While it may have slightly cooled off in recent years, the traditional rivalry between North Melbourne and Essendon is one of the feistiest in the history of the game.

From the Bombers preventing North from entering the VFL in the early 1900s, to Kevin Sheedy’s infamous labelling of North administrators Greg Miller and Mark Dawson as ‘marshmallows’ and everything in between and since, these two clubs possess a genuine dislike for each other.

With the latest chapter of the long-term rivalry set to be written this weekend, a trip down memory lane should get fans and players alike fired up for what promises to be a hard-nosed contest.

Pre-VFL era

Despite coming into existence in 1869, the North Melbourne Football Club would not enter the VFL competition until 1925, with Essendon’s fear of losing local talent to the neighbouring Shinboners a key reason why the Kangaroos were forced to wait nearly 60 years to enter the leading division of Victorian football.

In fact, the Bombers even attempted to move into North Melbourne Recreation Reserve to force a merger between the two sides, however an agreement was unable to be reached and the merger was abandoned.

A number of North Melbourne legends would ply their trade in the VFL with the Bombers including the great Syd Barker Senior, who played 54 games in red and black between 1921 and 1924. Upon the Kangaroos’ admittance into the VFL though, Barker would return to the Kangaroos for one final season at the club.

VFL era

North Melbourne made its first ever VFL Grand Final in 1950 and, somewhat fittingly, its opponent would be the side who fought so vehemently to exclude them from the competition.

There was an immense amount of star power on both sides on the day. North Melbourne fielded the likes of indoctrinated legend Les Foote, as well as Hall of Fame members Jock Spencer, Kevin Dynon and icons Jock McCorkell and Don Condon. The Bombers had the likes of John Coleman and Dick Reynolds amongst their ranks.

Unfortunately the Kangaroos would go on to lose the clash by 38 points in front of over 87,000 fans.

There have only been three headcount controversies in the history of the League, and one happened between these two sides in 1958.

North’s Josh Waddington ran off the bench while Bryan Martyn was receiving treatement on the field leading Essendon to believe the Kangaroos had an extra player on the ground; a discretion that, if found guilty of, would lead to North’s score being erased.

It was Essendon captain Jack Clarke who alerted the umpires of the potential indiscretion, but the Kangaroos were cleared of any wrongdoing. 

Bombers coach Dick Reynolds declared he had nothing to do with his captain’s embarrassing blunder.

The 1980s would see another flare-up of the old rivalry, with the Krakouer brothers and Malcolm Blight famously leading North Melbourne to a glorious elimination final win in 1982.

A 22-year-old Phil Krakouer kicked four goals, while his older brother Jim impressed with two spectacular majors of his own. Malcolm Blight also kicked four goals in the famously high-scoring 13-point win.

Phil Krakouer would once again play a starring role in the first ever Friday night meeting between the two sides in Round 10, 1986, with the electric forward kicking six goals for the game, including Goal of the Year in the final term.

AFL era

The on-field height of the rivalry undoubtedly came in the 1990s and early 2000s, with both sides consistently amongst those teams competing for the game’s highest honours.

Denis Pagan’s team of joeys would kickstart the rivalry in 1993, with young stars Adrian McAdam and John Longmire combining for 12 goals to help North stroll to a 38-point win. Wayne Carey was also an immense presence and finished the game with 20 disposals, 13 marks and four goals, however the Bombers would go on to win the premiership that year.

North and Essendon were one straight kick away from meeting in the 1996 Grand Final, with Essendon losing to the Swans by one measly point in their preliminary final. North would go on to smash the Swans in the second half of the Grand Final to secure the premiership cup that year.

Despite suffering six losses in eight games to the Kangaroos, Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy publicly labelled North executives Greg Miller and Mark Dawson as soft, comparing them to marshmallows.

“He’d be a pink marshmallow, Dawson. Miller would be a white marshmallow. That’s about where I see those two softies,” Sheedy famously quipped.

These comments led to Sheedy being famously pelted with marshmallows after the Kangaroos strolled to a 22-point victory in the 1998 qualifying final.

Much like in 1996 the great rivals were one game away from a much anticipated Grand Final match-up in 1999, but it was once again the Bombers who fell at the final hurdle, suffering defeat to Carlton in the preliminary final.

North would go on to beat the Blues and claim its fourth flag.

It would be almost two decades before the two sides met again in the finals, with the classic comeback of 2014 living long in the memory of North fans.

With the Bombers leading by 27 points at half-time the Roos would stage a famous comeback, led by rookie Ben Brown’s four goals. Drew Petrie’s ‘Frank the Tank’ celebration has since become an iconic moment in the history of the football club.

Massive games between the two clubs have been few and far between in recent seasons, and while the on-field nature of the rivalry may have cooled off somewhat, there’s still a general disdain held for each other between the two sides.