SYDNEY 3.1.19 7.2.44 9.7.61 10.9.69
SCORERS - Collingwood: Elliott (3.2), Cloke (2.1), Goldsack (2.0), Pendlebury (1.1), Beams (1.0), Sinclair (1.0), Swan (1.0), Young (1.0), White (0.2), Blair (0.1), Grundy (0.1), Macaffer (0.1), Sidebottom (0.1)
BEST - Collingwood: Pendlebury, Beams, Lumumba, Elliott, Macaffer, Grundy
INJURIES - Collingwood: Witts replaced in selected side by Dwyer; Brown (shoulder)
SUBSTITUTES - Collingwood: Taylor Adams replaced Nathan Brown at three quarter-time
REPORTS: Nil
OFFICIAL CROWD: 32,347 at ANZ Stadium
| - Captain Scott Pendlebury came of age in his new role. He was restricted to only three touches in the first quarter. His next three yielded 30 to go with his 11 inside 50s, 10 tackles and nine clearances. A machine-like performance from a player who set the two sides apart with his ball use, decision making and clear head under duress. - Dane Swan’s 16 disposals was his lowest return since - get this - round 20, 2008. Incredibly, it was only the fourth time he has returned less than 20 disposals in 121 games since the start of 2009. Much of this can be attributed to the amount of time he spent in attack compared with his usual on-ball role. These stats speak volumes of his consistency and appetite for the Sherrin. - Brent Macaffer claims another victim. The Caff went to Sydney gun Kieren Jack and shut him out of the game, holding him to just 14 disposals while winning 13 of his own. To put that into perspective, Jack had won less than 16 disposals only three times in his last 50 games. | - One of the reasons Clinton Young was so keenly sought after by the Collingwood recruiters at the end of 2012 was his raking left boot that did so much damage during his time at Hawthorn. In only his fourth senior game at Pieland, Young let his feet do the talking. He used the ball 17 times at 88.2 per cent efficiency and took the ball out of the defensive 50 five times in the process. - Collingwood’s winning ways in the Harbour City continue. Since 2003, the Magpies have won 10 of their 13 games at Homebush and have lost just one of their last 10 encounters at the ground. "Captain Scott Pendlebury came of age in his new role. He was restricted to only three touches in the first quarter. His next three yielded 30 to go with his 11 inside 50s, 10 tackles and nine clearances." |
| 1. Buddy shows signs of life The focal point heading into the game, Franklin showed a big improvement on last week's quiet debut against Greater Western Sydney. He still looks a little underdone, but he kicked two goals, including a booming left-foot effort from around 55 metres. He was unable to really influence the match when it was in the balance in the final term, but he did enough to show there is still plenty of magic left in his legs. 2. Zero and two With both sides suffering poor round one defeats, the blowtorch was going to be applied to whoever lost on Saturday night. It turns out that will be the Swans. Talked up as premiership favourites entering the season, there is still plenty of time for them to right the ledger. But another loss in their tough road trip to meet the Crows in Adelaide will have the critics at their door. 3. White Pie and a new Blood Jesse White produced his best season in the AFL for the Swans in 2013 before being squeezed out following Franklin's arrival. He missed the opening-round loss to Fremantle with a calf problem, but recovered to take on his old side, although he endured a very quiet night. Tom Derickx also made his maiden appearance for the Swans. With Shane Mumford now plying his trade across town at the Giants, Derickx – who earned just two games for Richmond last season – has an opportunity to join the long list of recycled players to forge a career in Sydney. His was also an inauspicious beginning, however, and he will be under pressure to retain his place if Lewis Roberts-Thomson (groin) returns to full fitness. | 4. Pies' new skipper relishing his role In his first year as Collingwood captain, Scott Pendlebury appears tailor-made for the leadership role. He lifted his output the further the game progressed, ending the night with 33 touches, 10 tackles, 10 inside 50s and nine clearances to play a key role in a victory that shows there is plenty of life in the Pies' season. 5. Maxwell's milestone a day to remember Not always considered among the competition's elite defenders outside of his club, Nick Maxwell has quietly put together an outstanding career at the Pies. A skipper for five seasons, including leading them to their 2010 flag, he stepped down at the start of this year as Scott Pendlebury took over. Rookie-listed back in 2003, Maxwell chalked up game No.200 against the Swans. Not always considered among the competition's elite defenders outside of his club, Nick Maxwell has quietly put together an outstanding career at the Pies. A skipper for five seasons, including leading them to their 2010 flag, he stepped down at the start of this year as Scott Pendlebury took over. Rookie-listed back in 2003, Maxwell chalked up game No.200 against the Swans.
