You always know when you hear the phrase "no matter where they are on the ladder" that you're actually being sold a football rivalry whose lofty reputation far exceeds the underwhelming reality of mediocrity.
For years, it was applied to Carlton-Collingwood clashes, and to be frank, in recent times it's also been largely applicable to the annual AFL Anzac Day blockbuster between the Magpies and Essendon.
Which is what makes Tuesday's 2023 version all the more appetising. Even five or six rounds into a season when this much-hyped clash always takes place, it's been rare enough for even one of the Pies or Bombers to be on song, let alone both.
Yet here we are, both teams 4-1, Essendon in second spot on the ladder, Collingwood third. That's as well as both have been travelling at the same time since all the way back in 2000, when the Bombers were unbeaten and on top of the ladder, and the Pies five wins from six and in third spot.
Essendon would go on that year to win what remains its most recent premiership with the single most dominant season in league history, winning 24 games of 25.
Collingwood would implode from that point and indeed finish second-last with only seven wins. But after a wooden spoon only six months or so previously, the Magpies were at least back playing among the big boys again, and would go on to play in the 2002-03 grand finals against Brisbane.
Is there something of a similar feel about Tuesday, just with the roles reversed this time?
No, we're not suggesting Collingwood is about to become the sort of juggernaut Kevin Sheedy's team was 23 years ago. But the Pies, since the mid-point of last season, have won 17 of 21 games, with two of the four defeats by just six points and one point. Only Geelong has won more over the same period, and it's only one win more.
And every week so far in 2023, the Pies have come up against either a 2022 finalist or a likely finalist this season, defeat at the Gabba against the Lions the sole reversal.
Essendon, meanwhile, in its first season under Brad Scott, has been impressive in making do with often undermanned forward and defensive set-ups, last season's leading goalkicker and best and fairest winner Peter Wright not having played at all, and goalkicking runner-up in 2022 Jake Stringer only having appeared in the last three games. Still, however, the Dons sat equal fourth for points scored at the end of Round 5.
As for defence, there's a notable shortage of height, experience and body strength, but the likes of Mason Redman, Andy McGrath, Jordan Ridley, Jake Kelly, Jayden Laverde and Brandon Zerk-Thatcher have offered brilliant support to each other, the Bombers also fourth for fewest points conceded.
Essendon's midfield numbers, consistently low for years, have also had a dramatic upsurge, the Dons now ranked fourth and seventh for contested ball and clearance differentials respectively, up from 13th and 11th last year.
And that's the main area of Collingwood's continued improvement, too. The Magpies' recruitment of Tom Mitchell is already proving a masterstroke.
While Mitchell isn't getting the same sheer weight of possession he has in recent years with Hawthorn, his touches in 2023 are proving far more valuable.
Mitchell is a clear No.1 at Collingwood for contested ball and clearances. And that goes most of the way to explaining why the Magpies, last year ranked 17th on the differentials in both contested possession and stoppage wins, are now a clear No.1 and ninth respectively in those two categories.
They're pretty hot on the outside, too. Ranked 14th for uncontested ball differentials last season, the Pies are currently a clear No.1, with Nick and Josh Daicos, both terrific users of the football, leading the way. And they're sharing the scoring load more, eight players currently averaging at least a goal per game.
That around the ball improvement and even spread of scorers shapes as even more critical while Collingwood is making do without recognised ruckmen thanks to injuries to Darcy Cameron and Mason Cox, and potential fill-in and key forward Dan McStay is out with a finger injury.
Indeed, Collingwood's ruck resilience might be tested more than ever this Anzac Day given how well Essendon pair Sam Draper and Andrew Phillips have been teaming. But so is this a great test across-the-board for the Bombers.
For as well as new coach Brad Scott's team is faring, last week's win over Melbourne was Essendon's first against a highly-rated opponent. Double that up in front of 90,000-odd people in the biggest home and away game of the year and the Bombers' bona fides as a legitimate big improver would surely have to be stamped.
Anzac Day has always been a huge occasion, regardless. But perhaps this time, with the Pies and Bombers both in as good a nick as we've seen for quite a while, we'll actually get a game befitting of so grand a stage.
You can read more of Rohan Connolly's work at FOOTYOLOGY.