COLLINGWOOD 2.4.16 7.5.47 11.7.73 14.8.92
GOALS - Collingwood: Moore 3, Sidebottom 2, De Goey 2, Oxley 2, Treloar, White, Phillips, Greenwood, Maynard
BEST - Collingwood: Treloar, Sidebottom, Aish, Moore, Goldsack, Grundy
INJURIES - Collingwood: Adams (corked calf), Moore (cut eye)
REPORTS - Collingwood: Nil
OFFICIAL CROWD - 35,010 at Etihad Stadium
| 1. Anything you can do, I can do better You could have been excused for breaking out the popcorn as two of the League's brightest young stars went head-to-head in a see-sawing third quarter. Collingwood's Adam Treloar caught fire in the third term, racking up 12 disposals as he ignited the Magpies' charge. On the back of Treloar's work through the midfield, Collingwood opened up a game-high 18-point lead with the first three goals of the second half. Not to be outdone, Bulldogs young gun Marcus Bontempelli lifted as he also collected 12 disposals, as well as kicking a goal and dishing out a goal assist to revitalise his side. Bontempelli finished the game with 26 touches, 17 of which came after half-time, while Treloar had a game-high 34 touches in a thrilling footy match. 2. Lin Jong's audition Lin Jong may have been getting a glimpse into what makes his teammates tick, and they may or may not be the players wearing black and white. The Bulldogs midfielder made headlines in July after he toured the Westpac Centre, meeting with coach Nathan Buckley and other Magpies officials. Jong is still undecided about his future but he did his market value no harm against his suitors on Friday night. The 23-year-old was one of the Bulldogs' best, racking up 18 disposals and kicking two goals in the third term when his team needed him to stand up. Jong's crash and bash style, and touches of polish, makes him an attractive proposition for opposition clubs. Pendlebury finished the game with 24 disposals against the Bulldogs. Pendlebury is renowned for his silkiness, but his ability to play through pain and adversity goes largely unnoticed. His toughness is certainly starting to receive attention. |
3. Moore's mixed night Returning from a hamstring injury that sidelined him for a week, Darcy Moore was in the thick of the action against the Bulldogs. Without Travis Cloke, who was dropped for the third time this season, Moore was the main man in the forward line. The young star nailed three goals and was dangerous all night long, but his night will be remembered for a nasty looking incident in the second quarter. Contesting against Bulldogs opponent Joel Hamling, Moore lost his balance in a marking contest and went careering, head-first, into the fence. Thankfully, nothing serious came of it and Moore escaped with little more than a cut above his right eye. 4. Pendles the Brave Scott Pendlebury could barely walk after last Friday night's loss to Richmond and appeared almost certain to miss the clash against the Western Bulldogs with a sprained foot. In fact, the Magpies were fearful his season may have been over before he had a scan on Monday. But after a week of intensive rehab, the skipper managed to get himself up for the game and typically led his team with aplomb. In a nod to his professional approach, Pendlebury finished the game with 24 disposals against the Bulldogs. Pendlebury is renowned for his silkiness, but his ability to play through pain and adversity goes largely unnoticed. His toughness is certainly starting to receive attention. 5. Bulldogs keep top-four hopes alive Despite an extensive injury list, the Bulldogs still have an opportunity to claim a double chance at the end of the year. The narrow win over Collingwood takes the Dogs to 56 points, drawing equal with the Sydney Swans, Adelaide, Greater Western Sydney and Geelong. However, those four teams still have a game in hand. With two matches to play (after this weekend), the Dogs will be hoping for a slip-up from any of those four teams and they will be ready to pounce if the opportunity arises. |
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Nathan Buckley can't wait to unleash the Adam Treloar-Darcy Moore partnership on the competition for years to come, after the young stars almost lifted Collingwood to an unforgettable victory over the Western Bulldogs on Friday night. While focus was rightfully on the performances of Treloar and Moore, Buckley also confirmed star defender Ben Reid would almost certainly miss the rest of the season with a knee complaint. Treloar was best afield in a gut-wrenching three-point loss to the Bulldogs, racking up a game-high 34 touches, including 22 after half-time, in what was an intriguing battle against Bulldogs midfielder Marcus Bontempelli. "There's pot shots coming from all angles for anyone at the Collingwood Football Club at the moment… but Adam Treloar is not someone who should be copping it," Buckley said. "He's got great wheels. He can win the ball inside, he can get outside. He can clean up his use and we can make more of his touches, but he just breaks the game up. He's going to be a very good midfielder in the competition and he'll be very important for us going forward." In Travis Cloke's absence, Moore spearheaded the Magpies' forward