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| THE MEDIA | |
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Collingwood has opened its account for 2014 and left premiership fancies Sydney still winless after a 20-point Magpie victory at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night. Lance Franklin indicated there is plenty of life left in his $10 million legs, kicking two goals for the Swans including a trademark left-foot cannon on the run from 55m in the third term. But the Pies continued their love affair with Sydney's Olympic stadium, winning 12.17 (89) to 10.9 (69) for their ninth triumph in their past 10 trips to the venue. The result eliminates any pressure on coach Nathan Buckley ahead of next week's clash with Geelong, with the Swans now under the pump and facing a trip to Adelaide next up to meet the Crows. Collingwood skipper Scott Pendlebury lifted after half-time to be best on ground with 33 touches, 10 tackles and nine clearances, ably supported by Dayne Beams and Heritier Lumumba. Jamie Elliott kicked a game-high three goals and Brent Macaffer blanketed Kieren Jack. Buckley only rated his team a "five or six out of 10", but was nonetheless thrilled with the way it bounced back from last week's 70-point mauling against Fremantle. "It was a stronger defensive performance," he said. "I think we saw elements we’ve been working on through the pre-season tonight that we missed in the last three quarters of the Freo game. "To get the win is clearly what we're looking for, but the actual way we played and structured up was really pleasing as well." Dan Hannebery bounced back from a quiet performance in week one, finishing with 29 possessions, backed up by Ben McGlynn and Josh Kennedy, with Franklin their only multiple goalkicker. The Swans were left to rue some terrible entries into their forward line before being overrun and out-enthused by the visitors. "(The game) was lost with a bit of polish going forward," coach John Longmire said. "We didn't have the polish we wanted going forward, particularly in the second half, and didn't use the ball when we had it. "Towards the back end of the game that's what cost us. "We blazed away too many times and didn't use the extra number and really kicked it back to them too many times." Franklin got off to a rough start, finishing second best in a number of early marking duels with Jack Frost and caught holding the ball the first time he touched the Sherrin. But he battled on, taking a strong contested mark on the wing, and then had his first key contribution when he got on the end of a McGlynn pass and nailed the set shot from around 45m. In the third term he then had his best moment in his new colours, receiving a pass from Luke Parker and kicking truly on the run from 55m in a vintage moment that brought the Swans within four points. He faded in the final term but it was still an improvement for the superstar key forward. The game got off to a terrific start, with one-on-one contests all over the ground amid the type of intensity you would expect from two teams desperate to open their accounts for 2014. Elliott got things underway with an opportunistic goal, but the home side responded through Sam Reid, Dane Rampe and Nick Malceski to take an 11-point lead into quarter-time. Two quick goals to open the second term gave the Swans a 23-point edge as they tried to seize control, but the Pies bounced back strongly and could have been in front if they'd taken more of their chances. Hannebery then slotted his first on the run and leapt high into Franklin's arms, a 'Kodak moment' for all the media coverage that followed confirmation of the midfielder's prang in his good mate's Mercedes. Franklin then slotted his first goal with a booming set shot and was met by a sea of teammates, with Ryan O'Keefe first on the scene in another poignant moment following the unsubstantiated rumour of their training-ground dust-up. The Pies then sprung into life, kicking four straight goals across the second and third terms to suddenly earn a double-digit lead. Franklin's moment of magic closed the gap once more and he then set up Harry Cunningham as the match moved towards a nail-biting conclusion, the visitors leading by three points at the final change. From there it was all the Pies as they claimed an important victory early in the new campaign. Scott Pendlebury underlined his ascension to the Collingwood captaincy with a starring role in his side's important 20-point win over the Sydney Swans at ANZ Stadium. Taking over from Nick Maxwell at the start of the year, Pendlebury was quiet early on Saturday night, ending the opening term with just three