PORT ADELAIDE 5.2.32 10.5.65 15.9.99 19.11.125
GOALS - Collingwood: Cox 2, Sidebottom 2, Pendlebury 1, De Goey 1, Grundy 1
BEST - Collingwood: Pendlebury, Greenwood, Treloar, Sidebottom, Howe
INJURIES - Collingwood: Howe (left knee)
REPORTS - Collingwood: Nil
OFFICIAL CROWD - 28,567 at the MCG
| 1. Collingwood's season unraveling The Magpies' mini revival has proven to be a false dawn after their crushing 67-point loss to Port Adelaide at the MCG on Sunday left their finals hopes in tatters. The Pies are now two games behind eighth-placed Adelaide (who plays St Kilda to end round 11) with plenty of work to do if they want to rise off the canvas and resurrect their season. Collingwood has Melbourne, the bye, Fremantle and Carlton in the next month so it is possible for the Magpies to get back on track. But with injuries mounting, Taylor Adams (hamstring), Darcy Moore (collarbone) and Alex Fasolo (shoulder), and so many inconsistent performers a finals run looks well beyond Nathan Buckley's side. 2. Cloke and no dagger Travis Cloke won his position back in Collingwood's team more by default than anything else and Sunday's return was not one for his career highlights reel. Cloke, who was dropped ahead of Anzac Day, returned to the team in place of the injured Darcy Moore. The veteran forward started the game brightly to set up skipper Scott Pendlebury for the opening goal of the game. But the slippery conditions and the Magpies' woeful ball use did not do Cloke any favours. The 2010 premiership forward sprayed his only realistic chance at goal out on the full from 50m out in the third quarter and finished the game goalless. Cloke had 13 disposals and six marks in what was a dirty day for the spearhead. 3. Magpie zone breaks down again Collingwood's zone defence has been heavily criticised for much of the season, with many players admitting they have struggled to adapt to the new system. Against the Power, the Magpies' defensive structures broke down yet again. With the Magpies players pressing high up the ground, time and again they allowed the Power players to get in behind their zone, which led to easy shots on goal. The Magpies allowed seven goals from their own goal square, which was telling in the final result. In the first quarter alone, the Power kicked three goals from inside the goal square. Tellingly, three of Aaron Young's (who was one of the Power's best players) four goals also came from within 10m out from goal. Collingwood flailed around with its chances to boot a wayward 7.15. Port finished on the right side of the ledger – 19.11. |
4. Magpie defenders get through unscathed Concussion has been the hot topic in the AFL this season with more players missing games than ever before. The Magpies have had a few players with concussion issues this season, with Alan Toovey, Ben Sinclair and Corey Gault all struggling with the affects of head knocks. Toovey had what was a scary moment last week when he collapsed due to a delayed onset of concussion. Sinclair has missed three games this season through concussion and the Magpies have been extremely cautious with his return. Both Toovey and Sinclair made their returns against Port and got through the game unscathed. Sinclair was one of Collingwood's leading possession getters with 27 disposals and typically Toovey gave his all in defence. 5. Impey on the up Jarman Impey started his career in defence for Port Adelaide, with Ken Hinkley seeing plenty of upside in his ability to break the lines and take the game on from the back half. But a slow start to the year, which saw him return to the SANFL, forced a rethink and a change of role for the talented 20-year-old. Impey came back into the side as a forward in round six and produced one of the finest performances of his 44-game career. Impey was best afield for the Power, with his creativity and elusiveness creating plenty of problems for the Pies' defence. Impey (22 disposals, eight marks, six inside 50s and a goal), Jake Neade (four goals) and Chad Wingard (three) ripped Collingwood's defence apart to set up the big win. Collingwood has Melbourne, the bye, Fremantle and Carlton in the next month so it is possible for the Magpies to get back on track. But with injuries mounting, Taylor Adams (hamstring), Darcy Moore (collarbone) and Alex Fasolo (shoulder), and so many inconsistent performers a finals run looks well beyond Nathan Buckley's side. |
| THE MEDIA | |
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Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley has flagged changes for his team's blockbuster Queen's Birthday clash against Melbourne after having "too many passengers" in Sunday's deflating loss to Port Adelaide. The Magpies were swept aside by the Power at the MCG, losing by 67 points and having their backline exposed by a fleet of small forwards who repeatedly found space and kicked easy goals. Buckley could swing the axe after the positives of the past fortnight were undone against an opposition that was "prepared to work harder" and "structurally held up". "We had some strong performances down there (in the VFL) and clearly there were too many fellas who lowered their colours today," the coach said. "Whether they're getting tired or whether it was a poor performance, we'll look at that. "I thought we had too many passengers. "We haven't won as many games of footy as we wanted to in the early stage, and we're bitterly disappointed with our performance today." The Magpies could call on half back Marley Williams, who played his first full game in the VFL on Saturday after returning from a mid-foot strain. Williams had played three quarters in the VFL two weeks ago