line, as he booted three goals and took six marks (three contested) against a Bulldogs defence that struggled to contend with his height and speed. "We'll build a forward line around Darcy for the next ten years and he's ready to go now," Buckley said. "He's only played 25 games and he's ready to impact the competition in a big way and he's going to be really important for us starting now." Moore's performance was made more impressive for the way he returned from a week's layoff with a hamstring injury, while he also suffered a heavy blow to the head when he went spiraling into the LED boundary signage in the second quarter. "It looked pretty full on, pretty significant. He's got LED dimples in the side of his head. It wasn't a small knock but he bounced back from that OK," Buckley said. Reid, who missed the game against the Bulldogs, has been carrying a niggling knee injury for a number of months and the Magpies have conceded it would be better to put him on ice for the rest of the season. "He's been carrying that knee for the most part of the year and it's reached the tipping point," Buckley said. "It's unlikely we'll see him back for the rest of the year. "He'll be better than what we've got out of him in season 2016 after his last two years. He's still been running around at 85 per cent fit, so when he gets that knee right and when he's 100 per cent fit, touch wood, we'll be better again." Buckley said the way his team performed against the Bulldogs was what he had come to expect of his side post-bye. "We just lost a game of footy that we had every intention of winning and we could have and should have," Buckley said. "That's what all Collingwood people should be expecting from their team, and they were bleeding on it last week, as we were, and that's my challenge as a coach and it's Pendles' (Scott Pendlebury) as the senior leader of our playing group, to make sure that what we saw tonight is the minimum standard and we don't see the games that we played last week." Collingwood gave the Western Bulldogs an almighty scare on Friday night, making them work all match for a three-point win. The Pies managed to contain a usually free-flowing Doggies team in the first half at Etihad Stadium, then matched them goal for goal until the final siren. When the siren sounded the Bulldogs embraced while the men in black and white remained sprawled across the grass. It was one of those strange late-season matches which should not counted for much, but actually meant a lot. The Bulldogs cleaned up eighth-placed North Melbourne last weekend, but a question mark still hung over the Bulldogs, a team so unlucky with injuries in 2016. Meanwhile Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley had admitted during the week that he was feeling under pressure, with his team set to miss finals for another season. In a scrappy first quarter, a couple of poor passages of play from Collingwood resulted in turnovers and scores for the Dogs. The Bulldogs went into that first break five points up and seemed to have the momentum – season-long form would suggest they were about to pull away from the Pies. And indeed in the opening minutes of the second term they got a stroke of luck. In a scramble for the ball in front of the goal, what looked like a throw from Marcus Bontempelli went unpunished, and Nathan Hrovat was able to skip through the contest, scoop up the ball and boot a goal. Clay Smith got the next major score of the quarter, on the run from about 30 metres out, even as he was being tackled by Tyson Goldsack. But Collingwood was not going to let the Doggies get away with it that easily. Darcy Moore kicked his second goal of the night, only to have the Bulldogs' Zaine Cordy returning the favour. Jordan De Goey, Steele Sidebottom and Adam Oxley scored three in a row for the Magpies, bringing them well back into contention – Sidebottom with a snap shot around his body in front of goal. The Western Bulldogs went into half-time one point up. Their back line, ravaged by injury all year, had not been able to match the Collingwood talls and the Pies had successfully thwarted their trademark quick-paced, running style. Picken moved to play on Steele Sidebottom in the third quarter and reduced the influence of the Magpies' vice-captain. Collingwood played smoother, more confident football than they had for much of the year, piling on three goals early as dark clouds gathered for the Bulldogs. But inspiration for the Dogs came in the form of Lin Jong, who kicked two goals. Collingwood are interested in recruiting Jongand their coaching staff must have been impressed by this performance. In the centre, Bontempelli and Adam Treloar were equally good, two classy young stars of the game each creating important opportunities for his team. A sense of desperation entered the game in the last quarter – with less than 10 minutes to go Brayden Maynard, under immense pressure, kicked a soaring goal to level the scores. With the Dogs holding on by three points with 30 seconds to go, Jong tapped the ball towards the boundary and the umpire called it deliberate. But the Magpies could not make anything of that last half-chance.
