Round 11: Collingwood 138 Fremantle 77

THE FACTS

2018 AFL Round 12 COLLINGWOOD v MELBOURNE Time & Place: Monday June 11, 3:20pm EST MCG 7mate / Fox Sports 3:00pm EST Weather: Min 7 Max 15 Chance of rain 70%: 2mm Wind: NNW 22kph Betting: Collingwood $2.42 Melbourne $1.57

COLLINGWOOD   3.6.24   8.8.56   14.9.93   21.12.138
FREMANTLE         2.3.15   3.4.22    5.4.34       12.5.77

GOALS - Collingwood: Hoskin-Elliott 6, Mihocek 4, Thomas 3, Phillips 2, Cox, Maynard, Stephenson, Pendlebury, De Goey, Daicos

BEST - Collingwood: Hoskin-Elliott, Phillips, Sidebottom, Treloar, Pendlebury, Mihocek, Grundy

INJURIES - Collingwood: TBC

REPORTS - Collingwood: Nil

OFFICIAL CROWD - 34,542 at the MCG

TALKING POINTS

1. Where there's a Will there's a goal – or six Magpies forward Will Hoskin-Elliott continued his unbroken streak of at least one goal a game in 2018 when he converted from just outside 50m late in the first term. Hoskin-Elliott and Melbourne spearhead Jesse Hogan are the only players in the competition yet to be held goalless in every game this season, while the former Giant has now kicked a goal in 14 straight games – a streak that began in round 21 last season. Before Sunday's game, Hoskin-Elliott's biggest tally for the season had been three majors against Carlton in round three, but he played a star turn rather than a cameo against the Dockers, finishing with an equal career-high haul of six. With 23 goals after 11 rounds, the forward is on track to shatter his previous season best of 26 majors, in 2014. He has not missed a game for Collingwood since crossing from Greater Western Sydney ahead of 2017 and is becoming an increasingly important member of its attack. 2. Mihocek soars in long-awaited debut Brody Mihocek endured a long wait before making his debut, but the 25-year-old made the most of his first AFL opportunity against Fremantle on Sunday. Overlooked in five consecutive drafts before Collingwood took him in last year's rookie draft, Mihocek earned a shot as a mature-age recruit after starring as a key defender in Port Melbourne's 2017 VFL premiership season. Mihocek came into the Magpies' team as a replacement for injured forward Ben Reid and, after a quiet first term, looked right at home in attack. In the second quarter, he goaled from close range with a clever snap and set up Collingwood's next goal with a pin-point long kick to an unattended Will Hoskin-Elliott at the 19-minute mark. The debutant deservedly received a warm round of applause from the Magpies faithful when he ran to the bench soon after. But he was not done yet. He kicked the opening two goals of the final term and one in the dying minutes to finish with four on debut, while he also took some strong marks. It was enough to suggest his long wait will prove worth it – for both him and the Magpies. 3. Dismal day for the Dockers Fremantle started the game brightly enough. It kicked the opening goal through Darcy Tucker after little more than a minute's play, and debutant Stefan Giro extended its lead soon after when he hit the post with the first kick of his AFL career. But things went downhill from there for Ross Lyon and his men. By three-quarter time, they had added just four more goals, before saving some face with sevengoals in the final quarterwhen the heat had gone out of the game. Ross Lyon will no doubt be concerned with the fact his team allowed Collingwood to pile on its highest score of the year, 138 points, and were comprehensively beaten in contested possessions (128-153), inside 50s (35-62) and, in the absence of injured star Aaron Sandilands, the hit-outs (25-62). To rub salt into the Dockers' wounds, captain Nat Fyfe is likely to face match review scrutiny after a clash with Collingwood defender Levi Greenwood in the third term, while key defender Alex Pearce suffered a right ankle injury early in that quarter and did not return to the field.

4. New-look Dockers After making six changes at the selection table, Fremantle lost 1091 games of experience for Sunday's clash, the eighth biggest drop from one round to the next in League history. Veterans Michael Johnson, Hayden Ballantyne, Danyle Pearce (all omitted), Aaron Sandilands and Stephen Hill (both injured) all came out of the Dockers' team, along with former Sun Brandon Matera (omitted). Their replacements had a collective 139 games experience between them, with Tommy Sheridan (70) and former Cat Shane Kersten (58) the only two to have played 10 or more games. Michael Apeness, pick No.17 in 2013's NAB AFL Draft, had been restricted to just seven games before Sunday through a string of injuries, while rookie Taylin Duman had played four games and Stefan Giro and Scott Jones were making their debuts. 5. Pies pile on highest score in two years Collingwood's final score, 21.12 (138), was its highest since round eight, 2016 – when it scored 143 points against Brisbane at the Gabba – and also the first time in that stretch it had kicked 20 or more goals. The Magpies did so without their best two key forwards, the injured Ben Reid and Darcy Moore, and with the in-form Jordan De Goey contributing just one goal. Coach Nathan Buckley was understandably buoyed after the game that Will Hoskin-Elliott (a career-high six goals) and 25-year-old debutant Brody Mihocek (four) had been able to stand up in their absence. Buckley also said the Pies' decision to play six forwards in front of the ball more often in 2018 had been a factor in their potent forward line. Nonetheless, the Pies coach was not happy with the final quarter of Sunday's game when both teams kicked seven goals apiece. "It was a shootout really the whole of the last quarter, which is not the way that we want to play the game," Buckley said. Coach Nathan Buckley was understandably buoyed after the game that Will Hoskin-Elliott (a career-high six goals) and 25-year-old debutant Brody Mihocek (four) had been able to stand up in their absence. Buckley also said the Pies' decision to play six forwards in front of the ball more often in 2018 had been a factor in their potent forward line. Nonetheless, the Pies coach was not happy with the final quarter of Sunday's game when both teams kicked seven goals apiece. "It was a shootout really the whole of the last quarter, which is not the way that we want to play the game," Buckley said.

