| AFL 2018 Pre Season Game 2 Collingwood v Footscray Time & Place: Saturday, March 10, 1:05pm EDT Ted Summerton Reserve, Moe TV: Fox Footy 1:00pm EDT Weather: Min 13 Max 24 Chance of rain: 0% Wind: E 11kph |
COLLINGWOOD 1.3.9 2.4.16 2.4.16 5.6.36
GOALS - Collingwood: Phillips, Cox, Reid, Hoskin-Elliott, Pendlebury
BEST - Collingwood: Sidebottom, Grundy, Adams, Thomas, Maynard
INJURIES - Collingwood: Adam Oxley (shoulder)
REPORTS - Collingwood: Nil
OFFICIAL CROWD - 6,642 at Manuka Oval, Canberra
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A DOMINANT third quarter from a new-look Giants outfit has helped them to a 60-point win in their JLT Community Series opener against Collingwood in Canberra. Led by 2017 All Australian Dylan Shiel, who kicked two goals from his 10 possessions, the home side booted 6.5 and held the Magpies scoreless to end the contest in a one-sided third term. Early problems with some of the light towers at Manuka Oval would have made the officials nervous but the issues were rectified in the second term when the match was well and truly alive. With a near full-strength midfield available for the match, GWS experimented by using Shiel as a permanent forward at times, while gun wingman Lachie Whitfield starred in an unfamiliar role across half-back, and constantly set his side up with his precision kicking from defence. Whitfield finished the night with 25 disposals at 88 per cent efficiency to put his hand up to replace the injured Zac Williams (Achilles) in the Giants' backline. Stephen Coniglio, Callan Ward and Josh Kelly wielded their usual influence as onballers, while the experience of Heath Shaw and Phil Davis shone in defence, alongside youngsters Jeremy Finlayson and Harry Perryman, who stood out with their brilcliant foot skills. While both sides found soring difficult in an error-riddled first half, Ben Reid and Mason Cox at least gave the Pies two strong targets, but with Jamie Elliott missing there was little danger at ground level. Collingwood used star runner Steele Sidebottom as a deep forward at times with little effect, but the midfielder was arguably his side's best with 24 touches. What we learned Collingwood: The Magpies haven't solved their scoring issues. They got enough from dual key forwards Ben Reid and Mason Cox to be encouraged, but if Nathan Buckley intends to use gun youngster Darcy Moore in defence, they need to find more options. Travis Varcoe started well but faded badly, while the likes of Tim Broomhead and Josh Smith just couldn't find the footy. New faces Collingwood: The Pies' top 10 draft pick Jaidyn Stephenson looked at ease at this level, with the 19-year-old picking up some useful touches playing across half-forward. Big-bodied rookie Brody Mihocek also settled nicely playing as a key defender on GWS star Jeremy Cameron. The 25-year-old from Tassie looked at home in the one-on-one contests, while fellow rookie Flynn Appleby was another solid performer in the back half. "We've got a bit of work to do. There was a bit of posturing given we play them in a month. We definitely had a look at four or five things we've been practicing through pre-season, a couple of them went okay, a couple of them didn't. First quarter was okay, after quarter time not so good." Nathan Buckley |
They were burned out in last year's finals race and already have fresh injury problems to contend with, but count out Greater Western Sydney at your peril. It took some time for the new-look Giants to fire but they rammed home the advantage late in a 14.12 (96) to 5.6 (36) win over the Collingwood Magpies at Manuka Oval on Thursday night. The 6642 fans in Canberra were treated to a lacklustre start, but it was only going to go one way when All-Australian star Dylan Shiel started to fire. The Giants ran riot in the third term and issued the competition with a reminder that they will be in the hunt come September. The Magpies, on the other hand, have plenty of work to do if they want to snap a five-year finals drought. Stand-in Giants coach Mark McVeigh expects Shiel and other key on-ballers to spend plenty of time up forward this season as GWS search for a maiden flag. "We know [Shiel has] elite speed so when he gets forward he certainly gets split from the opposition," McVeigh said. "When we look at what they can provide when they go forward and we have some success out of it, you've got to weigh it up. They're our main on-ballers, and we know for us to win games you've got to spend big time in there, but also when they rest where can we utilise them best? "Dylan Shiel went forward, Callan Ward went back last week and did some good stuff for us. We've got some opportunities there." The engine room was almost full-strength with Shiel, Stephen Coniglio, Callan Ward, Josh Kelly and Tim Taranto on hand with just one game left until the season proper. There was plenty to like from that group - Shiel was dominant, Taranto looks to have found another level and Coniglio eased into form. The Giants felt the effects of losing dashing defender Nathan Wilson to Fremantle, with a lack of run off half-back showing early - but the silky Lachie Whitfield soon showed he is more than capable of filling the void. The Magpies had their chances early but struggled to make them pay with a poor disposal efficiency cruelling their scoring opportunities. Collingwood were missing a chunk of star power but managed to stay in the contest until half-time before the Giants kicked into gear. Both sides have just one more game up their sleeves before the season begins - and the Giants have shown just enough to suggest they can live up to their billing as a title contender. Although for a moment it looked like none of it would happen as three Manuka Oval light towers failed to turn on in the opening term. The Giants nearly had their second pre-season match cut short by lighting dramas, but they slowly flickered on as Collingwood's night went downhill. The Magpies were ferocious in the opening term and finished with plenty of vigour – but that sandwiched a dissatisfying start to the year. However the return of the likes of Adam Treloar, Jamie Elliott and Alex Fasolo cannot come quick enough. With coach Nathan Buckley coming off a year in which his future was scrutinised to no end, a scoreless third quarter was not on the agenda. "We've got a bit of work to do. There was a bit of posturing given we play them in a month," Buckley said. "We definitely had a look at four or five things we've been practicing through pre-season, a couple of them went okay, a couple of them didn't. First quarter was okay, after quarter time not so good." For the Giants it was a tale of two halves. For the Magpies, the tale we've heard before looks set to add another chapter. |
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