NOTES
MEDICAL ROOM Taylor Adams required some attention to his left calf in the second term but he returned to take the field. However, after being crunched in a tackle late in the game the key midfielder hobbled from the ground with the help of trainers with a lower leg injury. NEXT UP Collingwood comes up against the Gold Coast at Etihad Stadium next Saturday night as it hopes to continue its better form to end the season. LAST TWO Gold Coast, Hawthorn "We'll build a forward line around Darcy (Moore) over the next 10 years. He's ready to go now and he's only played 25, 26 games and he's ready to impact the competition in a big way. He's going to be really important for us, starting now. He's mobile, athletic, he always threatens in the air and his contest at ground level is strong as well." |
COLLINGWOOD coach Nathan Buckley has poured praise on Darcy Moore after the emerging forward shone in the Pies' fighting loss to the Western Bulldogs. Moore, returning from a hamstring injury, kicked 3.3 from 13 possessions and three contested marks in another highly promising performance. The Pies played with vigour and energy and were dejected over a three-point loss. But Buckley's disappointed was softened by a collection of excellent performances, including Moore's. "We'll build a forward line around Darcy over the next 10 years," Buckley said. "He's ready to go now and he's only played 25, 26 games and he's ready to impact the competition in a big way. He's going to be really important for us, starting now. "He's mobile, athletic, he always threatens in the air and his contest at ground level is strong as well." Moore sent a scare through the Collingwood camp, however, when he crashed hard into the advertising fence, resulting in a gash over his right eye. "It looked full-on, it looked pretty significant," Buckley said. "He's got LED dimples in the side of his head so it wasn't a small knock, but he bounced back from that OK." With Travis Cloke dropped for the third time and Mason Cox sidelined with injury, the Pies' more mobile front half swarmed and its forward pressure stifled the Dogs' famed rebound. Asked if he thought Cloke would be at Collingwood next year, Buckley said: "There's plenty of time for that. Travis is contracted and our endeavour all along ... has been to get him back to playing the best footy he can play. "I'm pretty confident Trav can regain his confidence and form and we expect that to be with us next year." With Moore, Adam Treloar led the Collingwood charge, finishing with 34 possessions — 22 coming in the second half. "There's pot shots coming from all angles for anyone associated with the Collingwood Football Club at the moment and there's plenty we would like to have worked better ... but Adam Treloar is not one who should be copping it," Buckley said. "His just got great wheels, he's fast, he wins the ball inside, he can get outside. He can clean up his use but he just breaks the game up so he's going to be a very good midfielder in the competition as he has been and very important for us going forward." The Pies won the tackle count 87-74 and matched the Dogs for contested ball, clearances and inside 50s leaving Buckley to lament a "couple of howlers" that cost them the game. "That's got to be a minimum effort for us, but we brought the right intent, tried to play our brand for four quarters and it was a marginal result," he said. "Our use, on the whole, was pretty good but we just had four or five key decisions or key execution errors that cost us goals. Isolated errors hurt us." THE WESTERN Bulldogs have survived a scare to go a step closer to confirming their place in the top-six on the ladder with a thrilling three-point win over Collingwood. In a game that saw the scores leveled 11 times throughout the night at Etihad Stadium, the Dogs held on to the important victory to keep alive their top-four hopes. On several occasions the Dogs looked to be heading to a costly defeat that would have had repercussions for their chances of playing an elimination final in Melbourne, but Luke Beveridge's men stuck to their guns to secure the 14.11 (95) to 14.8 (92) win. A Nathan Hrovat mark and goal midway through the final term put the Dogs ahead by six points before the Pies drew level when Brayden Maynard powerfully busted through a tackle to kick a left-foot goal at the 22-minute mark of the final term. Both sides had their chances from there, but the Dogs' three behinds was the difference in an entertaining and high-scoring affair. Although the game was an important one for the top-eight Dogs against