COLLINGWOOD 4.3.27 9.4.58 10.6.66 14.6.90
GOALS - Collingwood: Fasolo 2, Cloke 2, de Goey 2, Pendlebury 2, Howe, Aish, Crisp, Oxley, Langdon, Adams
BEST - Collingwood: Adams, Langdon, Oxley, Pendlebury
INJURIES - Collingwood: Williams (toe)
REPORTS - Collingwood: Nil
Official crowd: 50,903 at the MCG
| 1. Courage under fire St Kilda's 22 was under the watchful eye of the club's last premiership team on Saturday, and 'Cowboy' Neale and Co. surely could not have been prouder in one of coach Alan Richardson's best wins in charge. The injury-hit Saints played much of the second half with one man on the bench, and the midfielders particularly struggled without rotations (they used 72 of their 90). To honour that 1966 team, which defeated Collingwood 50 years ago in the club's only Grand Final victory, the Saints' premiership heroes were met with a guard of honour from Richardson's men. Barry Breen and Neale carried the premiership cup onto the MCG before Nick Riewoldt gathered his troops and ran through the banner, which simply read: 'Honour the 1966 premiership team'. They were simple directions that the players followed to a tee. 2. "A mark like that could be the making of this kid" It was unfortunate that a mark that earned such high praise from a champion forward eventually ended Paddy McCartin's day. The young Saint ran back with the flight of the ball in the second quarter and took the sort of breathtaking grab St Kilda fans have been waiting to see from their No.1 draft pick. "That's as strong as you get; that's Nick Riewoldt-like," AFL legend Wayne Carey said on Triple M radio. "A mark like that could be the making of this kid." McCartin was forced to leave the ground and failed a subsequent concussion test, but his coach cut a proud figure describing what was the best half he has played for the Saints in seven games. 3. Riewoldt cut down in his prime Nick Riewoldt was running like a 25-year-old in the first half on Saturday, lining up on the wing and winning the ball at both ends of the grounds. By quarter-time he had nine disposals and six marks, taking four of those in space after extended gut running. It was an incredible half for a 33-year-old who played his 300th game one week ago. He kicked on to slot his second goal half way through the second quarter after being collected by Levi Greenwood, but that was his last involvement. The veteran came to the bench for a concussion test, which he passed, but the Saints doctors were not prepared to let him play on. |
4. Pendlebury sore and sorry For the second week running, Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury was played off half-back for the majority of the match, but it was early in the third quarter when his absence from the centre square was most puzzling. The star onballer, who took a rib injury into last week's win over Richmond, had just four possessions for the third term as the Saints dominated out of the middle and kicked six goals to one. St Kilda won four centre clearances to two in the quarter to get momentum going their way in what proved to be the match-winning term. Pendlebury was eventually thrown into the middle in the third term and finished among his team's better players, winning 12 of his 27 possessions in the last quarter. 5. Jeremy Howe quiet on debut It is inevitable that Collingwood recruit Jeremy Howe will be compared to the two players the Magpies gave up to land him, and so far the deal is not looking good. Ben Kennedy and Paul Seedsman have made bright starts at Melbourne and Adelaide, and Howe was unsighted for much of Saturday's debut. The high-flying former Demon had an interrupted pre-season with foot and hand injuries, and he returned through the VFL before Saturday's debut. It was underwhelming first showing, with Howe winning his first touch nine minutes into the second quarter and finishing with eight possessions and one goal. He got a tick from Nathan Buckley for laying three tackles and providing the pressure his teammates lacked in the forward half. It is inevitable that Collingwood recruit Jeremy Howe will be compared to the two players the Magpies gave up to land him, and so far the deal is not looking good. Ben Kennedy and Paul Seedsman have made bright starts at Melbourne and Adelaide, and Howe was unsighted for much of Saturday's debut. |
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Injury-ravaged St Kilda has dug deep to score a famous 29-point victory over Collingwood at the MCG. The Saints finished Saturday's game with one fit player on the bench after Nick Riewoldt and Paddy McCartin were concussed in the second quarter and Dylan Roberton suffered a knee injury in the third term. But despite that numerical disadvantage, they somehow found a way to break through for their first win of the season, 18.11 (119) to 14.6 (90), in front of 50,903 fans. On the day St Kilda celebrated the 50th anniversary of the club's sole premiership in 1966, the Saints showed enormous courage to set up the win with a six-goals-to-one third quarter after leading by just two points at half-time. Alan Richardson's side managed only one goal in the last quarter of each of their first two games of the season but they finished strongly to hold off a belated challenge from the Pies. Riewoldt was among his side's best players in an entertaining first half before he was felled by a high Levi Greenwood tackle, while fellow veteran Leigh Montagna was outstanding all day. He gathered 40 possessions in an influential display, with Jack Newnes, Seb Ross and Jack Steven also important. The disappointing Magpies had few winners, but Taylor Adams and Adam Treloar worked hard through the middle in an onball brigade that was well beaten. Collingwood didn't escape unscathed either