THE MEDIA

SUPERFOOTY COLLINGWOOD has piled on 20 goals for the first time in two years to gear up for Monday’s Queen’s Birthday blockbuster against a red-hot Melbourne. The Magpies destroyed a hapless Fremantle as captain Scott Pendlebury helped shut down Brownlow Medal favourite Nat Fyfe and Brody Mihocek bagged four goals on debut in the 61-point rout. But Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said the Magpies were “yet to prove” they could put together four good quarters against the top teams. Collingwood has beaten only one top-eight side so far this season – Adelaide away – and Buckley said his side was ready to try and raise the bar against an in-form Melbourne. “We have got some boys who have put together some really solid football and we have shown our best footy is pretty good,” Buckley said. “But you are right about who we have played and who we have beaten and who we haven’t. “That’s where the opportunity for growth is for us to continue to improve and next week is against a top-four side. “It gives us an opportunity to test ourselves against one of the better teams in the comp.” Speedster Will Hoskin-Elliott also booted six goals in the Magpies’ seventh win of the season, which kept Collingwood only four points outside the top four. The Magpies hadn’t kicked 20 goals since their 78-point win over Brisbane in Round 8, 2016. Buckley lauded his midfield brigade but was frustrated his team conceded five goals from centre bounce and seven majors in a last term fade-out. He said the Magpies could not afford to switch off against a team like Melbourne. “When we have played good footy against good opposition we have stood up, but we have just got to learn, like today, we have got to play it for longer,” he said. “You need to do it against the better sides of the comp to win those games and we are yet to prove that and we are looking forward to the challenge (against Melbourne).” High-flyer Jeremy Howe is a chance to return from knee soreness against his old team for Monday’s blockbuster, while Mihocek is certain to keep his spot after an impressive debut. Buckley praised his persistence after a six-year wait to realise his AFL dream. “The first 30 minutes he was running around like a chicken with its head cut off. He was excited, like a kid in a lolly shop,” Buckley said. “His story is amazing and he got his opportunity and really he showed us what he showed us over the last couple of weeks in that role (in the VFL).” AFL COLLINGWOOD has set the stage for an enticing Queen's Birthday showdown with Melbourne, destroying an inexperienced Fremantle side by 61 points to win its third game on the trot and cement its place in the AFL's top eight. The Magpies thoroughly outclassed the Dockers after quarter-time at the MCG on Sunday, building an insurmountable 34-point lead at half-time and finishing the job to run out 21.12 (138) to 12.5 (77) victors. Fremantle’s loss could be further compounded with Brownlow Medal favourite Nat Fyfe set to come under match review scrutiny for a high hit on Collingwood’s Levi Greenwood. Collingwood's work rate, especially through the arcs, was the big difference between the teams, with the Magpies' best runners Tom Phillips (35 disposals, three goals and 596m gained) and Steele Sidebottom (37) influential in the big win. Both Phillips and Sidebottom run around the six-minute mark over 2km, which is considered at the top echelon of elite, and their ability to cover the ground in such a dominant manner was telling. Mature-age debutant Brody Mihocek made a sizeable impact in the second quarter, kicking his first goal and being used as an important link between defence and attack. Mihocek, 25, who played for three VFL clubs and made the move from Tasmania after being overlooked in his under-18 year, is a great example of a player being rewarded for his persistence as the first-gamer finished with four majors. After missing a month with an ankle complaint, Brayden Maynard (27 touches) also settled nicely back into an underrated defence that has kept its opponents to an average of 67.5 points over the past four weeks. Will Hoskin-Elliott (six goals) continued his superb season and kept alive his streak of being one of only two players in the competition (alongside Melbourne's Jesse Hogan) to kick a goal in every match this season. Collingwood booted its highest score (138) since round eight, 2016, but coach Nathan Buckley was disappointed the Magpies allowed the Dockers to kick seven goals in the final term. "You don't see 20 goals in a game as often as you used to, but our offensive power especially after quarter-time was pretty strong. We scored relative to our entries pretty well so that was a positive part of the game," Buckley said. "I'm pretty dirty with the last 15 (minutes) at the moment so if you're talking about defence you want to finish the game off, but it was a shootout really the whole of the last quarter, which is not the way that we want to play the game. But the first three quarters we were really strong defensively." Without Aaron Sandilands, who missed the game with concussion, Fremantle's midfield ascendancy was stunted and with Fyfe (24) having a quiet day the Dockers lacked spark. Depending on how Match Review Officer Michael Christian views it, Fyfe could be in strife for the incident with Greenwood. After Ross Lyon wielded the axe by making six changes at the selection table, Fremantle lost 1091 games of experience from last week and it was significant in the