touches. He still did his best to make an impact, landing five first-quarter tackles, but his production after the first break was nothing short of exceptional. Facing a 23-point deficit early in the second term, Pendlebury managed to elevate his game to a stunning level to will his side across the line and avoid a 0-2 start to the year. By full-time his stat line read 33 possessions, 16 of them contested, 10 tackles, 10 marks and nine clearances. "I thought the leadership across the board was quite strong when we were challenged," Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said afterwards. "The point was made after the game about a weight lifting off the shoulders with a more positive performance and positive result. "When we were down on the scoreboard, it requires strong leadership and resilience to focus on what's in front of you and work your way back in contest by contest. "I thought 'Pendles' exemplified that." While Pendlebury's talents across his 173-game career are well known, at the other end of the spectrum, young defender Jack Frost was lauded for his role on Swans superstar Lance Franklin. Franklin undoubtedly had his moments, kicking two goals including a stunning effort from around 55m out in the third term. But, in just his fourth career game, Frost never stopped trying and at least broke even in his duel with the decorated Swan. His effort was all the more impressive considering Nathan Brown suffered a suspected dislocated shoulder late in the third term and had to be substituted out. "'Frosty' has put a lot of work in over the last couple of years," Buckley said. "He's a young player (with) great athleticism and the thing that he needed to convince himself of was that he belonged. "He's shown a real want and belief to take the game on and take the contest on, this year even more so than 12 months ago. "He played the first two games last year as well, so he's played his third and fourth this year and clearly he's in better shape 12 months on to be able to have a real crack with the next stage of his career. "I thought it was a really strong performance from him over four quarters. "He's starting to learn the way that we want to defend and play the game." Buckley wasn't sure of the extent of the damage to Brown, saying he will know more after scans in the coming days. But it didn't look good for the defender, who injured the same shoulder he had reconstructed back in 2010. |
Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley hailed a defensive performance so strong it overrode his team's deficiencies elsewhere, in particular the efforts of fourth-gamer Jack Frost in an "exceptional" performance on Lance Franklin, as the Magpies kicked away to defeat Sydney by 20 points at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night. The Swans remain winless after two rounds, and Buckley praised the efforts of a "cobbled together" back six that held the premiership fancy to 10 goals. "We're rapt to have the win," he said. "We think we were probably a five or six out of 10, the way we played - how close we were to our optimum. Our offence has clearly got to improve, but the contest and the defence is what it was all about tonight, and we were happy with it. "Ben Sinclair's only played six games down back, Jack Frost his fourth tonight, Tom Langdon his second. We're cobbling together a mix at the moment, but if we all play our roles we're pretty good. Frosty did his exceptionally well." Buckley noted Frost's athleticism and closing speed, both evident in keeping Franklin to two goals, despite the former Hawk improving on his underwhelming debut with the Swans. "The thing he needed to convince himself of was that he belonged, as much as anything,'' Buckley said. "He's only a four-game player, but he's shown a real belief and a want to take the game on and the contest on this year, even more so than 12 months ago. "He played the first two games last year as well. Clearly he's in better shape 12 months on with those experiences, the ups and downs, to be able to have a real crack at the next stage of his career. I thought it was a really strong performance from him over four quarters." Buckley also praised Nick Maxwell's contribution in holding up when the Magpies needed him, and his replacement as captain, Scott Pendlebury, who had just three possessions to quarter-time but finished with 33, including eight clearances and 10 inside-50s. "When we were down on the scoreboard it requires strong leadership and resilience to be able to focus on what's in front of you and work your way back in, contest by contest. I thought Pendles exemplified that [and] Dayne Beams through the middle was