| 2017 AFL Round 5 COLLINGWOOD v ESSENDON Time & Place: Tuesday April 25, 3:20pm EST MCG TV: 7mate / Fox Footy 3:00pm EST Weather: Min 13 Max 23 Betting: Collingwood $1.61 Essendon $2.34 |
COLLINGWOOD 2.6.18 3.7.25 5.8.38 7.13.55
GOALS - Collingwood: Hoskin-Elliott 2, Fasolo, Crisp, White, Blair, Schade
BEST - Collingwood: Howe, Grundy, Sidebottom, Adams, Reid, Treloar
INJURIES - Collingwood: Tom Phillips (illness) replaced in selected side by Jarryd Blair, Will Hoskin-Elliott (left wrist)
REPORTS - Collingwood: Nil
OFFICIAL CROWD - 36,650 at Etihad Stadium
| 1. The rule that keeps on giving Not one round has gone by this year without something new to discuss in regards to the new ruck rule, which bans the 'third man up' and leaves players having to nominate. There's been criticism, confusion, free kicks, tactics – and now incredulity. Social media went into meltdown, possibly prompted by Channel 7 commentary, as the three umpires made a more concerted effort to ensure players were aware who the nominated ruckmen were. Past players Robert Shaw and Mick McGuane led the chorus of disenchantment, likening the situation to players being treated like Auskickers. But is it really the umpires' fault? 2. Much ado about nothing Big disposal numbers are nothing new for Collingwood, which entered round four second in the competition with 412.7 per game. But St Kilda, ranked 17th in the first three rounds, joined the party on Sunday – starting with an enormous 109 in the first term to the Pies' 102, and ending with 418. Unfortunately, the possession ping-pong didn't lead to scoreboard impact. The Saints had 15 inside-50s for a modest 1.3 in that period, while Collingwood managed 2.6 from 18 inside-50s. The trend continued in the second quarter before the game finally broke open in the first seven minutes of the third term. St Kilda's scrappy win was ... the first time the Saints had inflicted back-to-back defeats on Collingwood since doing so in 2009 and 2010. |
3. Drought-breaking Saints victory St Kilda's scrappy win was not only its second straight this season – after starting with two defeats – but also the first time the Saints had inflicted back-to-back defeats on Collingwood since doing so in 2009 and 2010. The Magpies won the previous seven, including the 2010 Grand Final replay. Alan Richardson's side remains youthful and in transition, but was considered a finals contender on season eve. This win, on top of last week's victory over the Brisbane Lions, has put St Kilda back in the mix. 4. Wayward goalkicking The tone was set early and never improved, with the sides combining for 28 behinds compared to only 16 goals under the Etihad Stadium roof. That is awful, no matter how you spin it. Pressure played its part, but the misfiring was mostly down to the offending players as a series of set shots sprayed left and right. All-time great Leigh Matthews remarked after one straightforward set shot miss that it was the one area in which modern-day footballers had failed to progress. 5. Elliott back but short of a run Tattooed Pie Jamie Elliott finally returned to AFL level after a back injury ruined his 2016 campaign and an ankle issue delayed his 2017 start. The popular forward started on the bench in his first match since round 23, 2015 and had to wait a while to run out. But Elliott sparked a huge roar when he clung onto a centering ball from teammate Darcy Moore midway through the opening term. His set shot drifted right and was his sole touch in the first quarter and he finished with only six on a quiet afternoon. |
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A miserly St Kilda has produced its second victory of the season, outlasting Collingwood by 14 points in a gritty arm wrestle at Etihad Stadium on Sunday. After booting 14.23 against the Brisbane Lions last week, the Saints were again inaccurate in front of goal but eventually did enough to separate themselves from a more wasteful Pies outfit. The Saints set up their victory with four of the five goals scored in the third term, doing enough to hold off the Magpies in a scrappy 9.15 (69) to 7.13 (55) win. St Kilda's stifling forward line pressure forced the Magpies' defenders to cough the ball up time and again, as they out-tackled their opponents 85-55, but unfortunately the Saints could not take full advantage on the scoreboard. In a game where both sides' defences reigned supreme, inspirational Saints skipper Jarryn Geary was outstanding for the victors. Geary only had 17 disposals, but his ability to win crucial one-on-one contests and trademark bravery to take a hit for the betterment of his team was one of the key elements in the Saints' win. Young Saints midfielder Seb Ross exerted his influence on the contest with 12 disposals in the third term to finish with 36 for the game, while Dylan Roberton accumulated plenty of touches in a setup role across half-back (32 disposals). St Kilda key forwards Tim Membrey and Josh Bruce both finished with two goals apiece, but their influence could have been greater if the Saints' midfielders were more effective going inside forward 50. Saints coach Alan Richardson was pleased with his team's endeavour in the hard-fought contest. "I think we'd all acknowledge it wasn't an amazing game of footy from a technical or skill perspective – it was a real scrap – (but) it's pleasing a couple of weeks in a row to win when you're not at your best," Richardson said. "Our tackle pressure was really positive and I think everyone knows how strong they were in that space last week. So to win the tackle count by 30 is a real credit to the boys." If St Kilda made scoring look like hard work, it paled in comparison to Collingwood's struggles forward of centre. Lauded for their precise ball movement in a massive away win against Sydney at the SCG last week, that