with Marley Williams unable to finish the game with a foot injury. On a day the Saints celebrated the 50th anniversary of their lone premiership in front of those famous names, the scoreboard result could not have been better. While, sentimentally, Saints supporters would have hoped for a one-point win, the 29-point victory against Collingwood at the MCG on Saturday was one for the ages. It more than buoyed spirits before the official club function, and ended a fortnight of disappointing efforts. However, the win was tempered by another concussion to Nick Riewoldt, who was hurt midway through the second term and did not return to the field. Riewoldt, chasing a loose ball, had been hit accidentally by Levi Greenwood's forearm but still managed to goal from the resulting free kick. His afternoon, though, finished at that point.Adding to the pain, fellow forward Paddy McCartin was hit in the head in the second term in a courageous marking contest when he ran with the flight of the ball and took a grab in the manner Wayne Carey once did. He, too, went to the bench and did not return. And when Dylan Roberton was forced to the sidelines with a knee problem, the Saints had only one fit man on the bench. All eyes, though, were on Riewoldt, who has a history of head knocks, including spending a night in an Adelaide hospital last season after he was hurt against the Crows. That latest knock prompted AFL greats Jonathon Brown and Leigh Matthews to urge him to consider retiring. Brown was forced into retirement after a series of head knocks. While Riewoldt and McCartin sat, the Saints produced one of the best quarters since the heady days under Ross Lyon. They booted six straight goals, while the Magpies' only major for the quarter came late, when recruit Jeremy Howe had a rare touch. Maverick Weller and Josh Bruce continued to find space inside attacking 50, while Leigh Montagna, who would finish with 40 disposals, Jack Steven, Jack Newnes and Seb Ross found plenty of the ball. Curiously, the Magpies continued to persist with Scott Pendlebury playing across half-back, rather than engineering drive through the middle. The Pies needed his drive at a time when the Saints' pressure was at its fiercest. Leading by five goals at three quarter-time, the question was whether the Saints, not known for finishing matches strongly, could hold on. Poor misses at goal by Jack Lonie and Bruce highlighted their nerves, and this was exacerbated for supporters when Alex Fasolo, the hero of the Pies' win last week, snapped successfully. But the steady foot of emerging star Jack Billings proved telling minutes later when he steadied from about 45 metres out and all but iced the win. "We needed to step it up from last week … and show we are heading in the right direction," Montagna said. While the Saints celebrated, for the Magpies there are now major concerns about their development, having been mauled in the season opener against the Swans and pinching victory against the Tigers with four seconds left. They were too easily exposed in defence, Travis Cloke and Darcy Moore are not kicking goals and the use of Pendlebury will be scrutinised publicly. Cloke was even used in the ruck, prompting Carey to suggest his worrying form meant "the next step would be he is left right out". A foot injury to Marley Williams compounded a miserable afternoon. The contest had opened at a frantic end-to-end pace, with the Magpies booting the opening two goals, and the Saints responding with the next four. A week after their poor disposal had been a major issue in the loss to the Western Bulldogs, the Saints barely missed a target. This efficiency helped St Kilda claim a stunning 10 marks inside 50 - the league average per game is 13. The Saints ran in waves and their forwards too easily found room - whether that be by leading up, or losing their opponent behind the Magpies' defence, as Paddy McCartin twice did, leading to goals. It was an entertaining term, but there were calls for the AFL to act on players who drop their knees when tackled, thus earning a free kick for a high tackle, after Pendlebury did just that and converted from about 50 metres out. The term, though, belonged to the Saints. They dominated the marks 42-22 and had six goals by quarter-time, having managed five for the entire match against the Bulldogs. The Magpies tightened defensively after the break, shown with the Saints managing a modest 17 marks for the term. Adam Treloar and Adam Oxley, after a quiet first term, found plenty of the ball, and the contest was an even one. The Magpies benefited from another questionable free kick, this time to Fasolo, and his conversion helped to ensure there would be only two points between the sides at the main break. There were two worries for the Saints, though, when Riewoldt, so impressive on the wing and drifting forward, and McCartin received head knocks and were tested for concussion. Their days would be done - but the Saints were still able to thrive. "Our high forwards were ineffective." |
