AFL 2021 Round 2: Collingwood 106 Carlton 85

AFL 2021 ROUND 3 COLLINGWOOD v BRISBANE Time & Place:  Thursday April 1, 7.40pm EDT The Gabba TV: 7mate / Fox Footy Weather: Min 20 Max 25 Chance of rain 0%: 0mm Wind: SE 20kph Betting: Collingwood $? Brisbane $? COLLINGWOOD   6.2.38   11.5.71   13.7.85  16.10.106 CARLTON             3.2.20     8.3.51   12.4.76      13.7.85 GOALS - Collingwood: De Goey 4, Mihocek 3, Elliott 2, Cox 2, Sidebottom, Hoskin-Elliott, Daicos, Adams, Ruscoe BEST - Collingwood: Adams, Moore, De Goey, Pendlebury, Crisp, Noble INJURIES - Collingwood: Elliott (ankle) REPORTS - Collingwood: Nil SUBSTITUTES - Collingwood: Ruscoe (replaced Elliott) OFFICIAL CROWD - 51,723 at the MCG What The Pies Coach Said "We had narrow losses in our practice matches against Geelong and Richmond, but we didn't (play) particularly well, and we didn't play particularly well last week. We think there's still so much growth on what we put forward tonight, but that was a more Collingwood performance in regard to our effort and our defensive shape. We've kicked 100 points and I know everyone will focus on personnel in front of the ball and ball use and offensive efficiency, but largely if you compete and defend well you're going to be able to get the ball back in some pretty damaging positions. In the first half, we were able to do that and we scored quite heavily as a result." – Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley Media Clippings Herald Sun Collingwood have made a habit in recent years of producing their best with their backs against the wall, and Thursday night was no exception with a gutsy victory against the old enemy Carlton. After enduring a week full of critics questioning the direction they were heading in, following their timid showing against the Western Bulldogs, Nathan Buckley’s men responded in the best possible fashion, taking the wind out Carlton’s sails following a pre-season full of promise, and consigning them to their ninth consecutive 0-2 start to a season. The Magpies turned the clock back to 2018 with their mosquito fleet up forward wreaking havoc in the first half especially as Jordan De Goey (four goals), Jamie Elliott (two), Will Hoskin-Elliott (one) and Josh Daicos (one) kicking eight goals between them, while Brody Mihocek added three. AFL THE QUESTION of where to play Jordan De Goey might have been answered. Collingwood has long been searching for the solution to that defining conundrum and on Thursday night, De Goey's scintillating four-goal first half went some way to providing it as the star Pie inspired his side's crucial 21-point victory over Carlton. The 16.10 (106) to 13.7 (85) win, which simultaneously resigned its arch rivals to an 0-2 start, was defined by De Goey's efforts as the mid-forward became a pure forward to haunt a Blues side that now has its finals hopes hanging by a thread. The Age Seldom has a club endured as tumultuous a period as had Collingwood since their men’s side last tasted victory way back in the first week of October. For that reason and more, Thursday night’s win over Carlton at the MCG - built on both hardness and flair - would be cause for major relief for those of black and white persuasion. Having worked their way to a five-goal lead during the second term, the Magpies were challenged in the second half by the Blues. And yet Nathan Buckley’s men held firm, squaring their ledger at 1-1 and leaving winless Carlton already facing an uphill task to make the finals for the first time since 2013. The sour note for the Pies though was an ankle injury for Jamie Elliott, who was substituted out of the game during the second quarter. “We don’t know [the severity of the injury.] We’ll wait until we see the scan and see what comes of that,” Pies coach Buckley said.