narrative of the game. Lyon said the Dockers' match committee would persist with their policy to give their youth opportunities. "AFL is a great reality check. You can come here with the intent and enthusiasm to compete, but the realities of the game are very sobering," Lyon said. "To do what we did and kick seven goals in the last quarter, if I'm sitting back in Perth and I'm a member and part of the Docker community … there were some performances within that show we are growing and improving." Fremantle lacked impetus forward of centre and managed just five goals to three-quarter-time, in what turned into a beatdown once the Magpies clamped down on the Dockers' copious amounts of uncontested marks. With the Dockers' midfield being well beaten, Fremantle's defence eventually buckled under the weight of an avalanche of inside 50s (62-35). Michael Walters (29 disposals and nine clearances) was clearly Fremantle's best player, while youngsters Ed Langdon and Andrew Brayshaw tried hard and debutants Stefan Giro and Scott Jones got consolation prizes late in the game. Next Monday will provide a significant test for Collingwood against the AFL's hottest team in the Demons and it could provide a true indication of where the Magpies sit in the finals pecking order. MEDICAL ROOM Collingwood: Magpie Steele Sidebottom copped a hefty corkie to his left leg in the final term, but stayed on the field and played out the game. NEXT UP The Magpies will have an eight-day break before coming up against Melbourne, which has won six games in a row. REAL FOOTY Ross Lyon has for a long time been very good at making the most of what he’s got to work with. On Sunday at the MCG, what he dished up was never likely to win his side the game, but then again, it’s doubtful many coaches in the history of football would have been able to claim the four points with Fremantle’s current line-up. Although Collingwood took a while to get out of third gear, they ultimately crushed the Dockers to notch their seventh win from nine games, crucially escaping without injuries ahead of a tantalising Queen’s Birthday clash with Melbourne. Even with the Hill brothers injured and Aaron Sandilands concussed, the Dockers had still dropped Michael Johnson, Hayden Ballantyne, Brandon Matera and Danyle Pearce. As such, Fremantle fielded a side with eight players who had played 15 AFL games or less, including debutantes Stefan Giro and Scott Jones. It was bold selection statement from Lyon, a nod to the bigger picture with the Dockers having lost touch with the top eight in recent weeks. But it turned what would have ordinarily been a difficult task into a nigh-on impossible one, especially given the Dockers hadn’t won away from Perth since round 16 last year. Fremantle’s style suggested as much. Acutely aware of Collingwood’s running prowess this season, the Dockers played a possession-heavy game, a plan from Lyon’s top draw. They carefully chipped the ball in their back half, limiting the potential for damage. It worked OK for a while. Fremantle had the first 12 marks of the game, and at least had the Magpies on the back foot early, with Darcy Tucker converting a set shot for the game’s first goal. Giro could have made it two inside four minutes but missed, and that was about as good as it got for the Dockers. Collingwood soon enough took control. Fremantle’s game-plan made it desperately difficult for the Dockers to get dangerous entries in the forward 50, and much of the second term was played deep in the Pies’ forward half. The half-time inside 50 count of 31-16 told the story. Despite the Magpie dominance, a combination of some sloppy ball use from Collingwood and dogged Fremantle defending meant that when Bailey Banfield snapped truly at the 16-minute mark of the second quarter, the margin was back inside two goals. A weaker side than Collingwood might have kept the door ajar for longer, but the Pies slammed it shut with four goals to close out the half. Collingwood’s 25-year-old debutant Brody Mihocek was influential in the surge. He’d already snapped a major early in the term, and set up consecutive goals in the back half of the quarter as well, with a bomb to open the path for Will Hoskin-Elliott followed by a mark which led to Josh Thomas’ second major. Scott Pendlebury hadn’t been the most prolific member of Collingwood’ fearsome midfield, but he had gone head-to-head with opposing skipper Nat Fyfe and come out in front. Pendlebury cut inside and then baulked before drilling a shot from 55 metres early in the third term. Then Dockers backman Alex Pearce, a man due some luck with his body, hobbled off the ground with a lower-leg injury. The goals started coming thick and fast, with the headaches mounting for Fremantle as Fyfe collected Levi Greenwood high with an elbow midway through the quarter. Tom Phillips’ outstanding season continued, as he kept on finding the ball and was rewarded for his tireless running with a pair of goals late in the quarter. Hoskin-Elliott, one of only two players in the league to have kicked a goal in every round this season, pulled out a couple of his party tricks en route to a bag. Steele Sidebottom, Jack Crisp, Brodie Grundy and Adam Treloar were all very busy too, while Josh Daicos bobbed up for a third quarter goal to rouse the black and white faithful. Mihocek got in on the act as well, and the Pies had secured themselves a valuable percentage boost to assist their finals tilt, kicking 20 goals for the first time since Anzac Day 2016.