and the Magpies will assess if he has played enough game time to return to face the Demons. Defender Jonathon Marsh, who was an emergency on Sunday, could also come into the team, with Collingwood's backline players appearing to be most at risk at selection. Returning forward Travis Cloke was "serviceable", the coach said, finishing with 0.1 but competing hard. "Clokey was OK … we had quite a few that weren't at the level they would have wanted to be," Buckley said. "Clokey would be happy to be back, but I'm sure he'd want to contribute a bit more than that." Port kicked seven goals from the goal square on Sunday and Buckley said the Pies had tried to change their structure to prevent goals being leaked over the top. He said the Magpies' inability to have numbers at the contest was telling. "We had three blokes at the contest to five Port Adelaide players," he said. "Then 50m away, four or five seconds later where you think our extras must be, three blokes at the contest to five or six Port Adelaide players. "Ultimately you're shuffling deck chairs to try and make up for that lack of out-number around the ball and that lack of contest." Buckley nominated defenders Jeremy Howe (20 possessions and 10 marks), Ben Reid, who worked hard on Charlie Dixon, and Mason Cox (two goals) as players who had battled on. PORT Adelaide is threatening to break into the top eight after its fleet of small forwards led the team to its sixth win of the season, cruising past a disappointing Collingwood to win by 67 points at the MCG on Sunday. Written off as a September contender after lurching to 2-3 in the first five rounds, the Power have recovered and were a class above the Magpies in slippery conditions, winning 19.11 (125) to 7.16 (58). They will finish the round one game behind eighth-placed Adelaide if their cross-town rival accounts for St Kilda, but there is no doubt their finals flame is flickering. Port coach Ken Hinkley won the coaches' box battle against Nathan Buckley, with his small forward line and loose man behind the ball allowing the Power to dictate play for the majority of the match. Jake Neade (four goals), Aaron Young (four) and Chad Wingard (three) ran riot in the forward half, continually outsmarting their opponents to find space and kick goals on the counter-punch. Jarman Impey was the star, however, cutting the Magpies defenders to pieces in his new half-forward role and repeatedly setting up teammates with his 22 possessions and six inside 50s. When Young ran into an open goal at the end of the final term, the Power had kicked seven goals from the goal square, highlighting the breakdown in Collingwood's defence and failure to run out the game. The match was effectively over when Neade opened up a 44-point lead half way through the third quarter, with Robbie Gray and the hard-working Charlie Dixon combining brilliantly on the boundary line to keep the ball alive and set up the goal. Hinkley, who praised a "special" game from Dixon, said the win was as impressive as the Power had produced this season. "It was pretty consistent through the whole four quarters," the coach said. "We've had some good games, but we've been too inconsistent as I've said plenty of times. "It was up there with one of our best performances." The MCG fell silent in the fourth quarter on Sunday, with the Magpies' faithful knowing their 4-7 team now had a herculean battle on its hands to avoid a third straight September holiday. Key forward Travis Cloke finished with 0.1 and was "serviceable", Buckley said, in a low-key return to the team after a six-week hiatus in the VFL. He ran hard defensively and competed in the air but was done no favours by his midfielders' shoddy ball-use, finishing with 13 possessions and six marks. A flat Buckley said the Magpies' tried to change their defensive structure with a spare man in defence but couldn't make up for their inability to win the important contests. "Ultimately we threw a number behind the ball midway through that second quarter just to try and stem the tide because we weren't defending in the manner we have been," the coach said. "We tried to make some structural alterations, but ultimately you're shuffling deck chairs to try and make up for that lack of outnumber around the ball and that lack of contest. "We haven't won as many games of footy as we wanted to in the early stage, and we're bitterly disappointed with our performance today." The two teams' contrasting game styles were stark from the first quarter as the Power kicked long to a small forward line and the Magpies tried to hit up tall targets in the wet. After finding their feet in the opening 10 minutes, the Power's own 'mosquito fleet' started to run rampant, going on a five-goal run, with three of those coming from the goal square. Struggling to hit targets, the Magpies failed to adjust their style in the second quarter and fell further behind, with tall forward Jesse White missing goals from 10m and 20m out. Their talls found themselves double-teamed by Port's loose man, with Cloke unable to get into the game offensively. Their best target was American Mason Cox, who kicked goals on the quarter time and half-time sirens but, like Cloke, was fighting an uphill battle against a smarter, more organised team. NEXT FIVE Melbourne, BYE, Fremantle, Carlton, GWS Giants, Adelaide Crows |