clean, flowing possession deserted the Pies on Easter Sunday. The Magpies kicked just seven goals for the match as their forward line misfired again, highlighted by the ineffectiveness of young forward Darcy Moore, who was again well held. The Pies' scoring struggles are a major headache for coach Nathan Buckley, although the return of Jamie Elliott for his first game since round 23, 2015 was a positive on a day dominated by negatives for the team in black and white. Collingwood gave up 66 inside 50s to St Kilda and lowered its output from previous weeks with just 50 on Sunday. "When you work hard to move the ball forward and you think you're doing quite a bit right and you don't get bang for buck it sets you back a little bit," Buckley said. "Clearly we need to look at our execution going forward, the connection between our backs, our midfielders and our forwards and the balance of our offence in our game. "We weren't going to win with that score." Taylor Adams (39 disposals) typically gave his all for the Magpies, while Steele Sidebottom was also prolific through the midfield. Versatile defender Jeremy Howe stood up under a barrage of pressure, taking a number of relieving marks (10) and finishing with 21 disposals to continue his excellent season. Billed as a match-up between two of the AFL's brightest upcoming ruckmen, Brodie Grundy took the points against Tom Hickey, although the Saints' ruckman fought back strongly in the second half. Eventually the Saints' constant pressure wore the Magpies down, and it was their consistent effort in the third term that sewed up the victory. The loss leaves the Pies with just one win from their first four games. MEDICAL ROOM Collingwood: Will Hoskin-Elliott hurt his left wrist in the opening term after contact from Jake Carlisle. The midfielder got the all clear from doctors to continue and he came back on to kick two goals. Collingwood skipper Scott Pendlebury spent large periods of the third quarter on the bench, but coach Nathan Buckley denied there was an injury issue. Tom Phillips (illness) should be available to face Essendon. NEXT UP Collingwood will be looking to restart its spluttering season against Essendon in what shapes as a huge Anzac Day clash. NATHAN Buckley's coaching career has long dripped with sweat from the football furnace. After Round 2 the heat hit searing temperatures as the 0-2 Magpies prepared for a Friday night date with Sydney. Buckley's counterpart, Alan Richardson, has conversely enjoyed three seasons largely out of the bright coaching spotlight. But at halftime on Sunday you started to wonder if these two were slowly starting to switch places. St Kilda, widely tipped as the AFL's rapid riser of 2017, was showing cracks after an indifferent start to the season. At the main break on Sunday the class of Jack Billings (0.3) was going to waste and ruckman Tom Hickey was learning why Brodie Grundy is suddenly one of the best at the craft. No. 1 pick Paddy McCartin couldn't get a game and kids Jade Gresham, Ben Long and Jack Lonie had all collected fewer than five disposals. Again, the reliance on evergreen champions Leigh Montagna and Nick Riewoldt seemed unhealthy. A loss to Collingwood would have left the Saints 1-3 despite facing just one finalist in the opening month. The pressure was set to storm. So after a dour first half, the next two quarters were critical for Richardson. And it became clinical for his Saints. From siren to siren St Kilda held control, its territory game slowly equating to a break on the scoreboard. That break should have been ugly, goalkicking inaccuracy the main reason the Magpies remained a sniff late in the last quarter. A pack mark from debutant Long to start the third term sparked some excitement and the courage of underrated captain Jarryn Geary delivered a goal shortly after. Geary flew with courage knowing he was about to get sandwiched by two Magpies, allowing Jack Newnes to spot Riewoldt on the lead. It was the kind of act the players will watch over and over when they review the tape. The hard tackling of Luke Dunstan won a set-shot and Blake Acres slotted an opportunistic goal. Seb Ross gained ascendancy in the midfield while Jake Carlisle and Nathan Brown led a defence which leaked just seven goals. The Saints' backline was so stingy that Darcy Moore — manned by Brown — received Bronx cheers from the Pies' faithful when he finally took a mark in the last quarter. There were ferocious tackles from Long and Newnes in the dying minutes and another gold-star game from Riewoldt, even sticking a slips-style catch in the final quarter. The second half in isolation would have left Buckley reaching for the Panadol and Richardson with a big smile. The Saints laid 30 more tackles — 85-55 — against a side which recorded 115 last week. St Kilda has stabilized and after a 0-2 start, they are 2-2. More importantly, their brand is back. |
St Kilda has ensured Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley is back under pressure, following a 14-point win over the Pies in an often lacklustre match at Etihad Stadium on Easter Sunday. Collingwood capitulated after a strong first quarter, recording only 55 tackles for the game, a week after they put in a 113-tackle effort against Sydney at the SCG. St Kilda locked Collingwood into their defensive 50 for much of the game after quarter time, thanks to a willing but by no means stellar performance from coach Alan Richardson's side. Momentum swung regularly in the first half but rested with St Kilda at the main break. That's because their midfield tightened up on Collingwood's, which was led by Brodie Grundy in the first quarter. Collingwood began the game well, repelling the Saints forward entries easily. Alex Fasolo kicked the first goal after being found in the forward 50 by a clever Travis Varcoe