the Pies, whose season expires in two weeks, at times the larger contest was the sideshow to the main attraction: Adam Treloar up against Marcus Bontempelli. Two of the game's brightest young talents were brilliant throughout the night, with Bontempelli gathering 26 disposals, two goals and six inside-50s and standing up when his side needed him. Treloar was equally as influential, finding a game-high 34 touches, kicking a goal and being the most valuable midfielder in the game. The former Greater Western Sydney on-baller's zip in the final moments in dodging three tackles pinned against the boundary line was crucial in giving the Pies one last shot at victory. Luke Dahlhaus (31 disposals), Lachie Hunter (27) and Matthew Boyd (24) were also important for the Dogs, while Liam Picken was close to best afield with 20 disposals and nine tackles. Picken moved to Pies midfielder Steele Sidebottom in the second half and shut down the key mover. "I imagine it was a pretty good spectacle for the viewers. My heart was jumping out of the chest for most of the night but I thought Collingwood threw the kitchen sink at us and it was an enormous effort in the end to arrest it and hang in there," Beveridge said after the win. "If it goes for another few minutes who knows who gets the result, but it's a really important win again and somehow we grafted it out and walk away pretty pleased." Treloar was well supported by James Aish (28 disposals) and Scott Pendlebury (24) in the midfield, while Jeremy Howe was terrific in his stopping job on Dogs star Jake Stringer, who had just four kicks. "That's got to be the minimum effort for us. We brought the right intent and tried to play our brand of footy for four quarters and it was a marginal result in the end," Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said. "Our [ball] use on the whole was pretty good but we just had a couple of howlers that really hurt us." It was a game that was even from the very start, despite the consequences for one side and the lack thereof for the other. The Bulldogs took some time to get into their groove but the Pies helped them find it. An error from youngster Tom Phillips in front of Collingwood's goal was quickly swung to the Dogs' end where Stringer converted a clever snap, and it showed the class gap between the sides with the Dogs holding a five-point lead at the first change. The difference in finishing skills was evident early in the second term, when Nathan Hrovat swooped on a ball inside 50 and snapped a crafty goal, before Clay Smith continued his goal-scoring run of form to boot another to put the Dogs ahead by 18. They had the chance to go 23 points up midway through the term when last week's NAB AFL Rising Star nominee Josh Dunkley had a shot from directly in front, but his kick pushed to the left and the Pies quickly responded. Darcy Moore, who replaced Travis Cloke in Collingwood's forward line, was influential. He put aside an ugly incident where he skidded into the Etihad Stadium fence and cut open his forehead, to remain a presence in attack. The Pies not only were able to contain the Dogs, but had their own weapons to break way. The leg speed of Sidebottom and Treloar cut through the Bulldogs' midfield, with the latter's running goal late in the second term leveling scores. Despite Collingwood carrying no hopes of a finals position, it was the Pies rather than the Dogs who played with the intensity of a side on the verge of a September berth. But, as has been the story of their season, the Magpies' wayward foot skills stopped them from opening up a bigger lead. It took the polish of No.5 draft pick Jordan De Goey to give the Pies the lead they deserved, with his long major midway through the third term creating a 14-point buffer. A smart and assured kick from teammate Phillips, courtesy of some brilliant groundwork and quick handball from Moore, saw the Magpies jump to an 18-point advantage. But good teams respond when challenged and the Dogs have been top-four contenders since the start of the season with good reason. Within seven minutes the Dogs had kicked four goals (including two to Lin Jong) to snatch back a seven-point lead and evaporate the Pies' enthusiasm. The fluctuating periods of dominance between the clubs continued in the final term, with the Bulldogs booting the first two goals of the last quarter before the Pies hit back with the next two. The game came down to the final moments, as was probably warranted given the quality and evenness of the clash across the night. |
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