excellent." The Magpies lost Nathan Brown to a dislocated shoulder in a third-quarter marking contest with Franklin, and Buckley said scans would determine the seriousness of the injury. He noted that when Collingwood is under fire as a club, as the Magpies were after a round-one capitulation to Fremantle, it invariably seems to run into Sydney. Despite spilling easy marks, missing easy targets and struggling to choose the right tempo, he felt the team's leadership across the board and contributions at some stage from every player got it home. Swans coach John Longmire bemoaned a lack of polish and an inability for the second week running to stop the opposition from running away from them late in the game. "Towards the back end of the game, that's what cost us. We blazed away and really kicked it back to them too many times," he said. "We've got to make sure we play the footy we want to play." Gary Rohan was subbed out of the game after experiencing shooting pain in the leg he broke so horrifically in 2012, which Longmire admitted remained an ongoing issue. "He's got some nervy stuff in his leg, which is what happens after such a serious break. Any time he gets a hit there he gets a bit of nervy stuff shooting down his leg, which is apparently not unusual. It may happen a few times to him." COLLINGWOOD’S love affair with ANZ Stadium has continued with the Magpies overturning a 23-point second quarter deficit to score an AFL win over the Sydney Swans. The Magpies made it nine wins from their last ten games at the venue as they came from behind to record a 12.17 (89) to 10.9 (69) win on Saturday. The loss dropped Sydney to 0-2, while Collingwood improved to 1-1. Sydney led 31-8 in the second quarter, but couldn’t match Collingwood’s midfield in a hard-fought but scrappy encounter. Sparked by champion midfielders Scott Pendlebury (33 possessions) and Dayne Beams (30), the Pies kicked seven to three in the second half. The game was locked at 67-all early in the final quarter,but Collingwood kicked the last three goals of the game through Beams, Jamie Elliott and Clinton Young. It was a stirring response from a Collingwood side flogged by Fremantle in their first game, while Sydney were again overrun in the final quarter as they were by GWS in their opening game. Elliott kicked three goals and Travis Cloke and Tyson Goldsack weighed in with two apiece for the victors. Pendlebury played a superb captain’s game and was clearly best afield. “Yeah, all the boys will be rapt with that … Sydney really started quarters well and put us on the back foot and just the way we came back in the last quarter and ground it out, it was a really good win by the boys,” he said. “I was rapt for the boys, especially with Maxy’s 200th, we all love him and it was great to get a win for him.” Former captain Nick Maxwell played one of his best games in recent seasons. “It meant a lot to me, because it meant a lot to the boys. They spoke about it before the game and they really wanted to it (get the win),” Maxwell said. “Obviously I’ve been around for a long time now, I’m the oldest here and I’ve seen all the boys come through and because it meant a lot to them, it meant more to me. “I’m very proud of how they went about it, particularly after last week and to bounce back from the last couple of weeks where we’ve been kicked from pillar to post, but we know how hard we’ve worked.” Lance Franklin was Sydney’s only multiple goalkicker with two and added 16 possessions and four marks in a better effort after his quiet debut against GWS. The Swans kicked five straight goals either side of quarter-time after Elliott booted the first major of the match. Heritier Lumumba racked up 13 touches in the first quarter,which Collingwood started well before Sydney got on top to lead by 11 at the first break. The Swans outmarked the visitors 39-13 in the first quarter. The Magpies kicked four of the last six goals of the second quarter to claw their way back to within nine points at halftime. With Pendlebury becoming progressively more influential, the Pies slammed on the first three goals of the third quarter. Franklin temporarily reversed the tide with a booming 55-metre goal, but Collingwood’s own spearhead, Cloke quickly replied with a major at the other end. Collingwood kicked four goals to two in the third quarter and held a three-point lead at the final change before going on with the job. When we were down on the scoreboard, it requires strong leadership and resilience to focus on what's in front of you and work your way back in contest by contest. I thought 'Pendles' exemplified that.
Nathan Buckley
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