fish”), that season hadn’t started prior to the Cats game, with the round three clash to be his first for the “Baby Bombers”.
By the end of the day there wasn’t a defender on either team who could be consoled.
Up one end Ablett would kick 14 goals and seven behinds seeing off opponents such as Chris Daniher, Derek Kickett and James Hird. At the other end Salmon would be almost equally as devastating finishing with 10 goals and six behinds on names such Tim Darcy, Stephen O’Reilly and Stephen Hooper.
It was a day no one at the ground would ever forget. For the Bombers it went on to be a year they’d never forget with a premiership win the final chapter in 2013. For the Cats it was an amazing year for only Ablett who would finish with 124 goals in 17 games. The Cats would miss the finals on percentage.
But the most stunning fact from the day relates to this week's game. There will be one person above all on Etihad Stadium on Friday night who remembers the feats clearer than anyone else. Playing that day as a 17 year old in only his third game was current Bombers veteran Dustin Fletcher.
Gary Ablett vs Bombers – 25 kicks, 0 handballs, 12 marks, six free kicks for, 14 goals, seven behinds and three Brownlow votes.
Paul Salmon vs Cats – 18 kicks, 0 handballs, 10 marks, two free kicks for, 10 goals, six behinds and two Brownlow votes.
Geelong 5.5 10.16 16.16 19.18 132
Essendon 6.5 11.7 17.13 23.18 156
Goals:
Geelong – Ablett 14, G Hocking, Darcy, Pickering, Scott, Hickmont.
Essendon – Salmon 10, Bewick 4, Alessio 3, Symons 2, O’Donnell, Mercuri, Hills, Grenvold.
Best:
Geelong - Ablett, G Hocking, Couch, Pickering, McGrath
Essendon – Salmon, Misiti, O’Donnell, Bewick, Mercuri