banana pass from the pocket. Collingwood continued the solid start with accurate kicking into the forward line a feature. However Jamie Elliott, Darcy Moore, Levi Greenwood and Scott Pendlebury could not finish off the good work, missing four set shots in the first quarter, another of the Pies' 2017 woes. The Saints also had accuracy trouble. Jack Billings missed a set shot and a snap, both from very reasonable positions, in the opening term. Their first goal came via two veterans – Nick Riewoldt gathering a smothered forward 50 entry to handball to Leigh Montagna, who saluted with a classy snap. Jade Gresham's well-crumbed goal at the 19-minute mark of the second term brought the scores level and the Saints to life. That goal was followed by Josh Bruce's second major, as the Saints went coast to coast thanks to Jesse White bizarrely kicking to Jarryd Blair in a 2 on 1 in the Pies forward 50. The goal ensured Saints went into the main break ahead by six points after a low-scoring half. After a first half where only seven goals were scored, six were booted in the third quarter, four to the Saints and two to the Pies. All that kept Collingwood in the game to three-quarter time was St Kilda's wayward kicking. They scored five behinds in the term to go into the last quarter 22 points ahead. Billings, Gresham, Tim Membrey, Luke Dunstan and Ben Long were the inaccurate offenders in an otherwise dominant quarter for the Saints. Collingwood's pressure dropped to only 13 tackles for the quarter to the Saints' 22. The Pies also only had eight inside 50s, to St Kilda's 18. It meant the Saints led by 22 points going into the final term. Between half-time and the 10 minute mark of the last term, Pendlebury had only had two disposals. More inaccurate St Kilda kicking – three points to start the final term – again gave Collingwood hope, when Will Hoskin-Elliott finished a rare foray forward for the Pies, cutting the margin to 18. However Membrey slotted his second from a set shot to quickly restore a 23-point lead. A FRUSTRATED Nathan Buckley has hinted at a significant rejig of his side's misfiring forward line for what looms as a season-defining Anzac Day clash against Essendon. Marquee recruit Daniel Wells and father-son draftee Josh Daicos could come into the selection mix for the game against the Bombers, as Buckley looks to refresh his tired-looking team. The Magpies' ineptitude up forward was underlined in a 14-point loss to St Kilda at Etihad Stadium on Sunday where they kicked just seven goals from 50 inside 50 entries. Third-year forward Darcy Moore again struggled to have an impact against the Saints and was well beaten by former Magpie Nathan Brown. Buckley did not entirely lay the blame at Moore's feet, but it was clear he was getting fed up with his team's inability to kick a winning score. "It's not just Darcy. None of our forwards have really looked dangerous at any stage this year," Buckley said. "Darcy's one of and there's been a fair bit of focus on one bloke at the moment and we need to continue to find that connection and chemistry between the midfield and going in to our front half." The Magpies have Mason Cox and potentially Lachie Keeffe as tall options to call upon if they decide on a personnel change among their key forwards. Buckley said it was disappointing his side could not capitalise on its opportunities in front of goal. "When you work hard to move the ball forward and you think you're doing quite a bit right and you don't get bang for buck it sets you back a little bit," Buckley said. "Clearly we need to look at our execution going forward, the connection between our backs, our midfielders and our forwards and the balance of our offence in our game. "We weren't going to win with that score." The template for a Magpies victory was laid out in a defining one-point victory against Sydney last week, as they used daring ball use and strong tackling pressure (115 tackles) to overwhelm the Swans. Collingwood was well beaten in the tackling count (55-88) on Sunday as the Saints forced Buckley's team into multiple turnovers that left the coach venting his anger in the coach's box. "The players felt like they betrayed themselves in that regard and there's great frustration in that," Buckley said. "We need to be a side that brings our brand of footy and tonight we lowered our colours in that regard, which we're most disappointed about." Wells got through his first VFL hit-out injury free against Coburg on Saturday and will push to make his club debut against the Bombers. The 32-year-old, signed as a free agent on a three-year deal, played 70-75 per cent game time after being hampered by persistent calf troubles. "He's fit. We've got 10 days into Anzac Day, then five days into Geelong and six into Carlton after that," Buckley said. "We'll manage our squad as effectively as we possibly can to be competitive across that band." On Daicos, the son of Collingwood champion Peter, Buckley said the youngster's debut was approaching: "He had a really strong performance on the weekend … if he strings a couple of those games together then he's not far away." Buckley acknowledged skipper Scott Pendlebury was "not as sharp as he has been in the first three rounds", but denied he was restricted by an injury complaint. Pendlebury spent a large amount of time on the bench in the third term and played just 77 per cent game time against the Saints. "When you work hard to move the ball forward and you think you're doing quite a bit right and you don't get bang for buck it sets you back a little bit. Clearly we need to look at our execution going forward, the connection between our backs, our midfielders and our forwards and the balance of our offence in our game. We weren't going to win with that score." |
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