FOR so many years Collingwood has used the Queen's Birthday clash as a chance to put its foot to the throat of hapless rival Melbourne. Next Monday the Pies will return to the MCG for a final chance to save themselves from a third straight barren season. All of Collingwood's recurring issues this again flared on Sunday in a disastrous 67-point loss to Ken Hinkley's Port Adelaide. At 4-7 and needing to win nine of the next 11 games for a rare finals appearance, Monday represents Collingwood's Finals Stand. If only Travis Cloke's issues were the biggest of Collingwood's problems, the $800,000-a-season star far from disgraced with 13 touches. Instead a Pies side that gifted Port Adelaide countless end-to-end goals also missed its single chance to stay within touch. Collingwood would kick seven consecutive behinds in the second quarter as Port Adelaide had its way with the Pies' disorganised, disinterested team defence. Mason Cox's post-siren halftime goal could have been a rallying point, but instead Port Adelaide kicked a trio of goals to start the third term. And from there Cloke's ongoing participation in Collingwood's senior team was about the only real note of interest. Wins against Brisbane, Geelong and an honourable loss to the Bulldogs had given hope the Pies could endure their savage injury toll. But when you are missing the likes of Darcy Moore, Jamie Elliott, Alex Fasolo, Taylor Adams and Dane Swan everything needs to go right. Instead everything went wrong. Even Scott Pendlebury had a rare off day, missing targets, squandering chances and just generally off his tucker. Jesse White turned into the whipping boy of 2015, a jittery Jack Frost coughed up a pair of early goals and the midfield failed to thrive on Brodie Grundy's ruck dominance. Jackson Trengove almost conceded the ruck taps to the Pies and why not given how easily they had it once they won the ball back? Time after the time Collingwood won a stoppage, pumped it long, then utterly failed to defend their territory. Just like early in the year against Melbourne, the Pies conceded the most effortless of goals as the midfielders failed to stem the quicksilver ball movement or get back to defend. Neade, Wingard and Young feasted on six first-half goals, at least half of them streaming into an open goal. Sometimes the Pies combined their inability to score, or defend, in the space of seconds. Scott Pendlebury's long behind — the Pies sixth on the trot — saw the Power spirit the ball end-to-end in the space of 15 seconds. From Jared Polec, to Chad Wingard down the members wing, then to an Aaron Young goal after Charlie Dixon crashed a pack — it was child's play. Then 11 minutes into the third term Port Adelaide repeated the dose from another long Pendles point. Before the Pies had time to blink Jarman Impey had found Robbie Gray in 15m of space 40m out. To salt the wound, Hamish Hartlett strolled up alongside him and kicked the easiest of goals from the handball receive. Jarman Impey was electric off half back, Wingard did as he pleased up forward and Charlie Dixon just relentlessly crashed packs for his fellow forwards. The Power are 6-5 and have their head above water after a soft kill against Nathan Buckley's Pies. Injuries have been the excuse for the past two seasons and they are entirely relevant again. But the Pies faithful which stayed away in their droves on Saturday demand real effort and a strong on-field system. And for Collingwood both were just as absent as the fans. Port Adelaide ran rings around disjointed Collingwood to claim a 67-point victory in Sunday's AFL clash at the MCG. With Travis Cloke back in the Collingwood side for the first time since being dropped in April, the Magpies made a bright start on a grey day in Melbourne. Cloke set up the opening goal of the match for skipper Scott Pendlebury with a clever handball as the Magpies jumped to an early 14-point lead. But that was to prove to be the high point of the afternoon for the home side. The Power led by 11 points at the first change, increasing that margin to 25 at halftime and 50 at three-quarter time. The visitors did not let up in the final quarter either as they closed out the 19.11 (125) to 7.16 (58) win against the demoralised Magpies. Cloke won back his spot in the Collingwood lineup after fellow forwards Darcy Moore and Alex Fasolo suffered serious injuries in last weekend's loss to the Bulldogs. He tried hard on Sunday but looked a player still way out of form, taking six marks without kicking a single goal. Jake Neade and Aaron Young kicked four goals apiece and were among a host of Port Adelaide players who had the better of their opponents. Despite the cold and damp conditions, Collingwood would have been disappointed with the small crowd of 28,567. It was a second straight MCG loss for the Magpies who slipped to a 4-7 win-loss record ahead of the annual Queen's Birthday clash with Melbourne. The Power improved to 6-5 and will now return home to take on the Western Bulldogs at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday in a finals-shaping encounter. MEDICAL ROOM Collingwood: Jeremy Howe battled through a left knee issue to be one of the Magpies' best players on the day. He received treatment at quarter-time and returned with the knee heavily strapped but was OK post game, Buckley said. Port Adelaide: Travis Boak was hobbled by an ankle complaint but played out the game well and appears in no doubt for next week. The Power were unscathed otherwise. NEXT UP The Magpies will look for redemption on the big stage when they take on Melbourne on Queen's Birthday Monday. They haven't lost in the marquee fixture since 2007. "Whether they're getting tired or whether it was a poor performance, we'll look at that. I thought we had too many passengers. We haven't won as many games of footy as we wanted to in the early stage, and we're bitterly disappointed with our performance today." Nathan Buckley |
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