ON a day in which St Kilda celebrated the 50th anniversary of its most memorable win, the modern-day Saints produced one of the club’s bravest victories that would have done the men of 1966 proud. Against all the odds, with three players off due to concussion or injury, including skipper Nick Riewoldt for either all of the last half or for most of it, and with its midfields running almost to the point of exhaustion, the Saints somehow evoked the spirit of ‘66 to embarrass a listless Collingwood by 29 points at the MCG. As illuminating as the game was for St Kilda, it was dark and bleak for Collingwood, who could be 0-3 but for that little chip kick for goal by Brodie Grundy that produced an act of larceny against Richmond last week. It was one of the greatest wins of Alan Richardson’s tenure as coach, and on the flip side, one of the most frustrating for his counterpart in Nathan Buckley, who watched on miserably from the coaches’ box. The Saints had worked exceptionally hard in the first half to lead by two points at the halftime break — including kicking six opening quarter goals that was one more than they kicked for the whole game last week. But when the teams came out for the second half a collective groan went around the MCG when St Kilda fans realised Riewoldt and fellow big forward Paddy McCartin were missing. Both took no further part in the game, and things appeared to get even more desperate when Dylan Roberton suffered an injury in the third term and had to sit out the entire last quarter. Down to one player left to rotate from the bench, the Saints could well have keep fighting bravely only to run out of steam. The fact that never happened is a massive plus for the club, and a massive negative for Collingwood who meekly allowed their opponents to close out the game with consummate ease. Leigh Montanga barely had an opponent all day and helped himself to 40 disposals, including 21 handball receives. He was outstanding, and managed to transition the ball from the back half to attack for the entire day. At no stage did the Magpies put enough effort into shutting him down, and they paid a big price. Jack Newnes had a career-best 34 touches, Seb Ross was solid from the outset and Jack Billings turned in a sublime performance, going at more than 80 per cent efficiency while Collingwood butchered the ball. Jack Steven finished with three goals, as did Mav Weller, while Sam Fisher did a superb job in defence, beating Travis Cloke and providing plenty of link work. It was the Saints’ first win since Round 17 last year, and their first success over Collingwood since Round 3, 2010. Collingwood persisted with Scott Pendlebury at half-back, which hurt them in the middle, and he only went into the centre when the game was all but over. The Magpies lacked so much in terms of their use of the ball, and were swamped in defence and attack. Taylor Adams tried hard, as did Tom Langdon, but too much was left to too few. Summing up Collingwood’s day, and their season to date, a kick from Travis Cloke at goal in the last minute of play sailed out of bounds on the full. The Saints were ripe for the picking with the lack of rotations, but they are made of stern stuff. And the Magpies have some serious work to do to stop their season spiralling out of control. COLLINGWOOD coach Nathan Buckley has put his forwards in the gun for setting the tone in the worst pressure performance his team has produced against St Kilda on Saturday. The Magpies were out-tackled 53-62 at the MCG, with forwards Jarryd Blair and Alex Fasolo among six players who didn't lay a tackle in the 29-point loss. Buckley, who forecast repercussions at the selection table ahead of next Sunday's clash against Melbourne, said his forwards' inability to keep the ball in the front half had put the rest of the team under pressure. "Our high forwards were ineffective, they were unable to put any pressure on the St Kilda defenders and our mids and defenders were scrambling to be able to defend from that," Buckley said. "We had five tackles from seven players who started in the forward rotations. "You're asking a fair bit of your mids and your backs, but clearly our defensive structures have collapsed. "That's as poor as we've pressured the opposition and we were pressured into errant disposal the other way." Buckley said the Magpies only had two players who had played with the necessary energy and effort against the Saints and lamented that his players "weren't prepared to roll our sleeves up and do the work". As well as Fasolo and Blair, tall forwards Travis Cloke (one tackle) and Darcy Moore (one) didn't produce defensively. Despite a quiet debut that saw him finish with one goal and eight disposals, Jeremy Howe earned praise for his efforts to pressure the St Kilda defenders. "The first thing he does in a Collingwood guernsey is sticks a tackle 15 seconds into the game and we get a goal from it," Buckley said of Howe. "That's a relatively positive start, and of those five (tackles from Collingwood forwards) he had three, even though we think he'll grow into the role and we'll see more from him." The Magpies now sit 1-2 and have won just three of 12 quarters this season, escaping with a win against Richmond last week "off the back of 40 minutes of footy". "There's still enough evidence to suggest we can play the way we want to play, but we haven't got our heads in the sand," Buckley said. "If there's evidence there to the contrary then we need to make shifts and we'll have a look at that over the next 24 to 36 hours. "We're really disappointed with our early season form … we need to do better if we want to be competitive against anyone." Captain Scott Pendlebury was used across half-aback for the second straight week, finishing with 27 possessions and two goals, but only two clearances after a short foray into the middle. Buckley said the Magpies were "using him where we can best use him". "We didn't win the game today so you could go to [strategy] in isolation and say it's not effective," the coach said. "'Pendles' played his role OK from the back. Last week he played it pretty well, especially early. "We discussed the leadership and organisation around stoppage and whether that was something that we were missing in that first couple of weeks with 'Pendles' not in there. "But we put the heat on Taylor Adams and Adam Treloar to organise that and stoppage was OK for us." |
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